the media wants a mudslinging tear down of both candidates.  the one that does that will lose, imho.  the best case scenario would be for both to explain what they will do and how they plan to achieve it.  build up the party, dem voters, and the need for change.  ignore b.s. questions and remain positive on healthcare, the economy, college, etc.  all of this i expect and hope senator clinton will do.  don't insult the other's supporters, reach out to them.  the cooler head will prevail tonight, and so far that has been the senator from new york.

As for the debate, I think Obama has to tighten up his responses.  If he goes at Hillary's record or statements, he should do it with as much civility as he can muster.  If she goes back at him, he should answer the charge crisply, then turn it back on her, either by using the "aren't the voters tired of this kind of politics" meme, or just bringing up one of her scandals or problem votes.  But I don't think a protracted "scrum" helps either of them, next week or in the general.  
Generally, he should focus on his specific proposals, and also on his "sales pitch"(i.e., how he plans to broaden the progressive majority for change).  She needs to focus on her competence/experience message, while raising doubts about his readiness.  

I will say that the expectations game and media bias is such that, if he is perceived as "standing up to her", "holding his own", etc., he "wins" the debate among the pundits and to some extent among the public as well(since some of those undecided about him may be undecided because they're not sure whether he's ready, and holding his own would tend to reinforce the impression that he is ready).  If he actually puts on his best performance to date, he probably scores a clear win, even if her performance is solid, because he outperformed expectations and gained ground.

Obama has the potential to score big but his work's cut out for him.  Hillary is formidable in debates and is the clear favorite from a technical point of view based on past performances.  Obama's the favorite with the media, no doubt.  But I still have a hard time believing that he can succeed on 2/5.

So, my prediction: either he is going to be cocky and shoot himself in the foot, or he is going to do his usual, middling performance and she will blow him away--but no one but us will notice.

So, if she counterattacks when Obama attacks, she'll probably get the negative press, while he gets away with it.

But, she needs to pull of a debate win, as the polls are moving his way.

It certainly poses more risk for Clinton to attack.  But I think she needs to attack less.  So I suspect Obama will be the one firing first, as he did last time.  

However I didn't actively dislike him until after New Hampshire when it seemed to me that the media and many liberal blogs went completely nuts. There was non-stop Clinton attacks and such slavering over Obama that I found it repulsive. I don''t like piling on and I DO like both the Clintons.

My dislike for the piling on is so strong that I'm not sure that I will vote for Senator Obama if he is the nominee. I'm tired of holding my nose and voting. I'm tired of the Democratic Party thinking they can pretty much do whatever they damn well please because they are so sure they can take our vote for granted. Where we gonna go? Right?

They need to only take a look at Florida in 2000 to answer their own question. Yes, the election was so corrupt it would shame a Banana Republican and yes the Supreme Court stole it for Bush. Yes, yes, yes... But none of that would have been possible if the vote hadn't managed to stay close because so many liberals voted for Ralph Nader in protest.

Josh Marshall had an interesting point:

"One point that should not go unmentioned is that what former President Clinton is described as doing in that Times article is little different from what the first President Bush has done in his post-presidency. And his son is the president. So if it would be a problem with Bill, and I think it would be, it unquestionably is already a problem with the current president's dad. And no one has seemed to much bother about it. "

Bottom line:  The media hates the Clintons and loved the Bushes (just as they now love Obama).  If they love you, they will swoon.  If they hate you, they publish hit pieces on the day of a debate.