The Democrats' End Game

OK, the final presidential primaries are scheduled to be held on Tuesday.

Hillary Clinton took a commanding victory in the Puerto Rico primary today. With 70% of the vote counted, Clinton has more than a 2-to-1 lead over Barack Obama, exceeding the vote percentage her campaign staff was aiming for.

But the turnout was well below the 2 million needed for Clinton to overtake Obama in the overall popular vote. That was a selling point that Clinton and her staff felt was needed to persuade as-yet uncommitted superdelegates to commit to Clinton's candidacy.

So, while Clinton will gain a little ground in the delegate count as a result of her victory in Puerto Rico, it falls under the category of "Too little, too late."

Based on comments I've been hearing from Obama's campaign staff, I believe they think they will get enough superdelegates to commit to their cause in the next 2-3 days to push the Illinois senator over the top and secure the nomination.

Game, set, match to Obama.

"[T]he big drama now facing the party remains how, when -- and even if -- she departs from the race," writes Adam Nagourney of the New York Times.

"Mrs. Clinton’s associates said she seemed to have come to terms over the last week with the near certainty that she would not win the nomination," Nagourney reports.

Experts on the stages of death/grieving say acceptance is the final stage for the terminally ill. It comes after anger, denial, bargaining and depression.

If Clinton has accepted the death of her 2008 campaign, it's time for her supporters to do the same.