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From the Philadelphia Inquirer on Wednesday, April 23, 2008:
Hillary Clinton's campaign may be celebrating her win Tuesday in Pennsylvania's primary, but the victory only deepens the dilemma facing Democrats nationally.
Clinton has long been favored to win. Only the margin of victory was uncertain.
Obama still leads in overall elected delegates, even with Clinton's win in Pennsylvania. He also leads in the popular vote by a large margin.
But then there are those 794 "superdelegates." Clinton holds a slim lead among these party officials, with about 245 of them still uncommitted.
No wonder there's worry that this race could be taken out of the hands of the people. "Taking it to the convention" is usually code for arm-twisting and deal-making in back rooms.
Voters would rather the Democratic race be decided on the majority of votes cast and delegates won.
People have flocked to the polls in large numbers. To have the final decision decided at the convention would be a slap in their faces. It would be an especially dispiriting lesson for the millions of young voters, many voting for the first time.
Clinton's victory in Pennsylvania increases the likelihood of a fractured party at the convention. And a deeply divided party at the convention would be a bad omen for Democrats in the general election.
Some supporters logically still hope Obama and Clinton could form a formidable ticket. Clinton played openly with this suggestion when the Pennsylvania campaign began. But both candidates intensified their personal attacks against each other in the ensuing weeks. The likelihood of an Obama/Clinton ticket, or vice versa, now seems more distant.
As the primary campaign leaves Pennsylvania, voters must ask: Will they choose their nominee or will superdelegates?
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