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On the day after Wisconsin and Hawaii, I've been ruminating on what would be happening right now if Barack Obama had lost ten straight contests since Super Tuesday.

Here's the first thing that would have happen:

If Obama had lost ten straight contests, the Clinton campaign and/or its surrogates would be calling for him to "step down" for the "good of the party." They would want the Democratic party to "coalesce" around its "obvious frontrunner."

There's precedent for that

Democratic Party leaders leaned on Gary Hart to quit in 1984 and Jesse Jackson to quit in 1988. Both were running against more establishment-type candidates.We tend to forget Jackson's run in 1988 but as someone pointed out yesterday, he had the highest-ever number of delegates for a second-place candidate until Hillary Clinton exceeded that mark yesterday.

Here's another thing I know. If Obama had lost ten straight contests, each and every Obama concession speech would have congratulated his opponent and thanked the supporters who worked tirelessly for him in those states. According to the NYTimes this morning:


“Mrs. Clinton did not mention the Wisconsin results; she did, however, call Mr. Obama to congratulate him on the victory. “


Obama would be gracious enough to congratulate his opponent publicly and to thank his supporters in the states he lost….Remember New Hampshire? Enough said...

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