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Clinton's Done; Media in Denial

'Comeback kid redux' hopes endure, and besides, horserace makes a better story

By Jonas Oransky,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 21, 2008 5:06 PM CDT

(Newser) – Barack Obama has sewn up the Democratic nomination, but the press refuses to report it, Politico’s Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen contend. "Reporters and editors love a close race — it’s more fun and it’s good for business," the veteran journalists write. They crunch the numbers every which way and conclude, "Even the Clinton campaign’s own best-case scenario has her finishing behind Obama."

"Most coverage breathlessly portrays the race as a down-to-the-wire sprint between two well-matched candidates," but the story will most likely turn on the actions of the superdelegates, VandeHei and Allen predict. And should it come to that, "a number of heavyweight Democrats are looking at the landscape and laying the groundwork to dissuade Clinton from trying to overturn the will of the party rank and file."

Chart shows pledged and unpledged delegates for Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and unallocated unpledged delegates
Chart shows pledged and unpledged delegates for Sens. Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama and unallocated unpledged delegates   (AP Photo)
An indignant Democratic president hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.
An indignant Democratic president hopeful, Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill.   (AP Photo/Rogelio V. Solis)
The March 17 issue of NEWSWEEK (on newsstands March 10), Hear Her Roar examines gender, class and Hillary Clinton.
The March 17 issue of NEWSWEEK (on newsstands March 10), "Hear Her Roar" examines gender, class and Hillary Clinton.   (AP Photo)
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