("I wonder if she would accept being Obama's vice presidential running mate?"), you show how great a gulf there is between the HRC and obama supporters. the O people (like myself) really can't IMAGINE hillary going for that. (it WOULD work though - the visionary CEO and the efficient gal friday (see? - it's never going to happen.))

This is a classic example of why we need strong leadership at the DNC (boy don't we miss Ron Brown). Howard Dean needs to step in and tell the campaigns how this will be handled. He should be working with the Michigan and Florida state parties and Board of Elections to schedule a "do-over" primary in May or June. Remember, the convention isn't until the end of August and there will still be primaries happening in June, so it's not too late. If the race between Hillary and Obama wasn't so close, or one of them had a chance of getting to 2025 then perhaps it would be ok to just let the delegates be awarded as voted in January. But, obviously the Obama camp doesn't want this since Hillary won decisively there and it would completely erase his delegate lead -- and if counted earlier could have stalled his candidacy. Dean is acting like this will eventually resolve itself, but it won't since neither candidate can get to the magic number without these critical states and it is insane to disenfranchise MILLIONS of voters because of rule violations that they had nothing to do with. Another vote must be scheduled as soon as possible.

_____One question in my mind would be, "will a joint ticket increase or decrease chances for success"?. Always a judgement call.____

The media has been touting that as a dream ticket, but can hillary even dream of playing second fiddle?

Personally, I think it is a bad idea. This country still remains racist and sexist to boot.

Look at the county breakdown of Texas for why Hillary is the better bet to beat McCain. Obama is basically a more articulate John Kerry, well, without the whole war-hero thing. Obama's support comes from urban areas and wealthy elites. He won't win anywhere that Kerry didn't win.

--that she runs a dirty campaign and plays on the fears of most people?

FALSE. For the first go to Glenn Greenwald today and read his assesment in the letters on p. 9 that Clinton has not run a dirty campaign. It's just campaigning. Fears? It's a fearful world. Grow up.

--that she constantly portrays Obama supporters as cultists?

For some Obama supporters, this shoe really fits.

--that hillary supporters, taking their cue from their leader portray Obama supporters are "Obamabots?"

FALSE. Provide one quote where Clinton used the word Obamabot. Betcha can't. The cannot follow an example that isn't there.

--that she has sunk to the shameless and gutless level of ridicule and mockery and her supporters imitate her?

Pretty much FALSE. You should provide some evidence. Are you referring to her reference to Obama's pillow in the debate? It is pretty hard to satirize that which has no element of truth. Now writers at NYT and WaPo admit that he has had a soft ride.

--that if she cannot debate on issues, she resorts to namecalling and muck throwing?

FALSE. What name calling? Give even one example coming from Hillary herself. As to muck throwing, I need only refer people to your history of posts here at Salon. You throw a lot of muck.

--that she whines while not winning and blames the very media that has not raised her shady history of land deals and Bill's bimbo eruptions?

FALSE. FALSE. FALSE. Again, go to Glenn Greenwald today. He says that there was nothing to Whitewater and that the Rezko worries being used against Obama might be of a similar nature. However, he correctly points out that it is the media's business to say this and not Clinton's Her Rezko jab was no worse or substantive than his Wal-Mart jab. You think this is dirty campaigning. Oh, please.

Furthermore, she is not one bit responsible for her husband's infidelity. Or are you one of those guys that blames her because she did not give him enough blow jobs. How would you know? Maybe she blew him every night.

--that the media gave her ample exposure with SNL, Jon Stewart, Davod Letterman, et al just prior to a big primary day?

FALSE IF YOU ARE REFERRING TO THE NEWS MEDIA. I know that it may be hard for you to understand this but you are citing two comedy shows and a talk show, all of which depend upon humor. Somehow, I am not going to bet the farm on Hillary excelling at humor. These are not news media

--that she exhibits the worst of feminine guile whilw portraying herself as a feminist?

FALSE. Ha! I have never once seen Hillary Clinton use feminine guile. It's not her forte. Furthermore, she has not run a campaign based upon feminism. If she did, she couldn't even get out of the gate. Do some feminists support her? Yes. So what? There are also feminists who oppose her.

Have you ever considered offering evidence for any of your allegations? Has anyone ever told you that you are transparently a right wing attack animal?. I can see you know gnashing your teeth with the spittle flying.

This is how I found your article, because I'm wondering why more people aren't talking about this, and how either candidate can win a close contest without settling the Florida/Michigan issue fairly.

Obama may be ahead in the popular vote and elected delegates, and he may wind up ahead even after Pennsylvania. And he may complain that Hillary gets more superdelegates which to him is unfair. But Hillary has a far bigger complaint that two delegate-rich states, due to their own fault to be sure, will not have their delegates counted, and that she was likely to get more than Obama out of those pools. The only way to do this fairly, other than a settlement between the two to run together, or a concession by one or the other (unlikely now), is to re-vote the two states. The Democratic Party should pick up the tab. It's a relatively small ($10M I've heard for Florida to hold another primary) cost compared with the amounts being raised by both candidates. I'm sure Howard Dean could raise that much in a week if he appealed to Democrats to pitch in via an internet fundraiser.

Jim Mitchell