Coalescing

The latest Gallup tracking poll shows Obama starting to woo some of Clinton's key demographics to his camp. The newest polling shows that Obama leads or ties Clinton among women, Easterners, whites, adults with no college education and Hispanics. Get used to these kinds of results. As I've argued before this idea that Obama won't be able to pull in the key Clinton support groups is ludicrous.

What the media fails to understand is that this country is still pissed at Bush and the Republicans. Sure, McCain may seem like a nicer version, but when it comes down to a choice between Obama and McCain, the Clinton supporters aren't going to sit around and say, "I don't like what Obama said about Hillary in the primary." No, they are going to realize that McCain is wrong on virtually every important issue and they will forget the primary and coalesce around Obama.

This is why the loss in West Virginia by 40 points is not a sign of what ails the Obama campaign. And it's why a 20-point loss in Kentucky tonight won't mean that either. The media is looking for chinks in the armor, but they miss the central point that the vast majority of this country believes we are on the wrong track and have been for a while. A vote for McCain won't change that. A vote for Obama will.

Clinton channels Rove

The Clinton campaign is turning to Karl Rove to make its case. Jake Tapper reported that Rove has done the math and Clinton is the stronger candidate. Turd blossom thinks Clinton would be more competitive in states, like Missouri and New Hampshire, that Obama would lose. Normally I wouldn't spend two seconds thinking about what Rove -- the genius who predicted that "the math" showed that Republicans would hold onto control of Congress after the 06 elections -- thinks about "the math" of the 08 election. Normally I would complain that anyone listens to him anymore.

But it's not just anyone now. It's the Clinton campaign. Seriously. Hillary and Bill are using Rove's "math" as evidence that she should stay in the race. Here is what Hillary Clinton said yesterday in Kentucky:

“Just today I found some curious support for that position when one of the TV networks released an analysis done by - of all people - Karl Rove, saying that I was the stronger candidate.”

Bill Clinton made the same argument this weekend. And this morning, on "Morning Joe," Terry McAuliffe cited Rove. Fortunately in that case Harold Ford said McAuliffe can use any map he wants, but he shouldn't rest on the name Karl Rove.

The reliance on Rove is astounding to me. Why do the Clintons feel this is an argument that will resonate? If you ask me, Rove's defense of Clinton is a reason not to support her. I think Ford's response this morning was precisely the reaction the Clintons will get as they make this case around the country.

Imagine the response from superdelegates when Clinton calls and say, "We can win; Rove says so."

Photo of the day

Taken in Portland at a rally of 75,000 for Barack Obama. From the Associated Press: