Clinton campaign still kicking (Updated)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hillary Clinton swept critical showdowns with Barack Obama in Ohio and Texas on Tuesday to keep her Democratic presidential bid alive, and John McCain clinched the Republican nomination and looked ahead to the November election.

The victories for Clinton, a New York senator, snapped Obama's winning streak at 12 and defied widespread predictions that defeats in Ohio and Texas would force her out of the White House race.

(Reuters)

What explains the rejuvenation of the Clinton campaign? Texas polling turned into a see-saw over the last two weeks after Obama cut into her polling advantage there to take an occasional lead. Was the focus group reaction to Clinton's "3 a.m." ad an outlier? Is Hugh Hewitt correct to credit Rush Limbaugh with Sen. Clinton's win in Texas?

Tuesday was replete with anecdotal evidence of Republicans "crossing over" to the Dark Side to pull the lever for Clinton, typically with the expressed motive of prolonging the battle for the Democratic nomination or just to derail the Obama momentum. I share Hewitt's disdain for crossover voting. While the practice stays within the rules it seems contrary to the aim of the system. If Democrats did it I'd call it underhanded. So either way it's underhanded.


The irony of Clinton owing the resuscitation of her campaign to the "Republican attack machine" does add a silver lining to the whole affair, however.

Allahpundit over at Hot Air has the numbers regarding the Rush Effect.

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