The August 7 Democratic Debate

Presented a forceful front, boasting of her electability and capacity to stand up to Republicans. Once again turned the other cheek in the face of several attacks from John Edwards, but in urging Democrats to show unity and play nice, she seemed to conveniently forget her own recent attack on Obama as "naïve." Furthermore, she delighted in joining the others on stage in chiding Obama for his own remark about using force in Pakistan (for which she was notably booed). Attempted to present a wonky-but-cool persona; instead occasionally came off as a show-offy- teachers-pet-know-it-all. Tried to clean up last weekend's controversial defense of lobbyists by touting her pro-reform, anti-special interest credentials. Finessed her NAFTA response without explicitly trashing her husband. Referred to herself variously as "sister" and "girl" in a winsome mélange of post-feminism and teeny-bopper giddiness. Still, under the heat — literally and figuratively — she didn't wilt.

—By Mark Halperin