Does the Democratic party have the will to win? Can they stand up to the Clinton machine?
If Hillary’s fate falls into the hands of Jimmy, Al and Nancy, the Clinton chickens may come home to roost.
NYT
Can we add Harry Reid to Dowd's list of chickens?
Linky
Question: Do you still think the Democratic race can be resolved before the convention?
Reid: Easy.
Q: How is that?
Reid: It will be done.
Q: It just will?
Reid: Yep.
Q: Magically?
Reid: No, it will be done. I had a conversation with Governor Dean (Democratic National Committee Chairman Howard Dean) today. Things are being done.
That's all the Nevada Democrat would say about it.
On Michigan and Florida:
>"Michigan and Florida wouldn't play by the rules," Reid said. "They're not my rules. They're not the caucus' rules. They're DNC rules. They broke the rules."
Adding delegates for those states, he noted, would alter the number of delegates needed to get the nomination, currently 2,025. It wasn't crystal clear, but Reid seemed to suggest that delegations from those states should get to attend the convention, but not vote.
So MI and Fl can dance but they can't pick the music. Sounds good to me.
Democratic leaders are watching McCain strengthen before their eyes and unbelievably they have a candidate willing to prop up the REAL opponent in order to score points. That can't go over well with partisans in D.C. So now we see some of our party leader: Pelosi, Reid, Richardson step up to the plate. Clinton will not destroy the parties chances to win in November. We will have a nominee before Denver regardless. The idea of a brokered convention is a wet dream of the media as was the revotes in MI and FL. It's not going to happen.
I think they've been foolish enough to let it go on this long. Republicans in that way are smarter, they know how to fall in line (see Frontline doc "Bush's War" and swift rally behind McCain). If endorsements had come before Texas, he would have won that state in the popular vote and the caucus and Hillary would have been done. At a fundraiser a couple of weeks ago, Obama talked about how afraid the Democratic party is of changing the status quo. He seemed to have a look of determination and disappointment. I know I expected more from the party leaders before OH and TX to try and put this nomination fight to an end. Perhaps Edwards going on Leno was an attempt to reaffirm the greatness of the party and both candidates as a neutral party while other people begin to take the side of the leader.
So the next few weeks will be instructive. The media and republicans seems to be reveling in our so called "civil war". If we can't lead ourselves through this how can we ask the country to give us control over 2 branches of government? It's our test. Our moment is now.