Hillary Clinton crumbling after cruising New York Daily News (Michael Goodwin)

Hillary Clinton crumbling after cruising - New York Daily News (Michael Goodwin)

Excerpt - Hillary Clinton crumbling after cruising:
"Hillary Clinton entered Thursday's Democratic debate in a tight battle for first place. She left in danger of finishing third in the Iowa caucus. Yikes.

It's not because she had a particularly bad debate. It's just that Barack Obama was far better and John Edwards was slightly better. If their performances are an omen for the caucus results on Jan. 3, Clinton could lose the nomination she seemed to have locked up two months ago...

And he (Obama) was tough, too, winning the only real back-and-forth with Clinton by delivering a deft putdown that deflated her gloating cackle.

The sequence began when Obama was asked how he could be the real agent of change when so many of his top advisers came from Bill Clinton's administration. Hillary burst out laughing saying, "I want to hear that." After only the slightest pause, Obama looked across the stage at her and shot back, "Hillary, I'm looking forward to you advising me as well." Eureka!

He also provided the most moving moment, defending Sen. Joe Biden, who had been asked about some insensitive racial statements. Obama, acknowledging his role as the only black person on the stage without saying it, lauded Biden's civil rights record, saying, "I'm offering some testimony, as they say in church."

Very good stuff, and he didn't even need Oprah."

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