Last night's Democratic debate on PBS may not have been watched by many voters but it was by journalists who used it to contrast Hillary Clinton with Barack Obama.

The Washington Post's Anne Kornblut and Dan Balz report the "contenders aggressively sought to outmuscle one another on the topics of race and poverty and derided yesterday's Supreme Court decision banning most affirmative action in public schools." The forum "seemed to be a guaranteed fit" for Obama, but the audience also embraced the other Democrats, including Clinton. The Post's Chris Cillizza writes that for Clinton, the debate was "all about experience," mentioning her Senate work on domestic issues. Obama "focused on his vision for the country, repeatedly seeking to broaden the question asked of him and demonstrate his willingness and ability to change the parameters of the political debate."

The Chicago Sun-Times' Mary Mitchell echoed the Clinton-Obama contrast, writing that Obama found himself "fading" last night while Clinton spoke with greater confidence on race issues and even brought much of the audience to its feet when she said, "If HIV/AIDS were the leading cause of death of white women between the ages of 25 and 34, there would be an outrage -- outcry in this country" (view here).

"Score one for Hillary Clinton," writes the Des Moines Register's David Yepsen. Clinton was "crisp, cogent and methodical in her answers," a terse communication style she'll need as president for television appearances. The performance was "so good it should help her cement her lead in polls of the race nationally," and help her break away from Obama in Iowa and try to "overtake John Edwards."

Standing out is Time's Mark Halperin who gave Obama an A- for his performance. He was "poised, clear, and confident -- perfectly comfortable in front of an audience of prominent black Americans. With national security playing a far smaller role than in past debates, he seemed less worried about being caught off guard or overwhelmed. Occasionally added some crowd-pleasing zest to his usual low-key, intellectual style." His grade for Clinton? Also an A-.

On the Republican side, Fred Thompson visited New Hampshire yesterday as part of his unofficial presidential campaign. That campaign could draw an FEC complaint, writes The Hill's Sam Youngman, as it could become apparent Thompson used June to "campaigning rather than wrestling with the decision to run." The law defining the difference between "testing the waters" (fundraising, travel and polling) and campaigning is vague.

The Politco's Mike Allen reports that "veteran Republicans say they have quietly raised millions of dollars for a pair of nonprofit organizations that will launch this fall with the ambitious aim of providing a conservative counterweight to the liberal MoveOn.org." Those in the know said the unnamed organizations hope to eclipse the budget of MoveOn and will focus on "generational issues that cannot be solved in any single election cycle" including the War on Terror.

In Congressional news, the DSCC and a "ramped-up draft movement are upping the pressure on former New Hampshire Gov. Jeanne Shaheen (D) to enter the race against vulnerable Sen. John Sununu (R-N.H.) as she pulls far ahead in polling," The Hill's Youngman reports. Meanwhile, Sununu voted to end debate and effectively terminate the immigration bill yesterday, while fellow Granite State Senator Judd Gregg voted against cloture. Sununu said he favors bills on border security, improving the visa program and ensuring employers hire legal workers.

Last but not least: Florida Republicans may be losing their grip on Hispanic voters, writes the St. Petersburg Times' Adam Smith. The largely Hispanic, reliably Republican Miami-Dade district voted 36 percent for the Democratic gubernatorial candidate in 2002 and then 53 percent voted for the candidate's wife for state CFO in 2006. The Hispanic population itself is changing: in 2000 Cuban-Americans were 75 percent of the population and are now about 40 percent.

Get these and today's other election stories at RCP's Politics and Elections page.