No, not for the 2008 Presidential race, although that scenario is of course possible.
Rather Obama vs. Brownback is the matchup that is driving the hardest core of the political dialog right now among the true believers on both sides...
On the Left
Obama has rock-star charm, like a blend of Abe Lincoln and Tiger Woods. People like him because they think they can believe in him, and trust him not to screw the people over once he's in office. They feel that electing Obama will allow themselves to feel good about America again. People think the rest of the world will like us and respect us again if we elect Obama. As for legislative positions, all he really has to do as president is sign the legislation that an energized and powerful Democratic Congress creates and sends to him. Nobody really cares about his name, and the "Is he a Moslem?" thing probably helps him. The biggest concern about him is probably the question: how well can he stand up in a stiff wind?
Edwards has some charm, and has shown himself to be a powerful and sharp player, but he doesn't cause people to faint with euphoria like Obama does. People like the cagey glint in his eye that suggests that he is wise to the ways of the Right.
Nobody really feels much of those good things for Hillary Clinton. OK, maybe a few, but too many people think that underneath, she is a would-be aristocrat who would sell out America to the forces of free trade globalization in the same way that her husband did, only with a sterner look. Besides her money, her sex and Bill, Hillary's best asset is probably that she comes across as the most legitimate "keep-the-oil-flowing" candidate, the one best able to play the Davos game. There is still a powerful lurking fear even among the Left, namely that the oil will indeed stop, so we really need to trust the old guard no matter what. This secret fear is probably what is propping up the Right from total collapse right now.
As for the other Democrats? Vilsack never got past John Stewart. Kucinich is technically correct on almost everything but has jumped the shark. Kerry is a swiftboat zombie who probably doesn't have enough money to buy the nomination this time. Biden is a skillful and valuable Bush critic but can never escape being "the Senator from MBNA." Gore is a no-show. Gravel stepped out of a time machine. Clark has partisans, but it's hard to envision the nation rallying around a military commander two years from now, unless God forbid something gets horribly, horribly worse.
Dodd may be the best qualified of all, and may emerge as a strong legitimate candidate over the next year, especially if he makes bankruptcy re-reform a core platform of his campaign. His biggest hurdle may be the fact that he's from Connecticut. It makes it less likely that people will throng to his side unless he plays a very strong hand.
On the Right
McCain has long since sold his soul to the devil and seems to be shaping up to be a Republican version of Walter Mondale. Guiliani is the punchline to a horrible joke, but may somehow grab the nomination if he can corner the fundraising network after McCain self destructs.
Paul is a Libertarian. Tancredo is the Right's response to Kucinich. Huckabee is lovable in a bipartisan way but comes across as an Oprah guest. Hunter appeals only to gun nuts. Gingrich lives an alternate universe where the Nazis won World War II. Jeb Bush lurks in the shadows waiting for the coast to clear.
The real energy on the Right? It's behind Sam Brownback, whom everyone thinks is solid and can be trusted, presumably to push the Armageddon launch button when the Rapture starts to unfold. His candidacy will explode among the Right Wing base if Guiliani nears frontrunner status.
Obama and Brownback, driving the energy of their respective sides. Two men from Illinois and Kansas, at the fulcrum of America.