The Nation: Another Debate, Another Good Night for Hillary...

John Nichols

Yet it was not Obama's reference to the civil rights movement, nor former North Carolina Senator John Edwards' "this issue of poverty is the cause of my life" declaration that drew the evening's most passionate response.

Rather, it was a comment by Clinton to the reality of how deeply racial disparities still divide and damage the United States. During a discussion of responses to the AIDS crisis, which had hit young African-American women especially hard, the senator from New York said, "Let me just put this in perspective: If HIV-AIDS were the leading cause of death of white women between the ages of 25 and 34 there would be an outraged, outcry in this country."

Clinton had to struggle to finish the sentence, as the crowd's applause rose to deafening levels. It was a masterful moment; one that, fairly or unfairly, inspired comparisons with the best performances of his husband, Bill. And, while Clinton did not dominate this debate as she did the last one in New Hampshire, she again came off as the most polished of the candidates.

On the AIDs policy question in particular, Hillary Clinton communicated an understanding of the issue at hand that went far deeper than talking points. She seemed to "get it." And the crowd rewarded her with a genuine embrace.