Will Clinton break into a smile or a frown?Photo: Getty Images
A day before the latest all-important primaries, in Ohio and Texas (and oh, Vermont and Rhode Island), the expectation game has taken on even more significance than usual. Weeks ago, the pundits were saying Clinton needed a blowout win; Bill Clinton admitted they needed to take both Ohio and Texas. With the polls showing a tightening race, people are beginning to wonder what Clinton will do if tomorrow’s results are muddled — which, given Texas’ ridiculously complex primary-caucus hybrid, is a very real possibility.
• Vaughn Ververs writes that if Clinton fails to make up much ground in the delegate race after tomorrow’s primary, as is expected, pressure will build for the Democrats to unify behind one nominee. [Horserace/CBS News]
• Glenn Thrush and Rick Pearson report that Clinton may have inadvertently revealed her intentions when she predicted the race “will go on a lot — while — longer.” [Swamp/Chicago Tribune]
• Don Frederick believes that, despite the Clinton campaign’s attempts to lower expectations, if Obama wins either Ohio or Texas tomorrow, talk of the end of the Clinton campaign will dominate the night. [Top of the Ticket/LAT]
• Jake Tapper predicts that tomorrow’s results will be mixed and that even if Obama expands his delegate lead, Clinton will soldier on. [Political Punch/ABC News]
• Perry Bacon Jr. writes that Clinton doesn’t exactly sound “Huckabeesque,” in that she’s taking a wait-and-see approach on staying in the race. [Trail/WP]
• Craig Crawford thinks it would be a terrible sign of weakness if Obama can’t win in Ohio, and it wouldn’t bode well for his chances in the general election. [CQ Politics]
• Mark Halperin lists ten reasons Clinton may stay in the race even if she loses tomorrow. No. 10: She really, really, really wants to win. [Page/Time]
• Patrick Healy says that Clinton feels momentum on her side and intends to stay in the race if she wins Ohio and loses Texas, looking ahead to favorable terrain in Pennsylvania. [NYT]
• Michael Crowley doesn’t think that’s going to work, considering that both states were must-wins according to her husband. [Stump/New Republic]
• John Broder writes that at a brief press conference this morning, Clinton gave no indication that she planned on dropping out of the race. [Caucus/NYT]
—Dan Amira
For a complete guide to presidential candidates Hillary Clinton, Barack Obama, and John McCain — from First Love to Most Embarrassing Gaffe — read the 2008 Electopedia.
