This is not really related to the article but I wonder why no-one is talking about the hearing tomorrow in Los Angeles?

It seems tailor-made for the Republicans if by some arm twisting she becomes the Democratic nominee.

Case Number: BC304174

PETER F PAUL VS WILLIAM JEFFERSON CLINTON

Future Hearings

04/25/2008 at 08:31 am in department 47 at 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

Further Status Conference

05/13/2008 at 08:37 am in department 47 at 111 North Hill Street, Los Angeles, CA 90012

OSC RE: CONTEMPT

Parties

CLINTON HILLARY RODHAM - Defendant/Respondent

CLINTON WILLIAM JEFFERSON - Defendant/Respondent

or Defendant/Respondent

She's broke. Even if she got 10 mil, which people are claiming is a flat out lie, it's only 5 mil because of her debt. That's not going to last long.

Every fight since she went with the kitchen sink strategy has demonstrated a steady loss of support wherever she goes, yet she still insists on doing it. Obama supporters lose more respect for her every day that goes by and I suspect she's ruining her chances of reelection to the senate with NYers.

The only way she will win the nomination is through a political miracle or a historic tragedy. Regardless, history will not remember her fondly. You can change the goalposts all you want. It doesn't change the fact that she's universally hate by the GOP, independents and now the Obama supporters too.

The politicos know that Obama has already caused a shift in the political landscape. Why do you think McCain is scrambling to get the North Carolina's RNC people to quit with the negative ad campaign?

My Monopoly money's in the mail!

...BTW, this just in: According to Terry McAuliffe, speaking on MSNBC, Hillary's campaign has raised not only $10 million since last night's win...

Shhhh Kate - didn't you know that $10 million is also the amount that she already owes to supporters of her campaign....

...the system was different Hilary would have done better..blah blah blah...We've all heard this kind of rhetoric before - you know the losers lament. Spin it anyway that you want but the fact is Pennsylvania was supposed to be Hilary's state - but she suffered a MASSIVE erosion of support there. Still I'll give Hilary credit for one thing - she's very good at sound bytes. Her we've 'turned the tide' is an effective metaphor for a phenomenum that were it true summons up a neat mental graphic image of a sharply waning trend.

Trouble is in her case the exact OPPOSITE is the case from an earlier high of a 40+ point lead to an estimated 25% around Christmas culiminating in a REALITY of a single digit win in less than four months - represents an erosion of support on a catastrophic scale!

That is the reality she faces and only her stubborness and her disregard for all else (including what is good for the party she has hitched her wagon to)except the realisation of her naked ambition at all costs prevents her from wise action.

The press is unlikely to pressure her too much to step down - after all it's a long way to november and the 'fight' simply generates too much controversy (and therefore interest and intruigue)for them to be too loud about the obvious course she should take.

HILLARY SUPPORTERS SHOULD COME OUT OF THE CLOSET!

I was at a benefit last night and although it was a very worthy non-profit run by a dear friend, I couldn’t concentrate at all. I tried to focus on the inspiring achievements and Chilean sea bass but the loop in my head was: “What’s going on? Have they called it yet? Would it be déclassé to “check the scores” on my phone like the rabid Phillies fans in my life?”

The answer to that question was “yes” and so I sat and patiently listened through 6 speeches and 3 awards until finally: dessert and open bar!! Usually cause enough for celebration in itself, but finally I could check the returns.

As I rummaged frantically for my Treo, a friend strolled up to our table and casually announced that CNN had called it for Hillary. There was the briefest of pregnant pauses among our group except for one friend who reflexively whooped in delight before catching herself and clapping her hand to her mouth. A blush rose in her cheeks as she gauged the response of the others, her eyes darting to the black woman who accompanied her and her husband (who she clearly knew was an Obama supporter). To break the awkward moment I blurted out, “It’s OK Rebecca. I’m happy Hillary won too.”

“ You are? Oh thank God! We should start a support group!” And she threw her arms around me in relief.

