Why the Tonya Harding Strategy?

To fulfill her ambitions, this strategy is now the only path.  At this point there are four possible outcomes for the 2008 election.  I have spelled them out below along with possibilities for outcome under the current environment.

Hillary wins Nomination (5%)/ Democrats win General (%51)
This is the best possible outcome, but it is the least likely to happen because of the current state of the delegates and polls.

Hillary loses Nomination (95%)/ Democrats win the General (51%)
This is the worst possible outcome for Hillary’s ambitions because she will not be able to effectively run for the nomination again until 2016, and at this point she will be almost 70 years old, and her age would become a negative factor to her nomination and election (something that John McCain is having to deal with now).

Hillary wins the Nomination (5%)/ Republicans win the General (49%) or Hillary loses the Nomination (95%)/ Republicans win the General (49%)
Both of these scenarios are partial wins for Hillary’s ambitions.  She will be able to run for the nomination again in 2012, she will still be young enough to deflect any ageism issues, and she will have four years to position herself for the nomination (and knee cap any other people running for the White House).

Conclusion
So to fulfill the ambition of being the President of the United States, when odds of getting the nomination are so low the only "rational" strategy for victory for her is to do what ever she can to ensure that the Republican nominee wins the general election.  This death spiral that Hillary is dragging Obama down into is no longer an attempt to win the nomination, it is a strategy for a second try in 2012.