Well, aside from a curious SurveyUSA poll out of the state of Florida late last week (one which was rebutted by a Quinnipiac poll released earlier in the week), it appears that the electability argument for the Democrats is now a done deal.
The final nail...while both Democrats presently hold a lead over John McCain in Hillary Clinton's home state of New York, Barack Obama has a lead that is TEN POINTS higher than that of Hillary.
In New York. Plus...look here! CNN has polled Texas for the general with a surprising result. Follow me....
First, the New York numbers, courtesy of SUSA:
NEW YORK (Polled by SurveyUSA 2/15 to 2/17)
Hillary Clinton (D) 52%, John McCain (R) 41%
Barack Obama (D) 57%, John McCain (R) 36%
NOTE: All surveys were conducted before the NYT story on McCain
There you have it. Even in the senator's home state, one which gave her a reasonably substantial win in the Super Tuesday primaries, HRC does not run as strongly in the general as does Senator Obama.
That trend extends to a state thought to be out of reach to the Democrats as well.
TEXAS (Polled by CNN 2/14 to 2/17)
John McCain (R) 55%, Hillary Clinton (D) 42%
John McCain (R) 52%, Barack Obama (D) 44%
Eight points. In what is supposed to be a gimme for the GOP. Not only that, but CNN polled whether or not Texans would be amenable to a "conservative third party candidate". If one appeared on the ballot, the poll shows that Obama would LEAD McCain, 41-37. The third party candidate would get 19%. Clinton would also score a narrow lead in this scenario (38-37-23).
By the way, even in his home state, Bush gets no love. His job approval in Texas is a dismal 41%, with 55% disapproving.
Something to chew on this Thursday morning. I can't imagine that the Clinton campaign can say that New York and Texas don't matter.
Can they?