Clinton Sparkles in Vegas Debate

Hillary Clinton regained her front runner status in the Democratic race during a two-hour debate in Las Vegas tonight marked by renewed personal squabbling.

Clinton needed a good performance to make up the ground she lost in the last debate on October 30 when her main rivals, Barack Obama and John Edwards, ganged up on her.

Obama and Edwards again renewed the personal attacks on Clinton and the three engaged in the biggest row since the 2008 presidential campaign got underway in earnest earlier this year. They swapped jibes in a quick fire, 10 minute burst, at the start of the debate.

But Clinton, who spent the previous two days locked away preparing for the debate, was ready. She joked she had come along prepared: "This pants suit, it's asbestos tonight."

Clinton is well ahead of Obama and Edwards in the polls nationally but the three are tied in Iowa, where the first real test of public opinion will be held in a caucus on January 3.

There was signs from the audience in Nevada today of impatience with the personal attacks, with groans from some in the audience when Obama and Edwards crticised Clinton.

Within seconds of the opening of the debate, Obama accused Clinton of refusing to give clear answers to questions such as social security and drivers' licenses for illegal immigrants.

"What the American people are looking for right now is straight answers to tough questions, and that is not what we have seen from Senator Clinton on a host of issues," Obama said.

Dropping the politeness that marked the early debates, Clinton immediately retaliated, accusing Obama of failing the test when it mattered, noting that he had not voted on universal health care.

Edwards joined in, also keeping up his attack on Clinton, bringing up her vote for the Iraq war and claimed she was part of the Washington system, unwilling to tackle what he described as a corrupt system.

Responding to Edwards, Clinton said: I've just been personally attacked again. I don't mind taking hits on my record on issues, but when somebody starts throwing mud at least we can hope it's accurate and not right out of the Republican play book."

Edwards countered: "There's nothing personal about this." After that, the debate settled down into a general one that covered issues that included immigration, Iran and Pakistan.

Obama and Edwards may have decided that further, sustained personal attacks on Clinton could be counter-productive.

There was some evidence of that when Edwards made a brief mention of Clinton's links with Washington lobbyists. The criticism brought a groan of disapproval from the audience.

A journalist gave Clinton an opening by asking her how she felt about male-dominated Washington, "the boys' club". Clinton, referring to the way Obama, Edwards and others had ganged up on her on October 30, said: "I am not playing the gender card. I am playing the winning card."

She added they were not attacking her because she was a woman but because she was ahead. It was a good line, even if sounded well-rehearsed, aimed at women.

Obama, in the first hour, often sounded muddled and hesitant. He appeared to warm up in the second half but it was too late.