A struggling Hillary Clinton went after Barack Obama last night during a close-quarters debate at Cleveland State University, but she was outmanned—as moderators Tim Russert and Brian Williams seemed to have Obama’s back.

As The New York Times reported, the toughest debate blows “came not from Mr. Obama but from Mr. Russert, who fiercely questioned [Clinton] about her past positions on NAFTA, Iraq and even a campaign promise from 2000, in her first Senate run.” A video mix-up caused two negative clips of Clinton to be played in a row. Williams apologized, but still turned to Obama, giving him a shot gratis: “Since we played that tape, albeit in error, for this segment, how did you take those remarks when you heard them?”

Post-debate commentary largely chalked the win to Obama, though some said it was a boring, “low-scoring” event—like “a hockey game . . . and I didn’t see many goals,” said “Hardball” pundit Chris Matthews. Clinton vented at one point that she felt ganged up on, complaining that she always gets asked questions first. She referenced this weekend’s “Saturday Night Live” skit that mocked the previous debate in Texas by turning its moderators into Obama-obsessed fawners. (Jorge Ramos’s faux title was “Univision reporter/Obama stalker.”) The real Clinton parroted the skit to the moderators: “Ask Barack if he’s comfortable.”

Russert later challenged Clinton to name Vladimir Putin’s successor Dmitri Medvedev (”Med—uh, Medvedev . . . whatever,” she said), and to release her tax return. “I will do it as others have done it,” she said, “or even earlier, Tim.” Russert shot back, “So, before next Tuesday’s primary?” Flustered, Hillary responded she “can’t get it together by then” because she’s “a little busy right now. I hardly have time to sleep.”

For his part, moderators asked Obama if he’d renege on his promise to opt for a publicly funded general election—a pledge McCain says he’ll honor. Obama replied that “if I’m the nominee,” he’ll “sit down with John McCain and make sure that we have a system that is fair for both sides.” He also was pressed on last week’s surprise endorsement—one by Nation of Islam leader Louis Farrakhan. Russert wondered how Farrakhan’s anti-Semitism looks to Jewish supporters and noted that Obama lifted his book title, The Audacity of Hope, from his pastor Jeremiah Wright, who has praised Farrakhan and whose in-house magazine gave Farrakhan a lifetime-achievement award.

Clinton chimed in here, saying that when New York’s Independence Party, whose platform has anti-Semitic elements, endorsed her in the 2000 Senate race, she “rejected” its support. Obama, who in his response to Russert “denounced” anti-Semitic support like Farrakhan’s, smiled and responded that he, then, is happy to both “reject and denounce” Farrakhan.

It was the 20th debate, and if Clinton fails to reverse the tide during Tuesday’s elections in Texas (where Obama leads) and Ohio (where Clinton’s lead is fading), it could be the final. Supporters fear Clinton’s campaign is becoming a long shot. Some signs: It has only won 13 states to Obama’s 24. Sen. Chris Dodd, the former running mate and a Connecticut superdelegate, endorsed Obama yesterday. A CBS/New York Times poll released Monday has Clinton down by 16 points. Her campaign is having trouble making payments, even as she has loaned it $5 million.