The emerging conventional wisdom has it that the Democrats can't win in 2008 simply by being "reflexively anti-Bush." But I wonder if an equal or greater danger isn't being "reflexively pro-Clinton." I know well that this isn't an issue at Daily Kos, but it pretty clearly remains the case in the party's primary electorate at large.
Consider some findings from the latest LA Times/Bloomberg poll. They show a generic 8-point Democratic advantage in the presidential race next year--but the clear Democratic front-runner, Sen. Hillary Clinton, loses to all three leading Republican candidates (40-45 to McCain, 41-43 to Romney, 39-49 to Giuliani). John Edwards outpolls two of them (41-45 McCain, 46-32 Romney, 46-43 Giuliani), and Barack Obama defeats all three (47-35 McCain, 50-34 Romney, 46-41 Giuliani).
At the same time, though, Sen. Clinton leads among all Democratic primary voters with 33 percent to Obama's 22, 15 for Al Gore, and 8 for Edwards. Clinton also commands the support of 40 percent of self-identified "liberal Democrats" (Obama is second with 21 percent), and 47 percent of women (Obama 26). Another poll shows Clinton leading Obama among African-American voters, 41 percent to 35 percent.
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