Is the Clinton campaign a true juggernaut -- or is that just what she wants everyone to believe?

By Dan Balz
Washington Post Staff Writer
Sunday, September 2, 2007; Page A02

Is the Clinton campaign a true juggernaut -- or is that just what she wants everyone to believe?

Not a juggernaut, but it is the best campaign on the block right now. That's a view widely shared among Democratic strategists and emphatically asserted by some veteran Republicans sizing up the race.

"Hillary is for real, and will be difficult for any of her Democratic opponents to derail," wrote Neil Newhouse, a Republican pollster who jointly conducts the NBC-Wall Street Journal poll. "She simply doesn't make mistakes and is running a pretty disciplined campaign."

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But no one is ready to call the Democratic race for Clinton at this point. The reasons, as outlined by both her supporters and detractors, are numerous. First, nobody wraps up a nomination by Labor Day. Ask Howard Dean about that.

Clinton is no Dean, but the point holds. Things happen unexpectedly, and as one Democratic strategist put it: "While the Clinton campaign is flawlessly ticking along, in the YouTube world of politics today, things can shift quickly. And that's where the resources and infrastructure of Obama's campaign could make a difference."

Second, the race looks far different in Iowa than it does nationally. There, Clinton is in a three-way contest with Obama and Edwards, and the results could affect subsequent contests. As an Edwards loyalist said, "If she loses Iowa, that changes everything."

A Democrat who spends considerable time outside the Beltway pointed to Clinton's weakness. "When you talk to people outside of Washington, D.C., and New York, they are not convinced about Clinton. Particularly in the South, they think she will cost Democrats seats in the legislature -- and self-preservation counts."

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But is Obama up to the battle? Some Democrats and Republicans expressed doubts. "Obama has lost his mojo, but he has a little bit of time to find it," one former Bush White House official said. Another Republican said, "He's right where people's heads are but can't fill it in."

Democratic strategist Matt Bennett said Clinton has run a nearly flawless campaign, but added: "I'd argue that Obama has actually gained momentum in certain respects: He seems to be really hitting his stride now on the stump. The question is whether he can close the gap. There's plenty of time, but she may need to stumble for him to make up ground."

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/01/AR2007090101287.html

And if you can't trust the RW media, who -CAN- you trust, right?

I'm looking forward to Obama proving them wrong.

One could say the same thing about Obama or Edwards..that if they mess up and get off message they could stumble and lose their positions. This article is a whole lot of nothing.

She is the establishment candidate with all of the endorsements and PAC money, and also the least likely candidate in the field to win a general election.