Hillary Cannot Win

It's good to see the Politico acknowledging what progressive bloggers have been saying for weeks.

That is: Hillary Clinton cannot win the nomination, and both her continued negative attacks and her seizing the nomination would be a disaster for the Democratic nominee in the general election. Writes Jim Vandehei and Mike Allen:

One big fact has largely been lost in the recent coverage of the Democratic presidential race: Hillary Rodham Clinton has virtually no chance of winning. Her own campaign acknowledges there is no way that she will finish ahead in pledged delegates. That means the only way she wins is if Democratic superdelegates are ready to risk a backlash of historic proportions from the party’s most reliable constituency.

Unless Clinton is able to at least win the primary popular vote — which also would take nothing less than an electoral miracle — and use that achievement to pressure superdelegates, she has only one scenario for victory. An African-American opponent and his backers would be told that, even though he won the contest with voters, the prize is going to someone else.

People who think that scenario is even remotely likely are living on another planet.

Obama's backers include political progressives, casual political segments from all demographics, and the under-29 vote, all of which would feel betrayed by a Hillary-brokered win overturning the will of the electorate.

The remaining weeks will see what occurs first: A political witch, shunned by voters, deciding to step aside and nodding to historical forces demanding change; or the mainstream media (MSM) becoming substantive and insightful.

Writes Jim Vandehei and Mike Allen:

The notion of the Democratic contest being a dramatic cliffhanger is a game of make-believe.

The real question is why so many people are playing. The answer has more to do with media psychology than with practical politics. Journalists have become partners with the Clinton campaign in pretending that the contest is closer than it really is. Most coverage breathlessly portrays the race as a down-to-the-wire sprint between two well-matched candidates, one only slightly better situated than the other to win in August at the national convention in Denver.

Two things are certain: The perceived good will and veracity of Hillary Clinton have taken massive bruising; and the MSM talking heads have been revealed again as shallow and foolish.