Democrats Barack Obama and Hillary Rodham Clinton sparred -- for the most part cordially -- over immigration, health care and the war in Iraq in their first one-on-one debate Thursday as they faced high-stakes Super Tuesday primaries and caucuses that could go a long way toward in determining the party's presidential nominee.
Clinton emphasized that the nation needed a president "ready to go to work on Day One." Obama responded: "Sen. Clinton, I think fairly, has claimed that she's got the experience on Day One. And part of the argument that I'm making in this campaign is that it is important to be right on Day One."
"Obama and Clinton were on remarkably good behavior, compared to their recent bouts of bickering," Yanick Rice Lamb, an associate professor of journalism at Howard University and editorial director of Heart and Soul magazine, told BlackAmericaWeb.com Thursday.
"They clearly took the high road and tried to stay there. What a difference a little bad press and public backlash make," she said.
"This was less of a debate and more of a mutual-admiration session, whether real or forced," she added. "They seemed to genuinely enjoy this historic moment, but rendered it a bit bland. They could have challenged each other a little more to really stand out on the issues and send a clear message to undecided voters. However, they made a strong case for Democrats over Republicans."
Just five days before Super Tuesday, the two alternated between addressing each other with civility and pointed swipes, underscoring the importance of the upcoming contests. The debate came on the day Obama's campaign reported raising a staggering $32 million in January, cash aplenty to advertise all through the nearly two dozen upcoming races from coast to coast -- and contests beyond.
Clinton's campaign reported raising $26.8 million from October through December, the most recent period that she reported.
Clinton defended the increasingly high-profile role of her husband, former President Bill Clinton, in her campaign and his recent sharp criticism of Obama.
Responding to a question on how could she control him in the White House if she couldn't on the campaign trail, Clinton said, "At the end of the day, it's my name that's on the ballot ... It's a lonely job in the White House."
Both candidates were asked about the possibility of a "dream ticket" of Clinton-Obama or Obama-Clinton.
"Obviously, there's a big difference between those two," Obama said. "I respect Sen. Clinton, I think her service to this country is extraordinary." But he said, "We've got a lot more road to travel" before such a decision.
Clinton agreed it was too early to discuss.
On "Content Black Woman" -- Internet blog radio from Los Angeles -- former Los Angeles Superior Court Judge Kevin Ross said flat-out that "Hillary won. Hillary hit it out of the park. She has the finesse. And the expertise."
Ross, who co-hosted the program immediately after the debate, said that he "was not feeling Barack at all," explaining that Obama was not clear on the issue of illegal immigration and saying that he rambled.
"Here in California, black folks are ticked off about illegal immigration," he said. "I’m glad to see black folks engaged."
His co-host, Valencia Roner, disagreed with Ross, saying she thought Obama had command of the issues and, for example, made his case about paying for his health care plan for Americans.
Many black voters are looking ahead past Super Tuesday.
"We have to defeat [Sen. John] McCain at all costs," said D.C. resident Anneliese M. Bruner. "I have a young son about whom I am deeply concerned against the backdrop of perpetual war. As you vote in the primaries, please consider carefully the prospect of four more years of a Republican regime."
Traci Blunt, a spokeswoman for Clinton, said Thursday’s debate was a good night for Clinton.
"She continues to demonstrate that she is ready to serve as President on day one," Blunt told BlackAmericaWeb.com. "She outlined her substantive agenda on the issues that are important to voters -- health care, education, ending the war in Iraq. She further distinguished her health care plan, which will ensure that all Americans are covered. If you want to know what kind of change Hillary would make in the White House, look at what she's already accomplished."
Colorado state Sen. Peter C. Groff, publisher of Blackpolicy.org and executive director of the Center for African-American Policy at the University of Denver, said the debate was obviously much more civil than what was expected.
"Clearly, the candidates planned it that way," Groff told BlackAmericaWeb.com. "The civility was needed for the betterment of the party. You have 50 percent of delegates up for grabs on Tuesday, so the party couldn't afford to have any of the division which has become a hallmark of this campaign."
"The two major topics were health care and immigration," he said. "Obama walked a fine line on immigration, because he's an African-American who must figure out how to talk about immigration without alienating the black vote; but then again, he needs the support of Latinos. Clinton tried to grab at that tonight by reaching out to black voters, but she's got to be careful not to dismiss the reason behind why Latinos are here in the first place and not to anger a base that she's created."
"Right now, Democrats can't afford to have a bitter back and forth, or hand-to-hand combat in the debates, especially as the field narrows," Groff added. "They are going to need the support of other candidates who have dropped out and their supporters if they expect to win the nomination and the White House."
Making amends for his widely-perceived snub of her at Monday's State of the Union Address, Obama assisted Clinton by pulling back her chair both as the debate, televised on CNN, began and ended. They then embraced.
But is wasn't all sweetness and light.
One of their most pointed exchanges came on the subject of whether illegal immigrants should be able to obtain driver's licenses. Obama supports doing so while Clinton initially supported it and now opposes it.
"Sen. Clinton gave a number of different answers over the course of six weeks on this," Obama said, turning to Clinton. "Initially, you said you were for it, then you said you were against it." He said he was raising her apparent wavering to underscore that it is "a difficult political issue."
Clinton called the controversy "a diversion" from efforts to come up with comprehensive immigration reform. "I sponsored immigration reform before Barack came to the Senate," she said.
Obama argued for his candidacy, saying, "I respect Sen. Clinton's record. I think it's a terrific record. But I also believe that the skills that I have are the ones that are needed right now to move the country forward, otherwise I wouldn't be running for president."
They also clashed on Iraq.
Clinton suggested only she had "the necessary credentials and gravitas" to lead the country in withdrawing from Iraq without endangering U.S. forces or further destabilizing the area. She said it was crucial to bring Syria and Iran to the diplomatic table.
Obama shot back, "Sen. Clinton mentioned the issue of gravitas and judgment. I think it is much easier for us to have the argument when we have a nominee who says, 'I always thought this was a bad idea. This was a bad strategy.' It was not just a problem of execution."
Clinton voted in October 2002 to authorize President Bush to use force in Iraq, while Obama opposed such authority in a speech he gave in 2002 while he was a member of the Illinois state Senate.
The two also reached out quickly to backers of former rival John Edwards, who bowed out of the race Wednesday without endorsing either one. Both praised his efforts in their opening statements.
Obama called Edwards "a voice for this party and this country for many years to come." Clinton saluted both Edwards and his wife, Elizabeth, as setting "their personal example of courage and leadership" in their advocacy for the poor.
Clinton drew rounds of laughter in the Kodak Theatre -- home of the Academy Awards -- when she asked whether it was good for the country to have another Clinton in the White House, further extending Bush and Clinton family control over government. "It did take a Clinton to clean after the first Bush, and I think it might take another one to clean up after the second Bush," she said.
Befitting a Hollywood audience, among the stars in the theater were Louis Gossett Jr., Stevie Wonder, Diane Keaton, Jason Alexander, Pierce Brosnan, Rob Reiner, Bradley Whitford and Gary Shandling.
