NBC/WSJ Poll: Bush Far Scarier Than Wright

Once the campaign begins and the Dems have a candidate, the hot lights of scrutiny will move over to include McCain -- and he'll be peeled open like a soft peanut.

His weak point -- among many -- will be that he (and somehow the American people) are OK if we're in Iraq for 100 years, or 1,000 years or 10,000 years.

Go ahead and argue the point, Sen. McSame -- nuance is such an effective campaign strategy.

The latest poll from NBC/WSJ bears out the fundamental weakness of McCain's campaign: people see him as Bush III -- and they don't like it one bit:

In the survey, 43 percent of registered voters say they have major concerns that McCain is too closely aligned with the current administration.

By comparison:

• 36 percent have major concerns that Clinton seems to change her position on some issues (like driver’s licenses for illegal immigrants and the North American Free Trade Agreement, which her husband signed but which she now opposes)
• 34 percent say they’re bothered by Obama’s "bitter" remarks
• 32 percent have a major problem with the Illinois senator’s past associations with Wright and the 1960s radical William Ayers
• 27 percent have serious concerns that Bill Clinton would have too much influence on U.S. policy decisions if his wife is elected

This ad from the DNC is already running in swing states (and even Louisiana -- I saw it the other night):

...and it joins this one, being run by MoveOn: