Clinton's argument

Clinton's argument seems to be that if Obama can't win white working class folks from her in Pennsylvania in the primary then he can't win them from McCain in the general election, and hence she not he ought to be the candidate.
I think that it is an invalid argument, but let's just run with it a little, shall we? Senator Clinton: would you be willing to make the following statement (and mean it!) to all Pennsylvanian democratic voters:

"I want to make sure that this primary is a real test of Obama's strength, to show that he can't win in the General Election. So I'm asking you: if you feel you could vote for Obama in the general election over McCain, even if you'd prefer me to win the primary, I'm asking you vote for Obama. If you feel you can't support Obama over McCain, then press the Clinton button."

Of course, she won't say this: it is an all but guaranteed-to-be-smaller share of the vote than she'd get if it is a real contest between her and Obama.

Of course, her refusal to put the question this way does mean that we can't apply the outcome of this primary to solve the particular question of the general election. Negating her ridiculous talking point.

Yours, in reductio ad absurdum,
N.