Six Numbers That Show Why Clinton Is Still the Favorite Versus Trump NBC News

{Quote} . . . here are six numbers that show why — right now — Hillary Clinton is better positioned to win the presidency than her GOP rival.

1. The advantage for a generic Democratic candidate over a generic Republican is 4 percentage points.

2. The Democratic Party is nearly breaking even on favorability, while the GOP is under water.

3. Barack Obama's approval rating is 51 percent.

4. Trump is under-performing with white women by 10 points.

It's no secret that Trump has a problem with female voters. But he *does* enjoy a slight advantage over Hillary Clinton when it comes to only white women, leading with 46 percent to Clinton's 42 percent. That might look like a boon for Trump until you compare his share of the white female vote by the margin won by Mitt Romney four years ago. Romney beat Barack Obama by 14 points with white women, winning them 56 percent to 42 percent. Trump is under-performing badly with a part of the electorate that makes up almost four in 10 voters, and it's definitely no certainty that there are enough white men out there to cut his losses.

5. Trump's showing a 'nine-point drop in the suburbs.

6. Clinton has a 10-point advantage on the commander-in-chief test.

Bernie Goes More & More AWOL

What the hell are you doing, Bernie? The Vermont senator inexplicably agrees to debate Donald Trump Salon

Donald Trump has withdrawn his invitation to debate Bernie Sanders, although Bernie continues to press for it. Sanders supporter Sean Illing writes:

"This is a no-lose proposition for him (Trump). It doesn’t matter how poorly he performs, his supporters won’t care and Republicans aren’t switching sides. This is an opportunity for Trump to take the sledgehammer to Clinton alongside a fellow Democrat.

From Sanders’s perspective, it’s not clear what’s to be gained. Even if he thrashes Trump at the debate, nothing changes. He might get a bump in the polls and perhaps even win California narrowly, but he’ll still lose the Democratic nomination. Worse still, he’ll lose any credibility he has within the party, and thus any chance he has to improve it. Whether he wants to or not, Sanders will be forced in a debate like this – by the moderator and his opponent – to bash Clinton and the Democratic Party generally.

Recall that Trump has slyly sided with Sanders in recent weeks, calling the Democratic process “rigged” and corrupt. “I think it’s very unfair what’s happening to Bernie Sanders,” he told Kimmel, “and it’s a very unfair system.” He might be right, but that’s not the point. This is Trump appealing to alienated Sanders voters in order to drive them away in November. It’s a smart – if transparent – strategy on his part.