Hooroo Hillary

Update...below.

Image SMH online

Hillary has spent the entire year to date telling anyone who'd listen - especially the superdelegates - that the only way that the Dems would get across the line in November was if she was the the party's candidate. Further, she has insisted that Obama, if elected as the party's candidate, cannot win. Whilst stridently proclaiming her near God-given status as a Democratic certainty she has insisted that there will be no surrender and that the fight will go down to the line.

In recent days she has insisted that she reserves the right to challenge the Rules Committee compromise on the Florida/Michigan traducing of the primary rules. More than once has she declared that she may pursue what she sees as her nomination to the floor of the convention. Ruinous though this may be for the Dems, it is tantalising theatre for a political junkie such as myself. A pity it won't happen. The bottom line has always been that Hillary - and only Hillary - can win the November contest for the Dems; no surrender, no compromise.

All the while nominating primary after primary and caucus after caucus highlighted what the wider community knew - and the Hillary campaign refused to see - to be an ever increasing certainty: that Obama would net the majority of delegates to the convention and thus, the nomination. Hillary, underwhelming on "super Tuesday" and with limp "victories" in Texas and Pennsylvania, was not ever possessed of a knockout punch. In this heavyweight contest she was reduced to scoring a victory on points. In such a contest the judges favour the title holder. This she was not and her campaign's continual leaning on the favours owed a former champion, Bubba, gained her no material benefit.

So here we are facing what, in the vernacular, is called the "vinegar stroke". Obama has superdelegates declaring on his behalf left, right and centre. The numbers for the final primaries will end up being of little consequence. And Hillary - fight to the death Hillary; take it to the convention floor Hillary; I'm the only possible winner just as sure as Obama can't win Hillary - what is Hillary to do? The NYT tells you:

Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton has told supporters that she would agree to be Senator Barack Obama’s running mate if he offered her the vice presidential spot.
Mrs. Clinton made the remarks in an afternoon conference call with members of the New York Congressional delegation, according to two lawmakers who participated in the call.

Mrs. Clinton prefaced the remarks by noting that she would do “anything to make sure a Democrat would win'’ the presidential election in November, said Representative Carolyn McCarthy, a Democrat from Long Island.

“If Senator Obama asked her to be the V.P., she certainly would accept that,'’ she said. “She has obviously given some thought to this.'’

Representative Nydia Velasquez of New York City recalled the call with Mrs. Clinton similarly, saying: “She said that if it’s offered, she would take it.'’

Of course, it was what she was always going to do: join a ticket led by the loser with limited appeal and who can't win. The graceless bint. It has been apparent since late March that her campaign could not and would not muster the required numbers. Just as apparent after Pennsylvania. Even more apparent was the need - if she had the style or grace - to throw it in and "do anything to make sure a Democrat would win". That Democrat being, of course, the race leader in Obama.

She was not ever that graceful.

It is, of course, what has to be done. Her arrogant presumption and intransigent obstinacy have driven divisions into the Democratic vote that will only be mended by her - and, a fortiori - her supporters' inclusion. A pity she couldn't see it when the rest of the world well knew it

Update: And so Obama claims the contest in St Paul:

“You chose to listen not to your doubts or your fears, but to your greatest hopes and highest aspirations,” Mr. Obama said at a rally in St. Paul. “Tonight, we mark the end of one historic journey with the beginning of another — a journey that will bring a new and better day to America. Because of you, tonight, I can stand before you and say that I will be the Democratic nominee for president of the United States

And Hillary?

Mrs. Clinton acknowledged that her path to the nomination had closed, but she did not leave the race. “This has been a long campaign and I will be making no decisions tonight,"...

...In a combative speech, she again presented her case that she was the stronger candidate and argued that she had won the popular vote, a notion disputed by the Obama campaign.

“I want the 18 million Americans who voted for me to be respected,”

I guess, by that last, she means that SHE should be respected either by being allowed go to the convention floor or, more likely, "where's the offer of the VP?? Offer and be bloody quick about it!!"