Let's Talk About Hillary Without Being "Catty"

What's the right word to use when Hillary Clinton says something sarcastic, snide but polite, funny yet tough, and deeply passive-aggressive? You could say she's being shady. Or fierce. Acerbic, maybe? Cutting? Salty? There are a lot of words that get the idea across. So it'll be easy for me to stop using the word "catty," as I did yesterday.
"Would you ever describe a dig by the male candidates as 'catty'? No," tweeted one person. Actually, the answer is "yes," as in the past I've almost exclus