[T]aking the Republican candidate into consideration, could Clinton win a hypothetical match-up against Gingrich? Absolutely. And I'd bet on her against Bill Frist and the post-Macaca George Allen, as well. The real question is: Can Clinton beat McCain or Giuliani? And, if those seem like tough contests for her: Which other likely Democratic presidential contenders could be expected to do better against those two candidates with strong national security credentials and demonstrated electoral cross-over appeal?

Frankly, I'm getting a little tired of discussing Clinton in the abstract. Until someone can make the case for how John Edwards or Evan Bayh would beat McCain or Giuliani, the criticisms of Clinton don't strike me as being much more than the politics of personal distaste. Clinton could probably beat 75 percent of the Republican field. So could most of the Democratic contenders. But the two candidates she'd face a tough race against would be tough for any Democrat to beat, and until someone makes the case for how the other Democrats would do any better in contests against the toughest Republican contenders, it's not at all clear we're actually discussing Clinton's "electability," rather than her personality or gender difference.

I'm of the "Hillary can't win" school, but I admit that it's a difficult question whether any of the Democratic candidates I prefer (Edwards, Clark, possibly Warner) can beat McCain, who is the most probable GOP candidate. Newt Gingrich is another distinct possibility, and it has to be said that none of the other Democratic possibles are in the same galaxy of name-recognition that Saint McCain and Little Newtie inhabit -- only Hillary. (Any celebrity who can be identified by a majority of people by her first name only is definitely on the "A" list.)

One thing, though: the idea that the current Republican Party would nominate Rudy Giuliani is a total joke, and not worthy of serious consideration. Yes, he would be a formidable candidate, although very beatable -- I lived through his reign over NYC, and he's got real vulnerabilities, not the least of which is a very prickly personality and something of a Messiah complex -- but there's no way he'd ever be acceptable to the rabid right, and without their support he'll never get the nod.

P.S. On the other hand, as one of the commenters (SomeCallMeTim) on Tapped wrote:

What, exactly, is the difference between HRC's "electability" and "her personality or gender difference"? "I HATE her," strikes me as a completely legitimate criticism, and perhaps even the most important one.

And that's really the genesis of my belief that Hillary can't win, that too many people really hate her. I think that's a shame, because she's obviously the female politician best positioned to be elected President, and I'm more than ready for a woman President.

(My other concern, which Josh Marshall raised some time back, is that of falling into a pattern of alternating dynasties: Bush - Clinton - Bush - Clinton.)