That honesty alone, truthfulness not before admitted, allowed the viewer close for a moment.
The tradeoff was her closing mastery also seemed to be the peroration of her concession statement. In her own words:

And, you know, no matter what happens in this contest -- and I am honored, I am honored to be here with Barack Obama. I am absolutely honored. (APPLAUSE)

Whatever happens, we're going to be fine. You know, we have strong support from our families and our friends. I just hope that we'll be able to say the same thing about the American people, and that's what this election should be about.

II. Transitional politics/process became the decision point

The debate was more an issue-based love fest than exposing fissures that could affect the campaign. Skirmishes on negotiation and health care provided entertainment but were not fresh. In the end the message was Clinton and Obama agreed on most policies.

What differed was Obama's ability to bring each exchange to a larger question, to describe the nature of transitional politics, the salience of process in bringing about change. In other words Obama's characterization of what the future can look like and the manner of getting there was sustained--over and over, without rebuttal.

Obama refrain, repeated many times in the debate, is best illustrated by the following excerpt, a view essentially ratified by Clinton's silence on the more inclusive narrative.

OBAMA: Now, I think that Senator Clinton has a fine record and I don't want to denigrate that record. I do think there is a fundamental difference between us in terms of how change comes about. Senator Clinton of late has said: Let's get real. The implication is that the people who've been voting for me or involved in my campaign are somehow delusional. (LAUGHTER)

And that, you know, the 20 million people who've been paying attention to 19 debates and the editorial boards all across the country at newspapers who have given me endorsements, including every major newspaper here in the state of Texas. (APPLAUSE)

You know, the thinking is that somehow, they're being duped, and eventually they're going to see the reality of things.

Well, I think they perceive reality of what's going on in Washington very clearly. What they see is that if we don't bring the country together, stop the endless bickering, actually focus on solutions and reduce the special interests that have dominated Washington, then we will not get anything done. And the reason that this campaign has done so well. (APPLAUSE)

The reason that this campaign has done so well is because people understand that it is not just a matter of putting forward policy positions.

Senator Clinton and I share a lot of policy positions. But if we can't inspire the American people to get involved in their government and if we can't inspire them to go beyond the racial divisions and the religious divisions and the regional divisions that have plagued our politics for so long, then we will continue to see the kind of gridlock and nonperformance in Washington that is resulting in families suffering in very real ways.

III. Negativity Conceded:

This point is really a continuation of Obama's narrative about rising above the trivial, about talking straight to voters, about seeking unity not division. On more than one occasion the very heart of Clinton's "political" jibes were answered in full, with ridicule enhanced through the lens of politeness.

For example consider the exchange regarding the plagiarism. Not only is the specific charge turn on its head, the underlying issue of word's power was toughened.

Combine a debate dominated by cooperation, agreement, and mutual affirmation with gutting her positions that "he plagiarizes, he won't debate, he is an empty vessel" what ground is left to go negative.

Obama: I've been campaigning now for the last two years. Deval is a national co-chairman of my campaign, and suggested an argument that I share, that words are important. Words matter. And the implication that they don't I think diminishes how important it is to speak to the American people directly about making America as good as its promise. Barbara Jordan understood this as well as anybody.

And the notion that I had plagiarized from somebody who was one of my national co-chairs. (APPLAUSE)

... who gave me the line and suggested that I use it, I think, is silly, and.. (APPLAUSE)

... you know, this is where we start getting into silly season, in politics, and I think people start getting discouraged about it... (LAUGHTER)

... and they don't want...
(APPLAUSE)

What they want is, how are we going to create good jobs and good wages?

What I've been talking about is not just hope and not just inspiration. It's a $4,000 tuition credit for every student, every year, in exchange for national service... (APPLAUSE)

(More examples)

So just to finish up, these are very specific, concrete, detailed proposals, many of them which I have been working on for years now. Senator Clinton has a fine record. So do I. I'm happy to have a debate on the issues, but what we shouldn't be spending time doing is tearing each other down. We should be spending time lifting the country up. (APPLAUSE)

BROWN: Senator Clinton, is it the silly season?

CLINTON: Well, I think that if your candidacy is going to be about words, then they should be your own words. That's, I think, a very simple proposition. (APPLAUSE)

And, you know, lifting whole passages from someone else's speeches is not change you can believe in, it's change you can Xerox. And I just don't think...

OBAMA: Come on. (CROSSTALK)

CLINTON: No, but, you know, but, Barack, it is.
Because, you know, if you look -- if you look -- if you look at the YouTube of these videos, it does raise questions.

Now, there is no doubt that you are a passionate, eloquent speaker, and I applaud you for that. But when you look at what we face in this country, we do need to unite the country, but we have to unite it for a purpose around very specific goals.