Is it Time for Hillary to Step Down?

Indeed, has the death knell sounded for Senator Clinton? Should she exit, stage left, for the good of the party? We've been here before, and the answer is still, "When pigs fly!" As we know, the Clinton couple relationship is not so much a blissful marriage as it is a domineering political machine.

Correct me if I'm wrong, but if anything, Billary is smelling the barn and forging a new strategy. She has three things going for her: Florida, Michigan, and a handful of uncommitted super delegates.

Either one of those things could be her ace in the hole. And don't underestimate the Clinton's ability to "persuade". Just as they have an uncanny knack for making people shut up or go away, they certainly know how to call in favors. One or two super delegates might just succumb to their charm.

Now Hillary is hinting at an upcoming "October surprise" in the Obama camp. Surely something more damaging than an anti-American racist pastor or an unrepentant home-grown terrorist buddy?

None of that has stuck to Obama yet. So what could be in the works? If the Clinton camp has some more devastating dirt on Barak, has she been holding it back just to use it at an appropriate time?

Her biggest challenge is not Obama, however. Her biggest challenge is getting her husband to shut the pie hole. Certainly she has to let him off the leash to raise money, but it would help her immensely if he could stop trying to derail her.

One thing is for certain - there has been a lot of water under the bridge in this democrat primary, but the real fireworks haven't even begun.

Bad Blood between Clinton, Richardson

It was hardly a surprise when Bill Richardson made such a big production about endorsing Barak Obama. It was becoming increasingly obvious that while the two remaining viable Democrat candidates were scratching and clawing for the remaining delegates in the Democratic primaries, John McCain, the Republican candidate has been busy doing the work of actually running for the presidency.

Richardson said as much on Fox News yesterday. I paraphrase, "While Obama and Clinton are busy trying to win the nomination, McCain is going international. This has to stop."

He has a point. McCain has been using the time remaining before the conventions to project the image of being the president - as a foregone conclusion. Mana from heaven. But that's the way it played out.

But what's been going on in the background? Richardson said on NBC Nightly News that when he broke the news to Hillary via a phone call, the discussion about his decision to endorse Barack Obama was "heated" and "tough". One can well imagine. Senator Clinton is well known for her shrillness and sense of entitlement. Who can forget, "We are the President!"

Richardson, for the moment, is the party's most visible champion for party unification; and he's taken his stand. Of course, it would have been too dangerous to trot out a has-been like John Kerry.

But Richardson is different. He's up and coming, he seems to have no skeletons in the closet, and... well, he's Hispanic. Well, half Hispanic, but let's not quibble. This is just a long range speculation of course, but it would be interesting to see if a successful Obama puts him on the ticket. After all, the two would represent the very two groups of constituents the Dems need to spark with just now - Hispanics and Blacks.