Endgame

When I play chess, I am generally quite proficient at drawing the game out to a point that would be considered the “end game”. It is almost without fail at this point when blunders start to occur and the game ultimately slips between my fingers, inevitably followed by an angry tirade. The Democratic Primary has reached the end game and Barack Obama has performed more or less masterfully up until this point. He and his campaign just don’t seem to be able to get that elusive checkmate, much less a resignation. Obama is correct when he says the nomination is within reach, which is why it would be so much more devastating if he were to let said nomination slip away. Hillary Clinton, who seems to lose a little more touch with reality every day (e.g. Florida & Michigan = Civil Rights & Suffrage), has made it clear that she will take this fight to the convention – essentially a Mutually Assured Destruction, making the issue all the more pressing for Obama. He absolutely must get his cache of super-delegates to reveal themselves before it’s too late, i.e. Denver in August. It has been said all along that the most important matter for the Democrats is to get themselves an opponent against John McCain and since Hillary has made it abundantly clear she is far more interested in her possible presidency than a potential Democratic one, this should be the cue for super-delegates to begin the painful process of ushering her out the door. Hillary knows all too well that Democrats are painfully civil and will avoid dropping the hammer at all costs, which is one of the primary (pun intended) reasons she has been permitted to make such a fool of herself. Another being that she is a Clinton, and Clintons hold way too much sway (and swagger) within the party to simply bow out gracefully. For this same reason, Obama must not let this content go to Denver, where any number of Clintonian strings can be pulled. No, the time is now; Obama says he wants change and this is the perfect opportunity to demonstrate his willingness to induce the changing of the guard. Make Florida and Michigan a moot point, brandish those super-delegates like a knife in the knife fight this primary has been.