This weekend Times piece was a PR coup. Getting a national newspaper to cover your candidates' decision to be stronger? Usually reporters don't go for that sort of thing. They prefer solid actions, so that when they tell their editors they have an article to write, they can say, "And he's done this, this, and this to prove it." In fact, Obama's PR group did a fantastic job of getting something that's not really big news into the mainstream. Look at this video from Reuters made available by The Wall Street Journal:



But his performance last night was hardly the fighting wonder campaign officials promised. Instead, Chris Dodd was far more successful in his swings, as was Edwards. My theory is twofold: Obama's claim to "get tough on Clinton" is an empty promise meant to get the press to attribute any harsher words he *might* speak to the "newer tougher Obama" so they can praise him for how strong he is. And that he's happy to use Edwards as his attack dog -- so he can remain "strong-ish" while not "dirty."

But boy oh boy, would it be great if he went dirty.