A Chequer-Board of Nights and Days

Yes, the polls will shift when there is a Democratic nominee, but it would appear that John McCain has done a good job in consolidating his position and preparing for the general election:

Sen. John McCain, who embittered conservatives when he won the Republican presidential nomination race, is drawing unhappy Republicans back into the fold -- not to mention swing-voting independents and even some moderate Democrats.

A new survey shows that the same voters, who five months ago, preferred sending an unnamed Democrat to the White House over an unnamed Republican by 13 percentage points, are now evenly split, due partly to Mr. McCain's likability and the brawling by the two Democratic candidates.

The Associated Press-Yahoo poll shows Mr. McCain gets about 10 percentage points more now than a generic Republican candidate got last fall; Sen. Barack Obama and Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton get about five points less than a nameless Democrat got then.

[. . .]

"McCain has accomplished what so many of the self-appointed experts said couldn't be done — he has united the GOP and made great progress with independents and Democrats," said Republican strategist Scott Reed. "Just look at the large percentage of Obama and Clinton supporters who will never support the other and volunteer that they will support McCain if their candidate loses. That number is growing every week."

These numbers are nothing to sneeze at. And just imagine if the Democratic nomination fight stretches out to June, July or even August.