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WASHINGTON — David Brooks, The New York Times columnist, has labelled Hillary Clinton's campaign "The audacity of hopelessness." He is one of many pundits who in recent days have called on the New York senator to give up her bid for the Democratic presidential nomination.
It seems a strange recommendation. Ms. Clinton continues to run a well-funded, competitive campaign. She enjoys a big lead in the polls in Pennsylvania, where the next primary will be held. And she has excellent prospects in West Virginia, Kentucky, Puerto Rico and Indiana.
And yet in news conference and speeches, Ms. Clinton has been forced to rebut allegations from many commentators that her situation has become hopeless.
"I know there are some in Washington and some in the media who want this race to be over," she said at a recent rally.
"Well I disagree. I think everyone deserves to be heard." Ms. Clinton has vowed to stay in the race until at least the end of the primary season, June 3.
Why is Ms. Clinton once again trying to beat down suggestions that she should quit? Because the last few days have been rotten.
The worst news came out of Florida and Michigan. Both states were contemplating do-overs - new primaries to compensate for the fact that their earlier contests were ruled out of order by the Democratic National Committee.
The Clinton campaign was counting on strong wins in both states, coupled with a big victory in Pennsylvania, to create momentum and persuade uncommitted super delegates that only she could secure the crucial swing states.
But neither state was able to come up with a plan that was practical and immune to legal challenges.
Although the Clinton campaign continued to press yesterday for a revote, it is highly unlikely that Florida and Michigan will be heard from before primary season ends.
Thanks to his excellent prospects in North Carolina, Oregon, South Dakota and Montana, front-runner Barack Obama should be able to retain his lead of about 165 pledged delegates until the end of primary season.
Even as the Michigan-Florida scenario was falling apart, the Clinton campaign was staggered by two endorsements of Mr. Obama from big-name Democrats.
Only one was official. New Mexico Governor Bill Richardson, who was himself a candidate for the nomination, backed Mr. Obama last Friday, despite having served in president Bill Clinton's cabinet.
While he refused to directly ask Ms. Clinton to end her campaign, Mr. Richardson did declare that continuing the contest could harm the Democratic Party.
Nancy Pelosi, majority leader in the House of Representatives and one of the most powerful Democrats to walk the land, maintains she is neutral in the race. But in a television interview last week, she urged uncommitted superdelegates to respect the final results among pledged delegates.
Since Mr. Obama has an insurmountable lead there, she might as well have appeared on stage with him, waving a sign.
It prompted a group of prominent Clinton supporters to send her an angry letter, demanding that Ms. Pelosi "clarify" her position.
And then Ms. Clinton found herself the subject of the one thing politicians fear most: laughter.
Ms. Clinton admitted she "misspoke" when she recalled coming under sniper fire as she arrived in Bosnia while first lady.
In fact, video shows Ms. Clinton walking calmly across the tarmac, and listening to an eight-year-old girl read from a poem.
The comedian Sinbad, who was on the trip, asked readers to imagine Mr. Clinton refusing to go to Bosnia, but sending his wife instead.
"What kind of president would say 'Hey man, I can't go 'cause I might get shot, so I'm going to send my wife. Oh, and take a guitar player and a comedian along with you.' "
Ms. Clinton responded to all this bad press by, it appeared, trying to stoke the controversy over Jeremiah Wright.
Her campaign has been silent as Mr. Obama fended off criticism of his close association with a preacher who sometimes bitterly criticized America's white power structure.
But Ms. Clinton is silent no more. "I think that given all we have heard and seen, he would not have been my pastor," she said Tuesday, adding that Mr. Obama could simply have chosen to switch to a different church.
But the furor over Rev. Wright's comments appears to be finally fading, while the hard facts of the delegate count are immutable. Whether it happens in April or it happens in June, Ms. Clinton has a hard choice to confront, as the pundits never hesitate to remind her.
