Story highlights Raul Reyes: Clinton at top of her game in New Hampshire debate, ready for questions about speaking fees, Wall Street ties and progressive bona fides

He says Sanders stuck to his money in politics issues, unable to dent Clinton. She stumbled, though, on releasing transcripts of her paid speeches

Raul A. Reyes, an attorney and member of the USA Today board of contributors, writes frequently for CNN Opinion. Follow him on Twitter @RaulAReyes. The opinions expressed in this commentary are his.

(CNN) If the press reports are to be believed, Hillary Clinton initially pressured the Democratic National Committee to limit the number of debates this primary season. Why she would have ever thought that was a sound idea is mystifying, because Clinton excels in this format.

In an evening that was a true debate, with the candidates engaging one another as well as the moderators in Durham, New Hampshire, she was at the top of her game.

Although Bernie Sanders has a compelling populist message, Clinton's decades in the public eye served her well this evening. Like an A-plus student who prepared for an exam, she seemed composed and ready for questions about her Goldman Sachs speeches, her establishment ties and whether she was an authentic progressive.

Notably, to the whole discussion of who was the "real" progressive, she managed to throw out mentions of Sanders' past votes against gun reform and immigration reform -- before suggesting that everyone move on. A bit passive aggressive, but well played.