Her friend started to laugh and said “Wow. Since when do Hillary supporters have to be in the closet?”

Well, since always.

I will not attempt to answer the question as to why that is because many more qualified than myself have already done so with great eloquence. I will say that I respect and admire Senator Obama and I understand why many of my friends and family are supporting him. However, I do not share in their conviction that because he has won so many more contests than Hillary, has inspired people in typically red states, will reach across the aisle, is the antithesis of George Bush and doesn’t have “Clintonian” baggage that there is no doubt that he will beat John McCain.

I have doubts -- a lot of them. And I am troubled as I pore over the numbers this morning, some of which tell a very different story than the accepted narrative of this campaign.

Contrary to popular belief, this country has never been big on “one man, one vote”, but at this point I think it’s fair to say that the Democratic primary design is both confounding and, at times, ludicrous. How are we to get an accurate idea of who really has the best shot at those coveted 270 electoral votes when in a swing state like Pennsylvania (21 electoral votes) where approximately 2.3 million Democrats voted, Hillary needed to win the popular vote by 216, 000 votes for a net of 14 delegates. In effect, each of those delegates “costing” her 15,429 votes. By contrast, in Obama’s home state of Hawaii where 37, 000 caucus votes were counted, Obama netted 8 delegates at a “cost” of 3,500 votes per delegate.

The numbers get more interesting looking at the Virgin Islands (0 electoral votes) where Obama netted all 3 delegates at a cost of 590 votes each, 2 delegates in Wyoming (3 electoral votes) for 1,000 votes each, 2 delegates from Democrats Abroad (0 electoral votes) for 3850 each, 15 delegates in Colorado (9 electoral votes) at a cost of 2750 each, 3 delegates in Delaware (3 electoral votes) at a cost of 3500 each, etc.

Take a look at the big states where Hillary netted delegates: New Jersey (15 electoral votes) cost her 11,000 votes per delegate; Ohio (20 electoral votes) was very expensive at a cost of 32,850 per delegate; Texas of course, whose whopping 34 electoral votes won’t likely go to either Democrat, but nonetheless Hillary won the popular vote by over 100,000 and somehow Obama netted 5 delegates for the bargain basement, blue light special cost of negative 20,000 votes per delegate.

As of today, the really eye-opening number is that if every vote cast was counted toward the popular vote, including the caucuses which give Obama an approximate net gain of 100,000 votes, Hillary still comes out ahead yet is behind by 151 pledged delegates. Can anyone say: “Al Gore?”

Some might say it’s not fair to compare caucus numbers to primary numbers which is exactly why many of us believe caucuses require some rethinking. They just don’t provide the same opportunity to exercise our right to vote as primaries do and yet they are not counted proportionately as the numbers above show. Even when you look beyond the caucuses at significant swing states for the general election, how are Americans’ voices being accurately represented when Obama nets 15 delegates in Colorado for beating Hillary by 40,000 votes and Hillary nets 7 delegates in Ohio for beating Obama by 230,000 votes?

Clearly this is a nonscientific observation, but, I believe, an interesting one. I think Democrats took their eye off the prize a long time ago when both sides decided to make the race about schadenfreude instead of winning the presidency. Frankly, as many are saying this morning and I have felt for a long time, it may be too late.

As impressive as Senator Obama may be he has lost the Jewish vote (Florida), he is struggling with the Joe Six-Pack vote (Pennsylvania, Ohio, Michigan, etc.), for all of the anti-Clinton sentiment Obama’s lead in delegates is relatively small, he suppressed a revote in Michigan in Florida which they’re kind of mad about and, let’s face it, he’s suffered a dethroning of sorts in the last 3 months - even among some of his own supporters.

With 30 percent of Hillary’s base saying they will vote for McCain or stay home if Obama gets the nomination, in my humble opinion, I think it’s high time for Hillary’s supporters to be out, loud and proud.