Among political professionals, journalists and campaign junkies, Obama's win in SC and endorsement by Ted Kennedy created a sense that some important momentum might swing/be swinging his way.
But, is anything really happening among rank-and-file Democrats out in America? Obama can't organize and focus on every Feb. 5 state the way he did in the first four. So, outside the hothouse, is the Clinton name still gold, with lots of Dems wondering why you'd need an alternative to Hillary?
Florida, last night, suggested that's where things are. The results were obviously skewed by the lack of campaigning and Hillary's late bid to get support by promising to try to seat Florida's delegates. But that said, she won 50-33-17. She won big among Latinos and whites. Nothing seemed to be in motion, nothing happening.
But, today, there's a national Gallup three-day tracking poll. It shows that in ten days, Hillary's national lead has shrunk from 20 points to 6, 42-36; Edwards had 12, who are now up for grabs. And in the final day of poll;ing (Tuesday) her margin was even smaller, a "few points." And a new Rasmussen poll shows a 40-40 tie, down from a double-digit Hillary lead, in Connecticut.
A couple polls don't mean much. But if things are in motion, with the Edwards voters now up for grabs, the idea of a tight Super Tuesday could be more than we-want-a-race media hype.