Over and Done With, Dammit

For the past couple of months, I've been geared up for Obama vs. McCain. Now, Terry McAuliffe and Hillary Clinton are still saying that they can pull off a win in the primary. Whaa? Here's how it goes, according to the fine blog with the self-explanatory name, 2008 Democratic Convention Watch:

Option 1: No FL & MI: Pledged Delegate Majority (PDM) Clinched with the Oregon polls closed.
Option 2: Seat MI as 69-59. PDM Clinched with the Oregon polls closed.
Option 3: Seat FL with 1/2 votes (supers get full vote). No Michigan delegates. PDM Clinched with the Oregon polls closed.
Option 4: FL 1/2 vote, MI 69-59 split. PDM Clinched with the Oregon polls closed.
Option 5: Seat FL & MI based on the elections that have taken place. Not clinched tonight.

That is, Clinton has a very slim chance to win only if Florida and Michigan are counted entirely according to Clinton's wishes. (More here on the various scenarios). Recall that Obama was not on the ballot at all in Michigan, and did not campaign in Florida. The Option 5 scenario would hardly be a case of voter enfranchisement, as the Clinton camp is saying. It would be the opposite. No one but a handful in the Clinton camp and pro-Clinton zealots wants this scenario. No one but a few in the Clinton camp and pro-Clinton zealots thinks that such a scenario would be anything other than unmitigated disaster for the party. Obama has now wrapped up the pledged delegates. (And, by the way, the only way Clinton can say she has won the majority of the popular vote is if she includes Florida and Michigan, but also does not include five caucus states. In other words, that claim is a bald lie.).

Fortunately, crack prognosticator Al Giordano reveals,

1. Senator Clinton has made direct and private overtures to Senator Obama regarding the path ahead.

2. Keep your eye on superdelegates, particularly in California, but also elsewhere, that had committed to Senator Clinton, but who are gathering together by the exit sign.

UPDATE:

Sullivan cries "shameless!" as he is wont to do. At this point, I can only conclude he's right. It's increasingly difficult to have any whit of respect at all for this woman. Here's Clinton today speaking in Florida,

Now, I know that Senator Obama chose to remove his name from the ballot in Michigan, and that was his right. But his choice does not negate the votes of all those who turned out to cast their ballots, and we should not let our process rob them and all of you of your voices...

I say that not counting Florida and Michigan is changing a central governing rule of this country - that whenever we can understand the clear intent of the voters, their votes should be counted. I remember very well back in 2000, there were those who argued that people's votes should be discounted over technicalities. For the people of Florida who voted in this primary, the notion of discounting their votes sounds way too much of the same.

Sullivan writes,

How do you respond to a sociopath like this? She agreed that Michigan and Florida should be punished for moving up their primaries. Obama took his name off the ballot in deference to their agreement and the rules of the party. That he should now be punished for playing by the rules and she should be rewarded for skirting them is unconscionable.

I think she has now made it very important that Obama not ask her to be the veep. The way she is losing is so ugly, so feckless, so riddled with narcissism and pathology that this kind of person should never be a heartbeat away from the presidency.

I've got to agree. No VP. Today, I'd also say no SCOTUS seat either. No cabinet position. Nothing.

Enough with the blackmail. That's what this is, narcissistic blackmail.