How’s the encounter in seven weeks going to affect the race?

The big news in the Obama-Hillary battle overnight was the first debate the two of them have taken part in for getting on for two months – and a lot has happened since then.

As many commentators observed Obama went into the session as almost the presumed nominee and Hillary’s task, as well as the moderators, was to test and probe the Illinois senator’s stance and question whether he has got what he takes to stand up to John McCain in November.

I thought she did well and came out of it the “winner” – whatever that means.

The timing is critical only six days before the Pennsylvania primary where Hillary has to have an emphatic victory so that she can make her claim to the super-delegates that she would do better.

A key moment, which is in the clip that I’ve selected above, was when they were asked about their views of each other and how they would feel if they did not get the nomination. Hillary’s emphatic statement saying she thought Obama could beat the Republican will do her a lot of good.

The betting, in the UK at least, hardly moved though you might seem small changes during the day as the US media analyses what went on.

I remain of the view, shared by the Republican pollster Frank Luntz, that Obama would beat McCain in November. I think the Vietnam veteran is deeply flawed as a candidate and this will become apparent when the focus is on him.

Mike Smithson