Sweet blog special: Obama Thursday in the news. Debate edition.

The Washington Post’s Dan Balz and Anne E. Kornblut: Democratic Rivals Press Clinton, Courteously

New York Times reporter Jeff Zeleny, an Obama specialist and Clinton beat reporter Patrick Healy Candidates Hedge Bets On Iraq Withdrawal

Chicago Tribune has a story from two members of its Obama team, Christi Parsons and Mike Dorning Democratic Debate Rivals Aim Barbs At Front-Runner Clinton

Sun-Times Jennifer Hunter The Democratic presidential debate Wednesday was dubbed “The Duel at Dartmouth,” but it was less of a joust and more of an effort to take gentle lunges against front-runner Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) to see if she would buckle under the criticism.

Beth Fouhy, Associated Press–The leading Democratic White House hopefuls conceded Wednesday night they cannot guarantee to pull all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the end of the next presidential term in 2013.

Newsweek’s Richard Wolffe: The Obama Challenge

The Boston Globe’s Scott Helman: Obama Sharpens Critique Of Clinton

HIGHLAND PARK, ILL.–A sampling of ledes and headlines from Thursday’s Democratic debate at Dartmouth College in New Hampshire.

Steve Holland and Ellen Wulfhorst, Reuters– Democratic presidential candidates pounced on rival Hillary Clinton for her positions on Iraq and Iran in a debate on Wednesday as they sought to undercut her status as the campaign front-runner. http://www.reuters.com/articlePrint?articleId=USN2746126520070927

Sarah Liebowitz, Concord Monitor– Democratic presidential candidates stepped up their criticism of rival Hillary Clinton at last night’s debate at Dartmouth College in Hanover, an event that came as Clinton has solidified her lead in state and national opinion polls. http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20070927/FRONTPAGE/709270422

The Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder, whose reported blog on politics is a must read of the must reads–Tonight, Edwards and Clinton stood out against the mosaic. Edwards was Edwards on Centrum Silver: straightforward, confident, clear, knowledgeable, thoroughly encased in his own frame. Ying to the yang of both Obama and Clinton; If youre new to nomination politics, then youd think Edwards and not Obama was Hillary Clintons main foil. The war. Social Security. Health care. Campaign ethics. Clinton didn’t take the punch, but she did move to dodge them, which is a victory for JRE.

www.theatlantic.com

The Politico’s Ben Smithwhose reports are another must read–Clinton once said torture might be acceptable in narrow circumstances, but closed the loophole Wednesday. Senator Hillary Clinton (N.Y.) ended her support for legalized torture at a debate in New Hampshire Wednesday night, splitting with her husband and with her own recent stance on the charged issue.

http://www.politico.com

CBS News political guru Vaughn Ververs| Most of the coverage of last nights Democratic debate in New Hampshire predictably hones in on two story lines. One, the fact that none of the three big candidates Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama and John Edwards would pledge to remove all U.S. troops from Iraq within the first four years of their presidency. Two, the jabs taken at front-runner Clinton. http://www.cbsnews.com/blogs/2007/09/27/politics/horserace/entry3303601.shtml

Sun-Times Lynn Sweet White House hopeful Sen. Barack Obama (D-Ill.), using a question about health care, injected a new element in going after chief rival Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.)–that she does not have the personality to pass universal health care. Obama then offers himself as a contrast; someone who can “inspire” people to get things done. He did not use the word consensus but this is what he is talking about.

…..After the debate, Obama campaign manager David Plouffe sent out a statement where he talked about Obama as the candidate of consensus. An Obama campaign spokesman, Bill Burton, sent out a research memo recapping the abundance of criticism Clinton received for her failed health care effort in 1993 and 1994. Health care covereage is the dominant domestic issue in the primary.

www.blogs.suntimes.com

The Washington Post’s Dan Balz and Anne E. Kornblut: Democratic Rivals Press Clinton, Courteously

New York Times reporter Jeff Zeleny, an Obama specialist and Clinton beat reporter Patrick Healy Candidates Hedge Bets On Iraq Withdrawal

Chicago Tribune has a story from two members of its Obama team, Christi Parsons and Mike Dorning Democratic Debate Rivals Aim Barbs At Front-Runner Clinton

Sun-Times Jennifer Hunter The Democratic presidential debate Wednesday was dubbed “The Duel at Dartmouth,” but it was less of a joust and more of an effort to take gentle lunges against front-runner Sen. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) to see if she would buckle under the criticism.

Beth Fouhy, Associated Press–The leading Democratic White House hopefuls conceded Wednesday night they cannot guarantee to pull all U.S. combat troops from Iraq by the end of the next presidential term in 2013.

Newsweek’s Richard Wolffe: The Obama Challenge

The Boston Globe’s Scott Helman: Obama Sharpens Critique Of Clinton