If it doesn't end tonight, it goes another six weeks. And whether or not it ends tonight depends as much on who wins the spin as who wins the votes. The spin could even include the ice factor:
The worst scenario for a clean resolution is probably for the weather to be bad and Clinton to lose Ohio. Based on the Clinton campaign's easily relocated goal posts, it's hard to not imagine them arguing that a loss amidst an ice storm should not be grounds for ending her campaign, and that when we get to a real contest in a big state when the weather should be fine—in other words, the Pennsylvania primary seven weeks from now—that Clinton will win and demonstrate that she's the strong candidate. Or something.
The Atlantic's Marc Arbinder stills sees a way Hillary can win:
If, say, voting ends and the press discovers that Obama has a secret second family in Idaho and all his superdelegates abandon him; if, for some reason, she wins 75% of the popular vote in the states after Ohio and Texas and half the remaining superdelegates; if, by slow attrition, he closes the delegate gap to about 70 and picks off two thirds of the remaining superdelegates; if the pledged (Obama) delegates concur with the credentials committee and seat the (Clintonian) Florida and Michigan delegations) -- then, yes, it's possible.
Meanwhile, the desparation is showing. In Fort Worth, Clinton said:
"I think you'll be able to imagine many things Senator McCain will be able to say," she said. "He’s never been the president, but he will put forth his lifetime of experience. I will put forth my lifetime of experience. Senator Obama will put forth a speech he made in 2002."
Cyclone Conservatives loved that one: "If Barack Obama is the Democratic nominee...can you imagine this clip being played over and over as Hillary essentially gives a solid but brief endorsement to John McCain and then slams Obama?" Of course, he syas it like that's a good thing. Rachel Maddow on Olbermann: "That's what you say when you want to be John McCain's Vice Presidential choice. That's not what you say when you are trying to become the Democratic nominee for president."
But Chris Matthews hammered Hillary's response on the Muslim thing a little too hard.
Still, give Team Hillary points for the Jack Nicholson video. They left out "You can't handle the truth," though. And someone should have photoshopped McCain's head into The Shining: "Heeere's Johnny!"
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