[courtesy of The California Majority Report]

Money isn’t everything, but, at this phase of the 2008 Presidential race, it’s the only thing. And Hillary Clinton is amassing a political war chest the way Joey Chestnut devours Nathan’s Famous hot dogs.

All day, talking heads have been salivating over the New York Senator’s eye-popping -- and altogether unexpected -- fundraising totals for this challenging third quarter, a historically fallow time for big-dollar political fundraising.

Her $27 million put to rest once and for all questions about her sustained fundraising ability in the face of Senator Obama’s relentless star turn.

It’s a long way to Denver -- and Presidential primary frontrunners are typically vulnerable to December surprises -- but Senator Clinton is the most vetted non-incumbent candidate in modern history and her campaign is starting to take on the distinctive and rarified air of error-free inevitability. At this point, a Howard Dean-type collapse looks about as likely as Clarence and Isiah Thomas appearing together on "The View."

On Sunday, I saw Hillary Clinton and her California operation up close in Napa County and Oakland.

The candidate was engaging, eloquent and self-aware, qualities that are usually imputed to Obama. Unlike Obama, she was specific. She was also surprisingly candid and funny.

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