A Polite, But Heated Beginning To The Kitchen Sink Debate

If you were expecting the last (hopefully) debate to begin with the unleashing of hell, Gladiator-style, it didn't quite happen. Proper decorum is, so far, being observed. Which isn't to say that MSNBC didn't try to set it off! The debate began with the juxtaposition of Clinton's conciliatory closing remarks at the Texas debate with her angry reaction to Obama's Ohio mailer. But Clinton did not rise to the bait, and the kitchen sink stayed safely connected to the plumbing.

Clinton and Obama instead engaged in a pretty hard-hitting debate over the differences in their health care plans, and the strong disagreements the two have shown throughout the debate continued. One matter that has been officially put to bed, however, is the issue of the photo of Obama in African garb that ran on the Drudge Report this week. Clinton said that, as far as she knew, the photo did not come from her campaign, adding that if evidence surfaced that fingered a member of her team, that person would be dismissed from the campaign. Obama agreed to take Clinton at her word, and suggested that the issue be dropped.