Hagrid is in the House!

Well isn't that interesting. She's still in the race.
After (barely) winning Ohio & Texas last night, Hillary Clinton managed to stay in the game, and is still competing against Barack Obama for the Democratic nomination for POTUS. Obama still has a slight delegate lead (he won Vermont yesterday), and if she hadn't won Ohio & Texas last night, he'd be the clear choice. But she managed to hang in there, and isn't conceding.

What's most interesting now is how close these two candidates actually are. The Democratic party appears to be almost evenly split between them.

I've said for months now that an Obama/Clinton ticket would be the ideal campaign for the Democrats to run this year, in the wake of eight years of George W. Bush. The American people are ready for fresh faces, and a fresh approach. They want change. A black man as president and a woman as vice president would be almost unstoppable. Old white guy vs. young black guy and groundbreaking woman: That's a contest that people will care about. That's a campaign that speaks of change.

Hillary supporters keep telling me that there's no way she'd accept the VP position -- she doesn't want to be a woman in second place to a president again -- but I think she might. Here's why:

Obama has the charisma that would make him ideal for "Cheerleader-in-chief." She, honestly, is less of a charismatic leader and more of a capable manager. He inspires. She directs. After 8 years of Bush, someone inspirational is more needed than a capable manager. If she and her advisers can get past her ego, they would see that, at this point in time, she's not the ideal candidate. It's not a slam against her capabilities, just a statement of where the people are.

Large swaths of the American people want to follow someone like Obama right now. She shouldn't fight that.

A woman as VP is still groundbreaking and history-making.

After 8 years as VP, she'll be well-positioned to go for the Presidency in '16. She's young enough, and if she does a bang-up job as VP, she'd be well-proven to the people as capable of filling the leadership slot.

If Obama were assassinated (c'mon, you know you've worried about it, admit it), she'd be in place to assume command, and prove herself.

An Obama/Clinton ticket would unite the Democrats.

Obama/Clinton vs McCain/(whoever) would be almost unstoppable.

Obama vs. McCain can credibly be framed as "pro war vs. anti-war." Clinton vs. McCain cannot.

But the MOST important reason I can see Clinton accepting the VP position:

Cheney has shown us that the office of the VP can wield a lot more power these days. She could make the changes she wants to make, more quietly, and from behind-the-scenes, if she takes the #2 position.

So, I've been mulling these points in my head the past couple of months, and then, today, we have this:

Clinton Hints At Sharing Ticket With Obama.

Yep. She'll consider it.

I's just a matter of time.