Since the near-apocalyptic primary battle ended almost two months ago, Democrats have endured the "Hillary as veep" debate saturate them like spilled Shasta in a ShamWow.

And now that the sun seems finally to be setting on the idea, we can expect one last burst of rancor from Hillary's most-fervent supporters, including the formidable relaxed-fit mafiosas that felt her defeat right down to their Larry Summers dartboards and age-browned, signed copies of "The Female Eunuch".

But regardless of some signal developments this week, I smell comeback time. As Mr. Berra so pungently observed, it ain't over till it's over - and the slightly overweight lady's aria may yet be as triumphant as it is final.

That despite the fact that the lobby shop set up to urge Clinton's inclusion on the ticket is shutting down. "All indications we have from people close to Senator Clinton and Senator Obama are that Hillary is not on the short list," Vote Both co-honcho Sam Arora said yesterday. "We're looking at how we can — if we can — use Vote Both to help him because we want a Democrat in the White House."

On the Olbermann show, Time's Howard Fineman parsed the list down to three: Evan Bayh, Virginia Gov. Tim Kaine and Obama's one-time primary opponent, Joe Biden. From the list, Kaine has been talked-up as virtually an Obama mirror-image who's got a lot of "just folks" appeal. Well... he's pro-gun. As for Biden, he was memorable for punchy humor that enlivened the slow churn of Democratic TV debates last year.

According to Fineman, Hillary is no longer in the running.

But outside of insiders, these guys who are in consideration barely register. There's nothing there for the average-Joe voter to chew into. With Hillary doing the hand-swing with Obama on the Denver podium, we have what no less astute a political observer than Fidel Castro calls "unbeatable."

As counterintuitive as this seems, I'm saying the ball is still in play. Short lists can change. And wouldn't Vote Both close even if Hillary is a shoo-in; if that's the case, why keep a costly, superfluous operation in business?

The "dump her" faction takes a lot of ammunition from McCain's own stumblebum campaign: The more the GOP candidate looks like Harold Stassen, the less crucial Hillary's participation must seem. Despite a chronically supportive national media crutching-up his all-but amateurish run, McCain continues to sink under the cumulative weight of his own unfocused folly. Even National Review Editor Rich Lowery capped on the "silly" Spears/Hilton ad.

On the other side of the coin, no one in their right political mind can argue Hillary wouldn't be an asset:

As a tireless fighter (and in-fighter), her ferocity knows no equal; she is a true-born warrior to the point she'd conceiveably  join the Navy Seals if camouflage didn't make her ass look fat. She's kinda Southern, kinda... female. Yet New York seems to consider her as native as Nathan's hot dogs and purse-snatching.

Finally, of course, she's married to the Democratic Party's all-around, sax-playin', snatch-chasin' Poppa Bear. And it seems Bill's holstered his vituperative pistolas from earlier this year.

I'll admit a sentimental wish all this were true - just to keep the whole circus rolling. Dammit, I miss those heels snapping across the stage, the coordinated necklace earrings, and that never-break-eye-contact determination, spit and fire. Long-shot? Sure. But I can hope, can't I?

And, remember, the nod to Hillary could keep Obama from being pelted with a lot of sensible shoes when he's out the the general election trail. The Clintons attract an almost fanatical following, and her Womyn's Corps might be mollified by acknowledgement that a woman as vice president is history, too.

Or... uh... herstory. Whatever.