OBAMA'S CHICK CHALLENGE

B+B:

Other than Hillary Clinton herself, guess who may be the biggest booster of the notion she stay in the race as long as she wants?

Barack Hussein Obama.

There is on the campaign trail a prominent school of thought - one to which I subscribe - that Mrs. Clinton's campaign is now primarily powered, and kept even marginally serious, by tens of millions of white women supporters...who want her to stay in this on her (their) terms.

Refusing to be told to sit down and shut up by a bunch of older, overweight, relgious, white men named Chuck may now be Clinton's most potent campaign agenda.

To the extent her quitting soon would appear Clinton was dropping out before she felt like it, because she was being bullied by the big boys, could anger Clinton's female base and alienate them from the Obama ticket.

This, I believe, explains Obama's sudden graciousness and flexibility toward Mrs. Clinton's withdrawl saying, in essence, she has earned the right to set her own timetable.

If Obama truly believes he has this won - and he ought to, because he does - it does not serve his purpose to appear to be rushing Mrs. Clinton, whose most ardent supporters he desperately needs to show up for him, out the door prematurely.

This creates a Chick Challenge in November Obama just doesn't need and can mostly avoid.

Thus, don't expect to hear much more from the Obama campaign - at least from the candidate himself - that "it is over for Clinton and she ought to get out".

Obama can now afford, and it benefits him, to appear graciously patient.

Excelsior!

JTS