In fact, Clinton never really took the gloves off against Senator Obama, perhaps worried about alienating the lunch bucket Democrats by appearing too tough. But
John McCain will not worry about looking tough if he goes up against the junior Senator from Illinois. He can’t afford to.
Democrat strategists know where both Clinton and Obama are vulnerable. That is why the New York Times got the ball rolling last week by dusting off a story nine years old to attack Senator McCain’s integrity. For good measure, the Times threw in an insinuation of an extra-marital affair. Democrat attack persons are doing their best to keep the story alive.
With the New York Times doing the Democrats’ dirty work for them, McCain will have no choice but to be direct with Obama in a way that Clinton was not.
Finally, there is one important wild card to be played that makes an Obama/McCain contest highly problematic: race.
With many African-Americans rallying to Obama because he is African-American, many white Americans may conclude that race is a perfectly acceptable criteria by which to choose between two admirable candidates. But, which way will that cut?
Many younger whites embrace Obama because he is not white, and represents to them an important, hopeful expression of the multi-ethnic reality of their America.
Older whites may embrace McCain because the long career of the modest patriot, hero and responsible, effective legislator expresses something equally authentic and admirable about their America.
The lunch bucket Democrats have begun to desert Clinton for Obama, not because she is a woman, they tell the pollsters, but because they are for change. It is not inconceivable they will also desert Obama for McCain, not because Obama is not white, they will tell the pollsters, but because they want experience.
It’s way too early for Democrats to be picking out their outfits for the inaugural ball.
