Heh. Interesting.

The Empire Zone reports [1] that Jonathan Tasini is causing Dem convention delegates no small measure of discomfort by offering a resolution opposing the war in Iraq; the discomfort stems, obviously, from Miz Clinton's carefully calibrated non-positions on that topic, which seem to be dictated by Iowa focus groups more than anything else.

Then, The Daily News [2] reports that several Manhattan clubs have either pulled their endorsement or plan to abstain from the race altogether; and as far as I know, neither of the big Progressive orgs, DFNYC and NDM, plan to endorse for United States Senate this year.

In a Daily Kos fantasy straw poll [3], one that included Al Gore, Hillary registered at 1% of votes; Gore got 68%. The ferocious buzz [4] around the winner of the 2000 popular vote (and election) is arguably caused in part by Hillary panic – which is my term for the stricken look you can see on Democrats when the subject of her in your face all-but-declared possible 2008 candidacy comes up.

Hillary, it seems, isn't getting as much love as the polls suggest. Sure, she'll be re-elected in a landslide – with what somebody finally needs to call the open connivance of the other party and its ludicrous New York candidates – but those 2008 plans seem to be creating far more disquiet amongst the rank and file than Team Hillary should be comfortable with. Hillary has lost the Progressive base because of two factors seemingly feeding one another: one is the triangulation compulsion the Senator seems to labor under, the other is the fierce desire of Democrats to retake the White House.

New York Mag [5] quotes Steve Jarding, a Warner supporter:

“If there are enough Democratic leaders who fear Hillary Clinton as a candidate, then they better step up to the plate and say, ‘We love Hillary, we love the Clintons, we just don’t think she can win, and we’ve collectively gotten behind candidate X.’ ”

The Anybody-but-Hillary phenomenon is unlikely to play out in this year's race; it seems Democrats are mainly going to hold their noses and vote for her. But for 2008, all bets are off.

[Note: Image from New York Magazine [6]]

[Update]: An interesting new forecasting tool - via MyDD, here [7] - indicates that Gore would win in a landslide, while Hillary would be crushed.

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