Going back over the emails that have come in on last night’s post, I see I was less clear than I should have been when distinguishing between why she’s staying in the race and what her rationale is for staying in the race. When I say, it’s all about Florida and Michigan now, I mean that’s her new rationale.
Having said that, what is this new gambit for her about? Is she really serious about taking her case to the convention’s credentials committee — which seems almost certain to have a majority of Obama supporters — and trying to get them to seat the Florida and Michigan delegates on her terms?
I don’t think whether Hillary means it or doesn’t mean it is even really the point. In a sense, I suspect both are true. Like her earlier gambits along these lines, the point is to play for time. Hillary is like Dickens’ Wilkins Micawber, always hoping, certain that “something will turn up.” Who know what it will be. But she needs to stay in to be around for it to happen. And to stay in she needs both money and press attention. So she needs to dispel any doubts about her longevity in the race and shore up confidence in her ability to win.
So, from my view, saying she’s in it till August isn’t about August. It’s not even about June. It’s about stamping out doubts about her viability and determination to stay in so she can still be in the game in April and May.
