The Clinton campaign is mired in a quagmire that they cannot exit.  The only way to escape is to dump everything pulling it down.

Or maybe, it is a plane running out of fuel.  The only way to make the landing strip is to lghten the load.

I suggest that they throw Mark Penn overboard.

To be fair, there are Obama supporters who dislike Senator Clinton for reasons I cannot begin to fathom. But among our contingent in our county convention (numbering 179), they were outnumbered by Obama supporters who have long held high opinions of Sen. Clinton. Some still do, some are trying to, some have recently lost respect for her and her campaign. A couple were Clinton supporters at the Jan. 3 caucus, but have publicly switched, mainly due to campaign tactics.  Increasing numbers are unwilling to vote for her, to campaign for her if nominated, and even to provide the assistance for downticket Democrats that in many places will ned all the assistance they can get.  As it is, there is no way Sen. Clinton will have nearly the friendly majorities in the House and Senate as Sen. Obama, especially considering his appeal to Independents and Republica crossovers, demonstrated until the resolution of the Republican race.

If Senator Clinton holds out any hope to still garner the Democratic nomination, and win in the fall, that hope diminishes every day that Mark Penn remains on her payroll. This man has no loyalty to the Democratic party, he strategizes solely for the campaign. His plan is to beat the nomination frontrunner using the same tactics he would use in November against the Republican nominee. His strategies are firmly based on evidence that shows such tactics work. Certainly those statistics will help to determine the best path to 1600 Pennsylvania Ave.

Except, Penn's entire hegemony is based on what is becoming an outdated worldview. People have been awakened to the destructive nature of Personal Destruction Politics. They understand the detrimental effects of fearmongering and divisiveness. People are ready for something different, something that brings people together to work for a goal that inspires them for what it says about how they can agree, and generates a future not possible from division and partisanship. Mark Penn's worldview is outdated and antiquated. While the crowds are screaming in unison, "The Emperor has no clothes!" he still stands rapt, admiring the gossamer finery so delicate that it feels like nothing to the touch.