I want Clinton vs. Obama to be over too. For a while we had a vigorous debate about issues, experience, and how to change America. That time is long past (deceased circa March 4), and now it's just gotten ugly.
However, what may be uglier than the campaigns' recent below-the-belt jabs ("You know Bill Ayers!" "Well you know the Weather Undergound too!") is the media's insistent pushing of the storyline that this protracted primary campaign is irreparably damaging the Dems' chances come November.
I just don't see it, no matter how many experts they parade in front of me on cable news citing poll after poll of polarized Democrats. According to them, alarming numbers of Obama supporters that will absolutely never support Clinton and, likewise, many Clinton supporters that will absolutely never support Obama. (Heck, double-digits are willing to defect to McCain!)
Here's my problem: these polls are being taken at a time of fever-pitch, dug-in primary-season intensity in April. We're six-and-a-half months away from the general election. Six-and-a-half months ago -- in ancient September 2007 -- Senator Clinton was the "inevitable" candidate and Rudy Giuliani (!) was the Republican favorite. That came according to the same pundits, pollsters, and experts feeding us this week's story about this disastrous Democrat implosion.
A lot happens in six-and-a-half months.
While John McCain may be getting far more sleep and spending far less cash than Obama or Clinton right now, I'm skeptical that supporters of either Clinton or Obama -- candidates with similar policy platforms -- would stay home and let John McCain -- the political antithesis of their favorite candidate -- walk into the White House if their favorite doesn't get the nomination. Get ready for heresy: this week's polls on that subject are misleading trash!
As we've learned from both primary races, it doesn't really matter who has the upper hand six-and-a-half months from Election Day. The talking heads need to calm down.
Dan Brown is the author of "The Great Expectations School."