The third Democratic debate should serve as a wake-up call to Republicans: Hilary Clinton will be a formidable foe, and the Force is with her.

On stage in New Hampshire, a state in which polls showed Clinton in a veritable tie with Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders before the debate, Clinton left little question she is stronger, more knowledgeable and more presidential than Sanders or former Maryland Gov. Martin O'Malley.

Sanders and Clinton quickly moved moderators past a boring flap over a confusing interparty data breach. Sanders apologized for his campaign's role in the weird pseudo- scandal and Clinton accepted.

Among the stronger and more entertaining moments was an exchange that began when a moderator reminded Clinton how Fortune magazine put her on the cover eight years ago under the headline: "Business Loves Hillary."

Eight years later, he asked, should corporate America love Hillary Clinton?

"Everybody should," Hillary said with a smile, countering a "likability" deficit that has challenged her throughout the campaign. The audience loved it.

Clinton continued: "I have said I want to be the president for the struggling, the striving and the successful . I want to make sure the wealthy pay their fair share, which they have not been doing. I want the Buffett Rule that requires millionaires to pay a 30 percent tax rate instead of 10 percent to nothing in some cases . I also want to create jobs. I want to be a partner with the private sector, particularly in small businesses."

Next question: "Will corporate America love Bernie Sanders?"

"No, I think they won't," Sanders said, promising what sounded like war on businesses and investors - people Americans count on for innovation and jobs.

After announcing his planned assault on the creation of wealth, Sanders promised free health care and college education for all without a hint of what might fund it.

Clinton stood out as the only candidate to rule out a tax increase on the middle class.

On foreign policy and most other issues, O'Malley ensured his irrelevance in the race.

The 52-year-old O'Malley generated booing by offering a gobbled foreign policy philosophy he billed as a "different generation's perspective," in a misplaced and awkward effort to emphasize the age of Clinton (68) and Sanders (74).

O'Malley, as self-professed spring chicken, de-emphasized the need to worry about the disastrous state of affairs in Syria, characterizing such concerns as Cold War thinking. Hillary lowered the boom, explaining the ramifications of allowing Syrian President Bashar Assad to continue destroying his country.

It "creates more terrorists, more extremists by the minute," Clinton said. "No. We now finally are where we need to be.

"We have a strategy and a commitment to go after ISIS, which is a threat to us as well as the region. And we finally have a U.N. Security Council resolution bringing the world together to go after a political transition in Syria. If the United States does not lead, there is not another leader. There is a vacuum, and we have to lead if we are going to be successful."

If that smackdown wasn't costly enough, O'Malley answered a question about policing by reminding Americans he served as the mayor of Baltimore - a symbol of racial strife and policing problems.

The debate became a bit of a cage match when candidates tried to outdo each other on their willingness to support gun control. Sanders tried to talk around supporting gun rights in his home state of Vermont, which he conceded may have the fewest gun laws in the country.

Asked about the potential role of Bill Clinton as first man, Clinton said she would probably pick the flowers and make arrangements for state dinners, as she did as first lady, and would turn to her husband for advice on the economy and other leadership issues. She smartly played the question to her advantage.

Clinton again highlighted depth and an ability to command the stage, concluding with "may the Force be with you." Republicans will be wise to find a candidate soon and get serious about taking on a woman who continues improving her game with a void of serious intraparty challengers.

REPRINTED FROM THE COLORADO SPRINGS GAZETTE

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