Dems Starting to Panic About Hillary

A lengthy article by Camille Paglia reflects the angst among some Democrats that Hillary just isn't going to go away. Here's an excerpt:

As a candidate running a close second, Hillary would normally have every right to complete the primary process, which runs into early June. Calls for her to drop out of the race began months ago and were certainly premature. But at this point, even with strong wins in Appalachia, Hillary has no true rationale for her candidacy, other than her inflamed gender and her putative Washington "experience" -- which has yet to produce a tangible legislative achievement. Her persistence is now keyed to her hope (chillingly close to a curse) that her rival will make a major gaffe or be besmirched by some unknown past scandal. And her message maliciously undermines the presumptive nominee by targeting his presumed weakness in the general election. But the gifted Obama is just getting started on the national stage, while his opponent, John McCain, is a clumsy, fusty, narcissistic waffler whose party is in disarray and revolt against him.

I'm puzzled by the optimism of so many commentators and Democratic functionaries who are prophesying Hillary's graceful withdrawal by mid-June. Is there anything in the Clintons' tawdry history to support such a thesis? Why wouldn't they play smiley-face rope-a-dope now and smash-mouth alley-and-ambush fisticuffs right to the bitter end -- meaning the convention in August? It's now or never for Ms. Hill. Even if Obama loses this fall, there's no guarantee whatever that she would win the Democratic nomination in 2012. That hoss will have been around the rodeo way too many times. The infusion of fresh new blood into the party -- especially women governors -- has already started. Who will want to resurrect all those 1990s mummies?

She's right about the GOP revolt. McCain isn't interested in fixing it, either. He's going merrily down the campaign path alienating conservatives with every speech.

And Drudge gives us this interesting tidbit:

POLL: 29% OF DEMS WANT HILLARY TO RUN AS INDEPENDENT CANDIDATE

That would complete the Dem meltdown as Hillary and Obama would divide the majority of the vote, but would give the election to McCain. It won't happen, though. Hillary's smarter than that.

So, what's her end game? I've been speculating for awhile that her goal since it became mathematically impossible to win was to undermine Obama enough to make sure he loses this year and opens the door for her in 2012. This columnist agrees:

May 14, 2008 -- CHARLESTON, W.Va. - With no hope of winning her party's nomination, Hillary Rodham Clinton is running out the clock by laying the foundation for her political future, circa 2012.

As she seems to float in and out of reality on the campaign trail, it is so easy to dismiss her as delusional.

She is not.

For many years, the Clintons have dined on opponents who mistakenly dismissed them. As with her husband, there is always a method to her madness.

By sticking with it against all odds, Clinton becomes the patron saint of lost causes and never giving up.

It is no coincidence that Clinton chose a crucial swing state in which to fight her heart out against these insurmountable odds long after everyone had dismissed her.

After last night's victory, she is free to quit.

Or she could see her way next week through Kentucky, which she'll also win handily.

Or, she could sprint all the way to the end on June 3.

Whatever she does, her biggest accomplishment is what she did last night.

And Barack Obama proved fairly well last night he's not likely to put West Virginia, a crucial state for Democrats, in play in November.

The reason Democrats today run from the issue of gun control is because they know you are toast in West Virginia if you so much as blink at gun rights.

As usual, the Clintons are seeing far around the next corner. She expects Obama to lose in November precisely because of the weaknesses she exposed in this primary: He'll have trouble winning blue collar Democrats in swing states.

That opens the door to her return in four years as the party's prodigal daughter, saying: "As you recall, my worst fears came true. Now, it is my turn."

The Obama true believers think their guy can overcome all his problems and "hope and change" his way to victory, but Dem realists know Obama is a flawed candidate who has real problems with large segments of the voting base, and those problems are not fixable in the short term.

With a 72% to 28% percent crushing of Obama in West Virginia, Hillary has every reason to keep fighting. Dems need West Virginia in November, but it's clear that Obama can't win it.

The chaos continues.