Clinton Establishes Security Credibility

With New England's attention focused squarely on the battle between the Boston Red Sox and the New York Yankees taking place 60 miles away at Fenway Park, 600 reporters filled a gymnasium at St. Anselm's College to watch eight Democratic presidential hopefuls parry and debate.

Seven months from the New Hampshire primary, June 3 is an extraordinarily early date for a major political contest. The last time CNN came to these parts for a major debate was November 5, 2003. The news network procured Boston's Faneuil Hall for a "Rock the Vote" debate. I was working for the City of Boston, which owns that venue, at the time and remember walking past the prospective candidates who were lined up in the order they would take their seats. Senators Lieberman and Kerry waited calmly as Howard Dean, in a world of his own before his campaign peaked, put his hands together energetically as he readied himself to take the national stage. Back then, I had the sense that Governor Dean was a candidate entering the spotlight, but I did not anticipate the way Dr. Dean would peak and then fall so precipitously.

Senator Clinton immediately established herself as a candidate who could be credible on national security. With Senators Obama (once again) and Edwards befuddled by a question about the war on terror, Mrs. Clinton gave a crisp declarative answer befitting the risk New Yorkers and all Americans face in the modern world: "I am a senator from New York. I have lived with the aftermath of 9/11, and I have seen first-hand the terrible damage that can be inflicted on our country by a small band of terrorists." The only other candidate to demonstrate a national security posture comparable with these dangerous days was Senator Biden, who defended his recent vote to fund the troops in Iraq.

The army of surrogates she quickly dispatched into the spin room on the parquet of St. Anselm's basketball gym reinforced her strong performance. Minutes after the debate ended, Senator Clinton's chief consultant, Mark Penn, held court, answering questions from a throng of print and television reporters. Meanwhile, a solitary aide stood carrying a sign bearing the name of Mr. Penn's counterpart on the campaign of Mr. Obama, David Axelrod, who did not show for another 30 minutes. Then, looking somewhat deflated, Mr. Axelrod meekly attempted to declare victory. "He had a chance to talk about the price of health care" as well as the "need to solve our big problems without tearing each other apart."......