What'cha Gonna Do Now, Hillary?

"Florida, Michigan, women, bloggers, Tony Rezko-Help me!! Wonder where Bill is tonight?"


Kentucky notwithstanding, Hillary Clinton cannot surpass Barack Obama in delegates before the primaries run out. Undeterred, she is now pulling out all the stops in trying to convince the superdelegates that they should ignore the primaries and annoint her as the candidate.

Her next goal is to pressure the DNC to reverse themselves on the issue of Florida and Michigan and give her those delegates.

Earlier this week, Hillary called on the liberal bloggers to come to her rescue. Now, she is in Boca Raton, Florida telling voters that she is the successor to the abolitionists and Sojourner Truth. She likens her quest to the freeing of the slaves and the struggle for women to get the right to vote. She is Joan of Arc. She is a victim. Today, she told a reporter from the Washington Post that she is the victim of sexism in the media. She is imploring the voters of Florida to rise up and save her from the forces of unfairness. "Somebody save me!"

If that wasn't enough, she is threatening to carry the fight to the convention in Denver. She has also told the DNC that, if Florida and Michigan are not reinstated, they cannot be expected to vote Democratic in November. Translation: Hillary is telling Florida and Michigan voters that if their delegates are not given to her, they should not vote for Obama in November.

One thing you have to give to Hillary; she puts nothing ahead of her own personal ambition. It's not about the party; it's about Hillary. She figures she has a lot of arrows in her quiver. She can argue that Obama can't carry the big states. She can argue that the demographics have turned against Obama. She may yet be able to argue that she has won the popular vote (with Florida and Michigan). She can argue that women voters will revolt if Hillary is denied the nomination. Already, many female supporters are starting to complain that a woman is being pushed to the curb in favor of an upstart man.

What is Hillary's strategy here? Is she simply intent on fighting to the end? Does she plan to strong arm superdelegates for their votes? Does she want the veep nomination? (Not likely. The White House isn't big enough for her and Michelle Obama.) Is she trying to drag the game out hoping that Obama will implode when another Jeremiah Wright comes popping out of the closet? Perhaps she is hoping Tony Rezko gets convicted in Chicago and decides to cut a deal by telling all he knows about Obama.

Of course, many are saying that, at this point, Hillary would just as soon scuttle Obama's chances in November and insure his defeat. That way, she can return in 2012, still relatively young and run again. Does that make sense? Absolutely.

Rush Limbaugh, in his classic way, is urging Hillary to go to court and argue a 14th Amendment violation of the Equal Protection Clause. Of course, that is ridiculous, but our courts have made more ridiculous decisions, you know.

At any rate, there is one obstacle that she cannot overcome. Obama has the delegate votes from the primaries. Not enough to secure the nomination, but as it stands now, the superdelegates are moving his way. They know the last thing they can do is push Obama to the curb after he has prevailed in the primaries.

Memo to Hillary: If your team is 3 games out of first place with only two to play, the only way you can win is by doing something dirty. I think she has alreay figured that out.