Barack Blows It

David Yepsen, that vaunted political reporter from Iowa, wrote at the beginning of this week that if there was a turning point for Obama in the campaign in his chances to win, it his stellar performance in last Saturday's Iowa state Democratic dinner.

If there was a turning point where he squandered that opportunity it was last night's debate in Nevada.

How could he stumble and fall flat on his face on the same question that he got Clinton on at the last debate -- drivers licenses for illegal immigrants? He fell with a thump into the same trap that he pushed Clinton in just two weeks ago:

It was Obama in this debate who was tripped up by the question. Asked by moderator Wolf Blitzer whether he supported the idea, Obama said "I am not proposing that that's what we do." Pressed by Blitzer -- "this is the kind of question that is sort of available for a yes or no answer," Blitzer said -- Obama said he did support offering licenses to illegal immigrants. Obama's advisers insisted his answer was consistent but the unfolding of the question and answer did not play well for the Illinois Senator.

No kidding. Who's evasive now?

Obama's campaign had to know this question would come up -- surely they prepared a better answer than this. The scary thought is that they probably did but the Illinois Senator fell apart under pressure. And that is a scary thought when you consider he wants to get in the same room with Chavez and the rest of the rowdies. I'm not sure he could keep it together.