Steve Rosenfeld: There is no clear "Nuclear Option" for Hillary

With the Democratic Primary all but sealed for Barack Obama - as it's been for some time, now - there's word on the internets that Hillary might unleash some kind of "Nuclear Option": seeing to the seating of the self-disenfranchised voters from Michigan and Florida, which would get her enough delegates to squeak out a last-minute victory, since she "won" victories in those states (In Michigan, this was possibly due to Obama's name not being on the ballot).

The problem is, as Steve Rosenfeld (co-author of What Happened in Ohio) explains on Alternet, the process isn't that simple, and has too many obstacles in the way to be considered a viable strategy.

The problems with this report -- and other speculative pieces like it -- is that the Rules and Bylaws Committee is not the last stop in the DNC committee process on the question of seating Florida and Michigan delegates. The DNC Credentials Committee is, and there, according to members interviewed throughout the nominating season, many delegates seem to believe following the party's rules -- i.e., winning delegates state by state -- is paramount, as is respecting the primary season's popular vote winner.

In other words, there is a bigger picture and more to the process than the next hurdle in the horse race coverage, namely, the Rules Committee's meeting on May 31.

The best thing at this point would be for Hillary Clinton to drop out, and let Obama coast to victory, so as to not present the electorate with a deeply divided and acrimonious party throughout the rest of the year. But it's highly doubtful that will happen, now.