The most disturbing poll numbers to come out this week were the Gallup numbers showing McCain beating both Obama and Clinton by similar margins.

The Republican Rasmussen poll has long been more favorable to McCain. Nevertheless, his lead has widened over both Dems significantly in recent days.

The specific numbers of these polls are not important. These are "tracking" polls -- rolling three-day averages, with each new day's data replacing the data from four days ago.

These are not meant to show hard numbers of where the country is at, but to gauge shifts in momentum.

And they show momentum towards McCain.

Not momentum for a preference of Clinton over Obama in a general election. But momentum for McCain.

The Dem race has been overwhelmed by non-issues, making McCain appear more serious by default-- despite his various gaffes.

All these polls were mainly taken before Obama's historic speech-- where, in the words of Jon Stewart, he dared to treat voters like "adults."

We'll have to wait and see if that has had an effect. (There's a little early evidence that the speech has helped.)

But this is making Keith Olbermann look prescient, when he warned Sen. Hillary Clinton, "This is not a campaign strategy. This is a suicide pact.”

It's in every candidate's long-term interest to train more fire on McCain.

Obama has been trying to do that, but has had to do so while grappling with the Wright non-issue.

Whereas Clinton has been elevating McCain in her attempts to diminish Obama.

Clinton has every right to fight her primary opponent hard. But it's simply foolish to make the Republican nominee look good in the process.