The End is Near

I don't mean to sound apocalyptic or anything. I'm not planning on quoting Hal Lindsey or Tim LaHaye, but politically the end of the primary season is here. On the GOP side Mike Huckabee has become increasingly irrelevant. He's not at a Mike Gravel point, but he's becoming an after thought -- someone for disgruntled social conservatives to register their complaint. But for all intents and purposes, John McCain has won the GOP nomination.

On the other side, Hillary seems willing to trudge along for at least another week. Last night's debate, from the clips I saw and the analysis I've read, show that Obama held his own, offered a dignified presence, and made no major gaff. There are suggestions that Hillary received more than her share of attention from the moderators. That may well be true. Whether or not the press has taken it easy on Obama, the reality is that now she's the one with something to prove. She's far behind in actual delegates (Superdelegates can change their minds) and hasn't won since February 5. The question at this point isn't whether Obama is fit to be President but why she's holding out. The question of whether he's fit to be President will be taken care of in the campaign with John McCain.

Yesterday offered us a different sign of hope. While I don't think McCain and Obama are pals, McCain's actions yesterday in rejecting the statements of a hate mongering Ohio Republican talk show host who had been called on to warm up the crowd suggests that his campaign won't swift-boat Obama. If the two sides can sit down and figure out how to have a dignified issues driven campaign, the fall campaign season could be a bit different from what we've seen in recent years.

My advice then to Hillary is this: bow out gracefully now, before you do damage to the party and the nation.

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