Here we sit on the eve of the biggest date of Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton’s (N.Y.) political life. And while reporters, pundits and general observers are fixated on the final preparations, speeches and last jaunts around the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania of the two Democratic candidates, I’m more fascinated on how Hillary exits this race with some decency. Notice how I didn’t use the word “gracefully” … You see, in my mind, she’s already lost this nomination. And every day that she prolongs this inevitable self-righteous parade around these United States, there is no grace left to salvage from her campaign.
She lost it following Texas and the outcomes in those states that didn’t even numerically put her back in contention. Oh, sure, her handlers will say that neither can Obama win all of the delegates necessary to capture the nomination. So now they’re trying a bob-and-weave move (or shuck and jive for all you Cuomo lovers out there!) and arguing that Hillary can still win the popular vote, post some major contrasts between her and Obama in the coming weeks before she loses handily to him again in North Carolina (forgot about that one, eh, Mark Penn??), and then somehow strong-arm the remaining superdelegates to have mercy on her and support her losing efforts. I’m all for fighting to the bitter end, but this is getting out of hand.
So back to the premise of this piece. Forget tomorrow and what happens on Tuesday. What matters more is what occurs on Wednesday morning. Hillary’s camp for weeks now has been saying that if she doesn’t win the state by double digits, then her campaign is finished. But every day leading up to April 22nd, it has seemed as though she’s backed away from that conclusion. And just today she’s touting that Richard Mellon Scaife — the billionaire who personally led and funded investigations into the extracurricular activities of her husband — is now endorsing her campaign. I can’t begin to explain his logic, but the fact that Sen. Clinton is hanging her political hat on a sworn political enemy is an extreme sign of the desperation she must be feeling.
Watch the superdelegates here. If they begin to murmur and complain on Wednesday and privately (and publicly) start to call for her to step aside, then I think HRC will have to do just that, for they hold the last vestige of hope for her presidency. However, if somehow Sen. Clinton pulls off a double-digit upset, and the superdelegate faction remains quiet and uncommitted, then she at least lives to fight another day in N.C. in the coming weeks. Whatever the outcome, Hillary is in for one helluva hangover come Wed. morning, I fear!
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