I’ve got readings, stories, and an application due, so of course I spent the first part of the evening watching the Democratic debate.

All in all, I was very impressed with both candidates. Several of the questions were absolutely brutal. Consider this doozy that Tim Russert launched at Senator Clinton:

On the issue of jobs, I watched you the other day with your economic blueprint in Wisconsin saying, this is my plan; hold me accountable. And I’ve had a chance to read it very carefully. It does say that you pledge to create 5 million new jobs over 10 years. And I was reminded of your campaign in 2000 in Buffalo, my hometown, just three hours down Route 90, where you pledged 200,000 new jobs for upstate New York. There’s been a net loss of 30,000 jobs.

I’m sure that question hit home with recession-conscious Ohioans. Both were hit in the pocketbook as well–Obama was tagged for seeming to waffle on his commitment to public financing of the general election, and Clinton was needled for her unwillingness to disclose her tax returns.

Obama had some wonderful moments. Clinton switched what seemed like a supportive comment into an attack when she chastised him for merely “rejecting” and not “denouncing” Louis Farrakhan’s support. He smiled broadly, conceded the point, and then both rejected and denounced the anti-Semitic preacher’s support. My other favorite was when he compared invading Iraq to driving a bus into a ditch. [Update: I should mention that this was a vivid, folksy response in which Obama explained why he was against the war but still voted to fund it: “Once we had driven the bus into the ditch, there were only so many ways we could get out. The question is, who’s making the decision initially to drive the bus into the ditch?”  I’m not sure I agree with him entirely, but it was a demonstration of his rhetorical powers.]

That said, it was a pleasure watching the two spar back and forth. Bush would get butchered if he were tossed into a debate with them. (I’d pay good money for a front row seat!)

The upshot is that Obama held his own in a format that is supposed to favor Clinton. She may have come off as combative with her attacks of Obama, where he repeatedly praised her and her husband’s administration (questioned on what he would do if Russia supported a Serbian attack on Kosovo, Obama complimented President Clinton’s policies there) and generally positioned himself above the fray. I think his performance allays concerns that he’s unable to grapple with detailed policy issues.

There was nothing earth-shattering to reverse Clinton’s steady decline in the polls.