Hillary Clinton Ducks Issues Better Than Republicans

The Democratic presidential candidates attacked Hillary Clinton at tonight's debate in Philadelphia the way a pack of starving dogs tear into juicy t-bone steak that's thrown at them.

Gloves didn't come off. They were never worn. In fact it got so bad that Gov. Bill Richardson, who on paper is the most qualified for the job, lamented about "this holier than thou attitude toward Senator Clinton. ...It's important that we save some the ammunition for the Republicans." Hmm, sounds like someone is angling for a vice presidential spot.

Taking his cue, Senator Joe Biden (D-DE) went on a tirade against Rudy Giuliani, calling him "the most under qualified man to seek the presidency since George Bush. .There's only three things he mentions, a noun and a verb and 9-11." That line got the only laugh from the crowd at Drexel University. He also got a smattering of toys by vowing to "shut down flat" any imports of toys from China.

Clinton ducked questions on taxes and giving drivers licenses to illegal immigrants much to the amusement of her main rivals Sen. Barack Obama (D-IL) and former Sen. John Edwards who claim that she is evasive. Dennis Kucinich (D-OH) deftly handled a gotcha question about his apparent encounter with a UFO. Sen. Chris Dodd (D-CT) went out on a limb to favor decriminalization of marijuana.

Candidate after candidate attacked Clinton's experience, her integrity and her policies positions. Obama accused Clinton of not being "truthful and clear" about social security and of flip-flopping on major issues such as NAFTA and the Iraq War. Edwards accused the New York Democrat of defending "a broken system." Dodd implored, "Don't discount the importance of electibility.'

Having the perpetually angry Dodd accuse Clinton of not being likeable was kind of amusing. It would have been even funnier if the spacey Kucinich had made that point. How did Dennis Kucinich make the cut for the debate and not the loony Mike Gravel? Maybe the mainstream media wants another excuse to discuss the attractiveness of his wife.

For her part, Clinton didn't buckle under the pressure. When it was suggested that she was sounding like a Republican, she retorted. "I don't think the Republicans got the message that I am voting and sounding like them."

She sure sounded Bush-like when she spoke about the tax overhaul proposed by House Ways & Means Committee Chairman Charlie Rangel (D-NY) "I am a great admirer of Chairman Rangel and what he is trying to do is deal with a very serious problem (the Alternative Minimum Tax)," she said.I don't agree with all of the details. "

No doubt her Wall Street pals aren't too happy with efforts to raise the amount of taxes paid by billionaire hedge fund managers.

Sixty five days to go to the Iowa Caucuses.

The fun has only just begun.