The obstacles to Hillary Clinton winning the 2008 democratic nomination are very formidable. The scenarios by which she could end up with a majority of elected delegates are far-fetched. And, if she were to somehow obtain a majority by the expedient of capturing the lion's share of super delegates, the outrage of Obama supporters would render the nomination worthless. Vast numbers of them would stay home on election day or even vote for McCain.
So, why is she fighting so hard and dirty? She continues to 'throw the kitchen sink' at Obama, claims McCain is more qualified to be commander-in-chief, and, through surrogates continues to stir racial resentment among blue-collar whites.
Could she be so self-centered and obsessed that she is seeking to fatally injure Obama leaving her to run against McCain in 2012?
This is admittedly a shocking thing to contemplate.
To entertain this theory one would have to see Hillary as someone who is ready to subordinate the good of the party and the nation to her own ambition --or as somehow believing that four years of McCain would be better than Obama.
Is she capable of such a cynical Machiavellian plan?
At this point we can't say for sure, but we have already been shocked by
the divisive tactics she has employed and one has to ask if she is constitutionally incapable of accepting defeat.
How would it play out?
Sometime this summmer, perhaps at the convention itself, she will finally concede the nomination to Obama and 'endorse' him. During the campaign, in order to avoid the 'spoiler' label, she would need to tread a careful path of seeming to support him without helping him very much. her surrogates could continue to express doubts or luke-warm support for Obama. Then in the 2012 election cycle she can run as the one 'Who would have beaten McCain.'