Electability Is a Dirty Word

According to a new poll, Barack Obama is "more electable" than Hillary Clinton, reports TPM Election Central. Here are the numbers they are reporting, in head-to-head matchups with the top 3 Republicans:

Clinton (D) 49%, Giuliani (R) 48%
Clinton (D) 53%, Huckabee (R) 44%
Clinton (D) 52%, Romney (R) 46%
Obama (D) 51%, Giuliani (R) 45%
Obama (D) 53%, Huckabee (R) 42%
Obama (D) 57%, Romney (R) 39%

What does this all mean? Well, there is one other adjective that stands out in my mind with the suffix "-ability", that isn't exactly a compliment. It's used more in evaluating a possible sex partner than a presidential candidate, but I think the calculus is the same here. Let's be polite and call it "Do-ability."

Setting aside for the moment that this poll ignores John Edwards, who, David Knowles reported, was even more dominant in a CNN poll. Let's carry out this line of thinking.

Stay with me, here. Let's say you've gone stag to a cocktail party, or a discotheque, or wherever it is people meet these days. You see several promising candidates. For purposes of this illustration, you're a guy looking for female companionship, but you can swap out whatever details you like.

Candidate number one is a stunning hottie whom you're immediately attracted to. She talks a little, you like what you hear. Still, what are the chances that you can "go all the way" with her? Don't you have a better chance with candidate #2, who's dressed sensibly, has an average face, decent body, and looks like she has self-esteem issues? Then, there's #3, the redhead in the miniskirt with the tattoos. You don't want to get injured or catch something, do you?

This is the same kind of thinking that gave us John Kerry in 2004, a good man, but a mediocre politician. After we spent all night buying him drinks, we still slept alone.

I say we need a smokin' hottie in the White House.

I'm not even saying that Obama's not hot, I'm saying these numbers are meaningless, except in the way they affect voters who read them. The whole political process is over-polled, and it allows candidates to gain undeserved momentum, or to lose it. I happen to think Obama is a hottie, politically speaking. Edwards fits that bill, too. You all know Chris Dodd has my vote now, but barring a miracle, he won't be here at closing time.

Both polls are encouraging, in that "Sensible Outfit" (Hillary) is behind in both. For a candidate who hangs her whole campaign on triangulation and "centrism", this is not good news.

Whoever gets the nod, hopefully the honey in the miniskirt (Dennis Kucinich) teaches her a few tricks.

People, please, vote for the candidate you feel will do the best job, not the one you think will win. You don't get a prize for guessing right.