Obama Virtually Tied With Clinton In USA Today Poll

Bad news for Senator Hillary Clinton…and good news for Senator Barack Obama…in a new poll:

Hillary Rodham Clinton and Barack Obama are essentially tied for the Democratic presidential nomination, according to a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll, the first time that the New York senator hasn’t clearly led the field.
The Illinois senator bests Clinton by a single percentage point, 30%-29%, if the contest includes former vice president Al Gore.

Clinton bests Obama by a single point, 37%-36%, if it doesn’t include Gore.

The bad news for Clinton is that this shatters the always tenuous myth of Hillary Clinton’s “inevitability” as the 2008 Democratic party nominee. In fact, this poll shows a fluid race. It will also spur Obama and his supporters on and also spark a race to see who will emerge as the strongest third option as the Un-Clinton and Un-Obama.

The good news for both Clinton and Obama is that their TV performances seemed hugely improved in the last televised Democratic candidates’ debate. And any Democratic party candidate will need TV communication skills if they have to face Republican Fred Thompson as the nominee — yet another wildcard/uncertainty thrown into the pre-2008 primaries mix.