Further proof this Clinton/Obama is GOOD for Democrats

There are several reasons I have thought this battle between Obama and Clinton has been good for the party, just from my political analysis. But, the esteemed Frank Rich provides some color to make my previous points in this blog have merit...albeit he does use some polling data (and we all know how I'm not a fan of polls, but I think these are at least interesting to take note of):

1. In the Pennsylvania Republican Primary we heard nary about 220,000 Pennsylvania Republicans (out of their total turnout of 807,000) were moved to cast ballots for Mike Huckabee or, more numerously, Ron Paul. That’s more voters than the margin (215,000) that separated Hillary Clinton and Mr. Obama.

2. The primary in this state was closed, so independents who are trending Democrat as recently as 2006, were left out of being able to show their displeasure with Republicans.

3. The whole argument being pushed by the left-wingers supporting Obama that McCain is getting a free ride is somewhat true, but he will eventually pay for that (we are seeing signs of that in the story about him using his wife's corporate jet for little money)...but, the argument that McCain is cleaning up the money in a fund raising blitz doesn't match the true numbers. Coming up to the primary the Clinton campaign trounced the McCain campaign in fund-raising by 2.5 to 1 (the Obama-McCain ratio is 3 to 1). McCain will have NO cash to speak of.

And seeing how poorly he is doing nationally, it makes me wonder whether Republican big-wig donors will really open their pocket book to help McCain much, when they probably figure this next President is going to be saddled with Dubya's sack of shit that they will conveniently hang around the next of the next President. The gift that keeps on giving...

4. The prolonged Democratic primary race, far from destroying the Democratic candidates, may do more insidious damage to the Republican nominee, lulling his campaign into an unjustified complacency. McCain has been unable, despite having all this time to gird up support in this supposed "nasty, bitter" fight, to move past 45% in the nationwide polls.

5. On Tuesday, a Democrat won the first round of a special Congressional election in Mississippi, even though the national G.O.P. outspent the Democrats by more than double and President Bush carried this previously safe Republican district by 25 percentage points in 2004. That is damning news for any Republican incumbent.

Finally, I would just like to reiterate this post was largely/completely plagiarized and if Frank Rich comes after and suits my ass, I'll just pile that court judgment on top of my student loan debt...but, Frank made some damn good point in this morning's Times. Including an argument my fellow blogger Heartlandish would like as he takes on Hillary's supposed claim of her skeletons being out there. I think this is primary why I am moving to Obama, seeing that Hillary would make such a fantastic number two.

Obama has been tested well. While he hasn't performed and shown the willingness to fight dirty that I think he NEEDS to know how to do...particularly come 2012...by putting Hill on the ticket would give him plausible deniability when she unleashes her claws and gnashes her teeth.