For 2008, a hypothetical Democratic victory

From the Meaningless but Mildly Interesting Polling Department comes a Hotline/Diageo poll on how registered voters view potential 2008 match-ups: John McCain beats Hillary Clinton, 45 percent to 40 percent; McCain beats Barack Obama, 39-35 percent; and McCain beats John Edwards, 40-27 percent. But in a sign that Democratic progress may not stop with 2006 — assuming the Democrats can find and field the right candidate — a generic Democratic candidate beats a generic Republican candidate, 40-27.