From a woman who can’t even figure out her own campaign message, Sen. Hillary Clinton’s pointed charges against Sen. Barack Obama rang hollow last night during their 90-minute debate in Austin, Texas.

“I do think that words are important and words matter,” Clinton said. “But actions speak louder than words.”

“I think you can tell from the first 45 minutes that Sen. Obama and I have a lot in common,” she said later, but noted “There are differences between our records and our accomplishments.”

Finally, in reference to Obama’s recent borrowing from the “just words” speech of Massachusetts Gov. Deval Patrick - his friend and campaign co-chairman - on the stump, without crediting him, she remarked:

“I think if your candidacy is going to be about words, then words should be your own,” Clinton, who has lost 10 straight races, said, “It’s not change you can believe in, it’s change you can Xerox.”

Obama responded that these criticisms are based on the implication that somehow millions of Americans, elected officials, and media outlets who have endorsed him across the U.S. have been duped in doing so.

“Sen. Clinton of late has said ‘let’s get real,’” he said, jabbing at her latest campaign tagline. “The implication is that the people who have been voting for me or involved in my campaign are somehow delusional.”

The Illinois senator’s supporters perceive the reality of what’s going on in the world very clearly, want to see that change, and require his ability to inspire, unite and bring about that change:

“What they see is if we don’t bring the country together, stop the endless bickering, actually focus on solutions and reduce the special interests that have dominated Washington, then we will not get anything done.”

We wouldn’t go so far as to say Sen. Clinton’s campaign as empty, but we do know that while he may be newer to the national stage, we have a much better idea of what Barack Obama brings to the table.

These were the contentious moments of an otherwise civil debate that featured the two candidates staking out their (very similar) positions on issues like the war in Iraq, immigration and economic policy.

Some daylight showed between the two candidates on foreign policy on the issue of Cuba, where Barack Obama said he would - in contrast to Clinton - meet with Fidel Castro’s brother and successor, Raul, without preconditions.

Both are strongly against some of the current trade deals in effect, and both would ensure future pacts included labor, environmental and health riders to ensure a fair playing field.

Both strive to pass a comprehensive immigration bill.

Their biggest policy differences are over health care, an issue that the candidates have been bickering over since the campaign’s onset.

Clinton says hers is the only plan that would provide universal health care to all Americans. Obama calls her plan a mandate and says his plan would provide affordable coverage for any American who wishes to buy it.

Yet after months of campaigning that have included 19 debates, the two may have little choice but to stand behind the themes they’ve established and let voters decide in the Texas primary March 4 and beyond.

CNN’s Gloria Borger perhaps summed it up best with the simple observation that “I think it is what is is right now.”