Writing in the Wall Street Journal, Peggy Noonan likens the Democratic nomination process to the election of the Pope and says party elders should be sending up the white smoke and shouting "habemus nominatum" ("we have a nominee") so that we can end the primary season.
Hillary Clinton may have thought she was the Democratic heir apparent, just as many Cardinals wake up every day thinking they will be the next Pope, but it doesn't always work out that way, as all but one Cardinal finds out each papal election.
It is true, I think, that Hillary Clinton thought she was "entitled" (as in deserving the Title) to the presidential nomination, perhaps because she endured so much as the First Lady, perhaps because she worked so hard in the Senate, perhaps because she is a woman. Who knows? But, after knocking out all of her rivals, one young opponent stands in her way.
Hillary Clinton treats Barack Obama as the illegitimate pretender to her throne, even after it is apparent to everyone except her that he will be the Democratic nominee. And Democrats have all kinds of conspiracy theories to explain why she won't concede.
Some think she wants to cripple Obama so that McCain will defeat him and she can come back in 2012 and triumph over both of them.
Some think her supporters have dug up some disqualifying dirt on her rival which she will release after she has won a few more contests and force all the superdelegates to seize the crown from Obama and give it to her.
Others think she is trying to win big in these next two weeks to prove to Obama that he needs her as his second in command, so that her supporters don't get peeled away by McCain.
David Gergen, speaking on CNN, said if Obama chose her as his V.P., he would need to hire a food taster.
If only Shakespeare were alive today....
