Craig Crawford's Trail Mix

PHILADELPHIA — What if a boxer spent the week before a big match telling the media exactly how and where he would land his punches against the opponent? For starters, that would make things much easier for his rival — and that is exactly the advantage that Barack Obama has handed to Hillary Rodham Clinton for tonight’s nationally televised Democratic presidential debate.

For some reason, the Obama camp spends a lot of time telegraphing what they are going to do. This has allowed the front-running Clinton’s team plenty of opportunities to prepare counter-offensives or schedule news-making announcements that eclipse Obama’s plans.   

In the days leading up to tonight’s debate, Obama and his aides have repeatedly predicted that he will come out swinging, detailing the issues that he will raise against Clinton, ranging from her policy views on Iran and Social Security to doubts about her electability. Not surprisingly, Clinton’s public schedule was cleared yesterday so that she can prepare in detail for all the attacks that Obama has been kind enough to preview.

Perhaps the Illinois senator — and runner-up to his New York colleague in Democratic preference polls — has saved something for a surprise. But so far, he has not displayed much savvy for doing that.

The Democratic presidential debate at Drexel University in Philadelphia airs tonight on MSNBC and Telemundo at 9:00 p.m. eastern time.