I am breaking no new ground w/ this diary, just re-stating the obvious:
The Clintons will not be dropping out of the race after the upcoming primaries.
This is because the likeliest outcome is a 2-2 state split, with Obama snagging Texas and Vermont. Obama will pick up more delegates than Clinton on the 4th, even though he'll probably lose Ohio by 5%, because his Texas win will be so huge.
None of this matters. Clinton will 'stage' a political comeback, aided and abetted by twice the number of usual media suspects, who salivate over the great ratings brought on by the ongoing Democratic contest. As usual, everyone will overlook the fact that her 5pt Ohio victory is simply the residual of a 25% lead one month ago.
We here who support Obama can fuss and fret about this all we want, but to expect the Clintons to do otherwise is naive. Just think about all the $$ the Clintons have squeezed out of their fat-cat friends: what are they going to do, tell them they get nothing for their investment because the Clintons suddenly grew consciences? Get real.
The story after the 4th will be, Obama won a state [Texas] which is unimportant in November because the Dems won't win there [I disagree], and Clinton won Ohio, which is a crucial November state for both parties.
Penn will wax eloquent about the momentum shifting, money 'pouring in', Florida and Michigan still out there like Freddie Kruger in the dark waiting to smite Obama in the final reel. Let's face it: the Florida/Michigan theme is being used as an excuse to keep Clinton in the race, despite her losing streak.
After her resurgent campaign performance on the 4th, however, those 2 states will be trumpeted over and over and over, until THEY become the issue. Then, the Clintons will get a free ride until April 22, Pennsylvania. If they manage even a tie there they will have all the license they need to blackmail the superdelegates into supporting them, or else watch the Democrats snatch defeat from the jaws of victory.
There is one caveat to all of this: if Obama wins Ohio it is over.