The Hillary Test

CQ's Craig Crawford steps back from the field of Democratic 2008 hopefuls and offers this test of seriousness:

"Those who can't find a way to publicly speak to party concerns about Clinton's general-election appeal will not be serious presidential contenders in my book," he writes. "Instead of taking on New York's junior senator, the rest of the Democratic field is moving forward with campaigns that seem to be an exercise in collective denial, pretending she isn't there. And yet, if she is to be denied the nomination, her rivals should go negative early, before she has raised so much money and lined up so many endorsements that no one can take her down."

Crawford thinks the silver bullet is "plain talk about Clinton's 2008 chances against a Republican," which is of course, basically the opposite of the other option: attacking her on the war.

Meanwhile, the New York State Republican Party does seem to be doing its best to hand Hillary a Schumeresque margin, which she can cash in when the electability question comes up in the next primary season.