On the day after Spitzer pulls the plug and the day before the next Democratic debate. Tough, strong, smart:

Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton on Wednesday came out against granting driver’s licenses to illegal immigrants, after weeks of pressure in the presidential race to take a position on a now-failed ID plan from her home state governor…

“I support Governor Spitzer’s decision today to withdraw his proposal,” Clinton said in a statement. “As president, I will not support driver’s licenses for undocumented people and will press for comprehensive immigration reform that deals with all of the issues around illegal immigration including border security and fixing our broken system.”

Clinton stumbled when asked about the issue during a Democratic debate two weeks ago, and her new position comes the day before another debate where opponents are expected to raise the issue again.

Hey, remember when she supported the idea and then opposed it in the span of about three minutes? And then supported it again? I think we’ve all probably seen that debate video by now but go watch it again, focusing this time not on trying to decipher whether she supports the plan or not but on how careful she is never to commit firmly to any position. She thinks Spitzer’s being sensible, but of course there are problems with the proposal, but that’s George Bush’s America for you, etc etc. It’s an object lesson in what Krauthammer says about her being the supreme pragmatist: it’s all about leaving room to wiggle in the future in case she has to do so. Like, say, right now.

Oh, and Spitz? Don’t think you get to walk away that easily.

Update: Wouldn’t surprise me a bit, but it’s hard to trust a report like this when it comes from inside Spitzer’s camp. He’s looking for a scapegoat for his colossal cock-up and she’s convenient.