WASTED OPPORTUNITY. Matt points us to data demonstrating that, according to current state-by-state polling, Hillary Clinton would beat the GOP's strongest candidate, Giuliani, fairly handily. Particularly given that Giuliani isn't terribly likely to actually win the GOP nomination, I think this should make clear that claims that Clinton is "unelectable" are nonsense. On the other hand, I think this also explains why those of us who aren't Clinton supporters are somewhat frustrated by the fact that she's the likely nominee. Presidential elections are (at least given that primaries weed out the most obviously "unelectable" candidates) determined much more by structural factors than by individual campaigns, and structural conditions are likely to be very favorable for the Dems in '08. In this context, it's obviously regrettable to run the most centrist major candidate in an election in which a more progressive one would remain a favorite. Compounding this, of course, is the fact that Clinton is a centrist who for the most part won't be perceived as more centrist than the other candidates. --Scott Lemieux
