Race Over or Not, Obama Takes a Victory Lap

In Conservative circles here in the UK they are known as the men in the grey suits, the party big wigs who eventually take a candidate to one side and gently explain to them that their campaign is finished. It is becoming apparent that the Democratic party's equivalents are preparing to tell Hillary that the fight is over and that she has lost.

Even as Senator Hillary Rodham Clinton persisted with her campaign for the nomination, Mr. Obama made a celebratory return to the Capitol, where he received an enthusiastic reception on the House floor in an appearance staged to position him as the party’s inevitable nominee.

Behind the scenes, there were new discussions between Mr. Obama and the party leadership. Senior Democratic officials said he met with Speaker Nancy Pelosi when their paths crossed at Democratic Party headquarters. They had spoken by telephone earlier in the week. Ms. Pelosi and Mrs. Clinton have had no known recent talks.

Addressing concern among some Democrats that Mrs. Clinton would fight on to the national convention in late August, Terry McAuliffe, chairman of the Clinton campaign, suggested that the race would end quickly after the final primaries early next month, sparing the party a potentially debilitating summerlong battle.

“After June 3, this is going to come to a conclusion,” Mr. McAuliffe said on NBC’s “Today” program.

Even Clinton's supporters appear to be ready to concede that the battle is over:

“I think she should complete the primary season, and then she has to re-evaluate and her supporters have to re-evaluate,” said Representative Nita M. Lowey of New York, a Clinton backer.

And more and more super delegates are coming out in support of Obama:

Representatives Brad Miller of North Carolina and Rick Larsen of Washington said Thursday that they would back Mr. Obama. Several more uncommitted superdelegates in Congress told Mr. Obama that they would be announcing their support in the coming days, campaign advisers and House Democratic officials said.

Hillary is now running out of money and running out of time.

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UPDATE:

The excitment he is now generating is obvious in this clip.

Tags: Barack Obama, Hillary Clinton, US election 2008, Democratic presidential nominee