USTIN, Texas (CNN) -- Sen. Hillary Clinton, needing a win in Texas to derail Sen. Barack Obama in the race for the Democratic presidential nomination, sought Thursday to contrast her opponent's rhetorical skills with what she called her superior ability to govern.

With the Democratic presidential nomination in the balance, Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama faced off during a CNN debate in Austin, Texas.

Like casual fans tuning in to an auto race waiting for a crash, millions of Americans, even the non-political, are expected to watch tonight's vice-presidential debate to see if either candidate - or both - bombs.