So says veteran political analyst Morton Kondracke:
After Super Tuesday, Sen. John McCain (Ariz.) has every right to declare himself the Republican presidential frontrunner, but he has miles to go in getting himself and his party in shape to face his Democratic opponent.
One measure of his task is that more than 14.6 million Democrats went to the polls on Tuesday and only 9 million Republicans -- indicating a vast enthusiasm gap between the parties.
McCain polls reasonably well against both Sens. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) and Barack Obama (D-Ill.), but they have a sagging economy and a massive national desire for change going for them in addition to the energetic desire among Democrats to get the White House back.
The Democrats out-polled the Republicans by 5.6 million? Yes. In fact, the entire Republican field put together barely outpolled Hillary by half a million.
Still, another veteran Washingon pol -- David Broder -- thinks McCain will be very competitive in the fall.
Based on the numbers of actual voters, I don't see it. Despite the polls. And Broder, like a lot of pundits, is immune to the economic downturn that is taking hold. So he underestimates the revulsion of the populace with uncaring Republican pols, I think. This is looking like l992 all over again, although I hope this time we avoid putting Clinton into the White House. But if it happens, we know who to blame...
