The real question in last night’s debate is whether Hillary sent a signal to the Democratic party that she might be willing to be Barack Obama’s running mate?

She said emphatically Wednesday night that Obama can win the White House this fall, while all along claiming that she was the most electable candidate — implying that Obama couldn’t beat McCain.

“Yes, yes, yes,” she said when pressed about Obama’s electability during a debate.

Interestingly, Clinton has never denied published reports that she once told New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson that Obama couldn’t win when he called to tell her he would be endorsing the Illinois senator.

I somehow saw the debate differently than the mainstream media. I thought there was an outright bias by ABC hosts Charlie Gibson and George Stephanopoulos when they hit Obama with four personal attacks to one for Clinton, all of which was reported in my column posted on the night of the debate entitled ‘ABC Stacks Debate Deck Against Obama.’

However, there seemed to be a tone of a deal, between the two, which is also not being picked up by the mainstream media.

For example, aside for the ABC bias, why is Clinton so emphatic now about Obama’s ability to defeat McCain?

Some of the media said the two candidates were attacking each other. I didn’t see that, I saw a tone of diplomacy.

For example, Obama was asked at one point whether he believed Clinton has been fully truthful as a candidate. “I think that Senator Clinton has a strong record to run on. She wouldn’t be here if she didn’t.”

How was that for an evasive diplomatic answer to the question?

Another blah response when asked if they would respond forcefully if Iran obtains nuclear weapons and uses them against Israel.

“An attack on Israel would incur massive retaliation by the United States,” said Clinton.

Obama said, “The US would take appropriate action.”

Both said they would not raise taxes on individuals making less than $200,000.

In the past Clinton sidestepped questions when asked directly whether Obama would win if he were the Democratic nominee.

Last night when asked a similar question she said, “I think we have to beat John McCain and I have every reason to believe we’re going to have a Democratic president and it’s going to be Barack or me.”

Pressed by ABC News about Obama, she said, Yes, yes, yes . . . “Now I think l can do a better job.”

You see politics make for strange bed fellows. Remember John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson, there was no love here but it proved to be politically expedient?