Obama's Aggression

So here we are, on the eve of yet another "crucial" Democratic presidential primary. This time it's Pennsylvania, the one we've waited six agonizing weeks for. Conventional wisdom is Hillary Clinton has to win, and win big, to keep her flagging campaign alive. For Barack Obama, there's been a change in strategy.

This past weekend, the senator from Illinois came out swinging at his rival. By and large, Obama has been content to counterpunch as Clinton has been the one on the offensive. As a result, he's failed to deliver primary wins in several key states before now. This tactical change may also have it's roots in the recent rough road the Obama campaign has found itself traveling.

Pundits and cable reporters are calling this the most important primary yet. No big deal. They've said that about at least a half dozen contests before now. There's no guarantee that a narrow Clinton win or an unlikely Obama victory will drive her from the race. The pressure on her will increase, for sure, but Hillary has shown herself to be a strong willed person who can resist that sort of thing.

A big Clinton win would have the effect of reopening the race, and making the next two primaries, in Indiana and North Carolina, the most important ones of the campaign. Predictions about who will win Pennsylvania and by how much are at this point as meaningless as all the polls that have been taken up until now.

So let the voters decide.