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This was about as close to factual as Ms. Traister's pro-Clinton advocacy got...
Super Tuesday will likely look like an exceptionally close result between two well-matched and highly competitive candidates. But going into Tuesday night, it felt as though Hillary Clinton was about to get walloped, and as the evening started, her supporters had milled distractedly around the ballroom, projecting not blithe confidence, but a palpable sense that they had come a long way to get what perhaps would be their final look at their candidate.
13 (or 14) states for Obama to 8 states for Clinton. Yes, bigger populations in the blue-state wins for Clinton, meatier delegate counts, but a far cry from the Clinton cakewalk that was expected when she started her campaign, a far cry from "the inevitable candidate" to "hey, did didn't get our asses kicked, after all!" And this from the Establishment Democrat candidate, not the underdog, although the Clintons have mastered the "comeback kid" narrative. It's like when the Yankees come from behind and win one -- who knew they could do it?
They should have played "I Will Survive" as the theme song for the evening, although whether Clinton's candidacy makes it across the finish line remains to be seen. She's not the underdog in this race, so her having to fight tooth and nail for her wins would seem to point to her weakness as a candidate, not her strength.
Clinton was a sure bet a year ago, and now her staff and her followers are overjoyed that their person didn't get stomped on Super Tuesday. Seems defeatist, but at least it's a good dress rehearsal for the general election, that lingering sense of doom and defeat. Get used to that emotion, because McCain is going to serve it up piping hot, unless you're able to figure out how to win independents.
The imagery of the cannon firing red, white, and blue confetti was evocative, Ms. Traister -- it's symbolic of the blanks Clinton's firing in this election. The only thing missing is the flag with "BANG!" coming out of the end of the cannon.
