It appears presidential candidate Barack Obama is trying to run out the clock, take the democratic nomination, and head into the general election match-up with John McCain.

Hillary Clinton has other ideas. She is energized.

It might be fine for a candidate to run out the clock like some have done in the past elections, but recent information about Obama has the voters wanting to hear more than another 45 minute speech. I know we’ve had about a gazillion debates, so why should democrats want more?

Well, for one thing there’s a lot more information out there since the majority of the debates were held. We received a small taste of what people wonder about during the ABC debate before the Pennsylvania primary. Obama did a terrible job in that debate. Obama and his supporters cried foul, and Obama went on to lose Pennsylvania by 10 points.

Voters want to hear more from Obama about his pastor, Rev. Jeremiah Wright, and his affiliation with 1960s radical William Ayers, and other things. In the last year and a half, we’ve learned a lot about Obama, but the voters still have questions. Some of my democratic friends told me they are wondering what else we may find out about Obama before November. They would like to know it now before the Montana primary. They also wonder if there’s something that may come out about Obama’s past after he wins the nomination. Debating one on one could help relieve the doubt in voters.

The tide of this race is turning, but maybe too late. The Clinton campaign smells a little blood. Hillary wants to debate Obama in Missoula next month. The Montana Democratic Party should join her in demanding a debate with Obama in Big Sky Country. Previous televised debates attracted around 10 million viewers.

Obama knows he’s not a strong debater. He does not want to take another pounding like he did in the ABC debate. So it appears that Obama is just a little afraid of repeating his last performance. Cluck, cluck.