Although Clinton and Obama are vigorously out to defeat each other to win their party’s nomination, if all indicators about gender, race, and age groups being mattered in this 2008 presidential election are correct, both need each other to win the White House.

Based on the 30 plus primaries so far, white male adult voters are increasingly split between the two democratic candidates. Clinton has demonstrated to have women, Latino, and Asian voters on her side. Obama, on the other hand, has garnered the majority of African American and younger voters under 35 from across race lines. While Clinton embodies the notion of “you’ve come a long way baby,” Obama has been hailed by Ted Kennedy as the new bearer of John F. Kennedy’s torch of a new vision for America.

Pundits have predicted that a Clinton win as the Democratic candidate would galvanize the splintered Republican Party to unite and attract independent voters to defeat her. Whereas an Obama victory might give the Democratic party a slight edge according to two new polls conducted separately by Time and CNN of the match-up between Clinton-McCain and Obama-McCain scenarios.

Two questions: Would all the energy and enthusiasm about change, new vision, and youth involvement inspired by Obama fizzle if Clinton won the primary? Would an Obama win disappoint women, Latinos, and Asians and prompt many from these groups to consider a Republican ticket? Both cases seem to suggest a Clinton-Obama or Obama-Clinton ticket would keep these supports in place and give the Democratic Party the best shot of winning the White House.