Rahm Emanuel: Obama Is Our Presumptive Nominee

Former Clinton bulldog and current Illinois representative Rahm Emanuel today said that Barack Obama is now the Democratic Party's nominee for the 2008 Presidential race. Emanuel has thus far not endorsed either candidate, the only superdelegate in the Illinois congressional delegation to not do so. We can discuss what, exactly, "presumptive" means. I've thought Barack was our "presumptive" nominee since the 12 contests in a row. Maybe not. This is an important step, however: Emanuel was seen as a strict Clinton loyalist.

Here are some of his comments.

At this point, Barack is the presumptive nominee. Hillary can't win but something could happen that Barack could lose the nomination.

If we read into his words, he's basically saying that, barring a phenomenal collapse by way of some sort of scandal (Rezko's over, LS is a kook, and his campaign is notorious for watching their words). He's also saying that Hillary can't win. She can't. The math has been against her since March 5.

When asked if Clinton should drop out of the race, Emanuel didn't answer, responding, "Next question."

But aside from Emanuel's rather lukewarm endorsement of Obama, here is something he said which is very important to the rest of Clinton's career:

What Hillary does in the next month is important. If she spends her time contrasting with Senator McCain, drawing distinctions that help the Democratic Party, that's productive. If it's done in another way, that's not productive.

And if Clinton can do that, just that, that alone, she'll get my vote for Senate re-election in 2012. If not... then no. It doesn't look good for that panning out, however. She already sent an angry letter to Barack Obama, demanding that he count Florida and Michigan. She turned down a Michigan deal that would have given her ten more delegates than Barack Obama. She has stopped being coy and finally just came out and said Barack probably won't get the white vote (the "hard-working" vote.) So, Rahm, I'm hoping against hope that she'll listen to your words, but my brain tells me not to listen to anything she says.

And, in true Edwards fashion, a Fruedian slip caught up to Rahm:

As much as her ending it will... [he stopped himself] ...how the loser ends it will determine the winner. How that story gets written will determine not only the winner's capacity to go on but also the person who didn't get the nomination.

Again, he's speaking true words. This election, for better or worse, is in Hillary's hands. We can't win without her supporters, and we probably can't win them without her support.

Now, I'm glad Rahm came out and said this stuff... but I'm wondering... why hasn't there been more of a deluge of superdelegates? I figured at least 20 would come out for Obama right after only losing Indiana by 1 point and walloping her in North Carolina.

All's well that ends well, however. And it's up to Clinton to make sure everything goes well.

HuffPo story