Question 6

Russert is back to Obama, now on the future of Iraq. What if the Iraqi government throws out our troops immediately if they don't like the fact that they are pulling out but leaving a residual force?

This may be the dumbest question yet ... there is no basis for the possibility that this might actually happen, and it's a hypothetical anyway, so they both should refuse to answer it.

Obama did make a point that Iraq is a sovereign nation and that it is distracting us from Afghanistan. Russert cuts him off, apparently because he didn't like the answer; that's one of the most annoying things about Russert.

Clinton says she would pull the troops out, too. Russert interrupts again. Does he want the answer or not? What if al Qaeda resurges? Russert asks. Can you reserve the right to re-enter?

Finally Hillary stops him and says it's a hypothetical; Russert says it's "reality," which, of course, it isn't. This has been a waste of five minutes.

Clinton charges that Obama hasn't held any substantive hearings on Afghanistan, which Obama says is true, but because he just became chairman at the beginning of 2007, when he began running for president. Eh, maybe. He could have made it a platform, but then he would have been criticized for using it for political purposes, so ... either way, he loses. It's a wash.

Obama says he would act in the interest of safety of American interests abroad, while working with allies where possible but standing up to uncooperative countries where necessary.

Hillary's really getting combative. Whew, it's time for a commercial break. :)

Round 6 is a draw.