Seems pretty clear to me the answer is yes. Overall, I doubt Clinton’s apparent margin would be as big as Obama’s is at this moment; I’d guess she’d be doing better in Florida and worse in Colorado and Virginia. I doubt with Clinton at the top of the ticket we’d be considering the possibility of a new Democratic Senator from Georgia or (less likely) Mississippi or Kentucky. It’s hard to imagine her bringing in as many first-time voters or turning as many independents. But by all indications, Hillary Clinton would be beating John McCain right now for the most important reasons Barack Obama is beating John McCain, and the main reasons (which got a huge exclamation mark from this fall’s economic news) it looked a year ago like Clinton/ Obama/ Edwards would beat Romney/ McCain/ Thompson: eight years of right-wing Republican rule has devastated the Republican brand (so much so that conservatives are left to plead that it wasn’t right-wing at all).
If Clinton had been the candidate, I bet McCain could have convinced some more folks that he was the one in the race who would “turn the page” on politics as usual in Washington, and he could have kept his money out of Georgia, but it’s hard to imagine he would be poised to win the election right now. Conversely, while Clinton’s claims about McCain as a nominee – that he would throw the kitchen sink at the Democrat – proved true, her claim that Obama as nominee would wilt under the attacks proved laughably false (though unsurprisingly, her own gutter attacks on Obama proved to have long life on John McCain’s shelf).
Point being, what a wasted opportunity it would have been if the months of competition between Obama and Clinton had been settled just based on who looked to more Democrats like a safer choice to go up against John McCain.
Josh Eidelson 
I know when I voted, I didn’t fully understand, but after I voted, I realized that I had made a decision that didn’t support a strong America. When I voted, I realized I voted for someone who would “do it for me” where I don’t have to be responsible for myself. After I made that decision, I now know that I didn’t make a decision based on creating a strong America.
I want a candidate in office that will support me being an entrepreneur, which is what this country was founded on. This country is not about having the government being responsible for you, its about being an entrepreneur. And that was what this country was founded on. I don’t agree with everything McCain does, and how he campaigned, but he does know a little bit more about being an American and what it means to be an entrepreneur. And that is what this country needs right now, just a little bit more of that. So if you haven’t voted yet, vote for the candidate who will support us in being responsible for ourselves. This country does depend on it.
FACTS, JUST FACTS, ONLY FACTS
FACTS THAT SHOULD SCARE EVERYONE
http://ngoldfarb.wordpress.com/2008/10/22/barack-obamas-boss-and-mentor-william-ayres-group-killed-more-people-than-the-kkk-klu-lux-klan/
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When I voted, it was for someone who would take care of me. Under the new Obama state, I won’t even have to brush my teeth – government’s gonna bring the white bread to my door, yeah, you know what I’m talking about!
Hey! I’m no French “entrepreneur” or whatever, but I do likes sitting around and collecting my government check. Never gonna work another day in my life, thanks to the Democratic miracle world. Now, that McCain, the guy with all the houses, with the $500 loafers, married some old rich girl, yeah, he knows about work. Man, this wingnut crap just writes itself.
Go Obama – let’s have a Democratic sweep this time. They’re the best shot we have.