Is This Hillary’s Last Stand?

By Pamela Mortimer

Senator Hillary Clinton has repeatedly said that her opponent, Barack Obama, is "dangerously vague and ill-prepared for a fall campaign, let alone for the presidency". Tuesday’s debate might be the senator’s last opportunity to drive the point home. If she is unable to convince the voting public, then it may be extremely difficult, if not impossible, to beat the "Obama Express" in March.

The MSNBC debate will be broadcast on Tuesday on most NBC-affiliated stations throughout Ohio, making it a vitally important event before the Ohio state primary to be held on March 4th.

Pollsters believe that Clinton faces three main tactical problems:

The Ohio Dems love her…but the rest of the electorate? Not so much. Some consider Senator Clinton to be a "polarizing figure", although no one seems to be entirely clear on what that means. A recent USA TODAY/Gallup poll has her pulling in 48 percent, which they call "unfavorable".

A second problem could be the urge to hit below the belt. Just in case Hillary is thinking about it, someone should remind her that attacks by unpopular candidates do not work, even in the last days. It just makes the candidate look desperate.

Number three on the list is that Obama has a "strong multi-racial, multi-generational coalition" of people who are behind him. Obama also has the ability to turn an attack on him into an attack on the people. It wouldn’t be the first time the orator has pulled that card out of his sleeve.

Many are quick to point out that Bill Clinton kicked some political butt in Cleveland during his campaign. In fact, it was in Cleveland that Bill Clinton began to break out in front of his opponents. Is it possible that Hillary will do just the opposite? Regardless of what people are saying, Hillary seems to be sticking to her guns. She is continuing to steadfastly position herself as the "champion of the forgotten working family" while cleverly avoiding controversial free-trade agreements.

Meanwhile, Obama has continued to criticize Bill Clinton's free-trade agreements, calling them giveaways to corporate America. As far as aiming straight for Hillary, Obama is out for blood on her health care plan – he claims that it reeks of "draconian Big Government."

Regardless of the name calling and other schoolyard antics, Clinton seems prepared to cling to her slogan of being "in it to win it".

For Bill, Cleveland was the right place at the right time.

Will it be the right time in Cleveland for the second Clinton? Only time will tell.