THE SITUATION ROOM

Obama-Clinton Marathon; McCain Lobbies Senator; The Stalemate and the Standoff: What to Look for Tonight

Aired February 12, 2008 - 16:00   ET

CAFFERTY:

Suddenly, against all odds, the once-mighty Clinton campaign beginning to feel like the last days of Pompeii. That is the lead sentence in a terrific piece by Tom DeFrank in today's "New York Daily News."

Although he insists it's too early to write off the Clintons, DeFrank writes about a "growing sense of doom and dread surrounding Hillary's campaign." Adding that their insistence that things will turn around in Ohio and Texas sounds eerily like Rudy Giuliani's "wait until Florida" turnaround strategy.

"The New York Times" also reports today how Clinton has been boxed into to a must-win position in those two March 4th races in Ohio and Texas. However, even though the candidate herself is reassuring anxious donors and super-delegates that the nomination is not slipping away from her, some people aren't convinced. Several Clinton delegates, super-delegates, say they're wavering now because of Barack Obama's momentum after his weekend victories, and some say they might end up going with the flow and supporting whichever candidate appears to show the most strength.

Here's the thing -- Obama's momentum doesn't show signs of slowing down. On the contrary, polls suggest he has a commanding lead in today's Potomac primaries -- Maryland, Virginia, Washington, D.C. Polls also show him gaining strength in both Wisconsin and Hawaii. Those are states that vote next Tuesday.

The Clinton camp says this, "There's no evidence that voters are voting based on momentum. In fact, the evidence is to the contrary." They point out that Obama's victory in Des Moines, in Iowa, didn't translate to a win for him in New Hampshire.

Here's the question: If Barack Obama sweeps the rest of February's contests, where does that leave Hillary Clinton?

Go to CNN.com/caffertyfile, where you can post a comment on my blog.

LATER:

CAFFERTY: All right, here's the question this hour: If Barack Obama sweeps the rest of February's contests, where does that leave Hillary Clinton?

We have gotten a ton of mail. People can't get enough of this politics and the election. They love it.

Julian writes: "It leaves her dead in the water. Obama's time is now. He's leading a movement. This is no ordinary campaign, It's the capturing of a zeitgeist at a pivotal moment in history.  Barack Obama is waking the sleeping giant in the American psyche. Momentum? This is only the beginning."

Joan writes: "If Obama's campaign continues strong and leaves Clinton behind, it would make Hillary another martyr in the historical march towards women's rights, and it would again prove that white men like you are still maintaining the glass ceiling through your biased reporting."

"Obama," writes David, "is leading a diversified movement that is continuously gaining strength. Thank you, George Bush, Dick Cheney, for generating this movement. The establishment in this country is in trouble, black or white, not just at the presidential level, but at all levels of government. Obama will win the nomination, be a very good president. We're sick and tired of being sick and tired. And we're going to take our country back. When Obama sweeps tonight, Clinton should start seriously considering what is best for the country and the party and step aside."

Dan writes: "It leaves her to continue talking about the issues and the things that matter, not like Obama-Oprah-Kennedy, who only can say change. Maybe things will change for the better when Americans realize he's a phony."

Kai writes from Oregon: "Jack, the Clinton-Bush dynasty is about to end. And I, for one, am thoroughly enjoying watching it burn, crumble, and slowly topple over."

And, finally, Chris, in Orlando says, "It leaves Clinton teary- eyed on March 3rd, in the hopes that she will win Ohio and Texas on March 4th."

(LAUGHTER)

CAFFERTY: Wolf.

BLITZER: Jack, thank you. See you in a few moments.