“It’s Barack Obama’s party now.”
So led the AP yesterday. It’s been a challenge to sort through this mess. Everyone tip-toeing around the slim prospect of Hillary somehow, someway stealing what Obama wrapped up mathematically at least a month ago. Even though he has been reluctant to say anything definitive, his actions have spoken louder than his words, with his campaign’s eye focused squarely on John McCain. He has officially severed all ties with his Trinity UCC church that has plagued him since Super Tuesday. And he is set to speak at a rally in St. Paul, ostensibly to announce his victory in the primaries…in the same spot where the Republican National Convention will be held in August. Ballsy!
Recent buzz says that Hillary is coming to terms with the loss after the DNC’s decision to seat the Florida and Michigan delegates at half strength. That she will abandon any and all last ditch efforts to convince the superdelegates that she has a better shot at beating McCain in November. It’s expected that the 200 or so uncommitted superdelegates remaining will rally behind Obama once the last two primaries are over on Tuesday.
It’s been tough even now to decipher what is filtering through the press from Hillary and from her delegate guru Harold Ickes. Reports are that Hillary herself has said the race could be over this week. Ickes has said that she is reserving her right to appeal the Rules Committee decision and take the fight all the way to the convention, but he has also been quoted saying that Obama would make a great president and that whoever the nominee is, the other will rally behind that person unequivocally.
And then this email from Hillary’s campaign comes over: