On Saturday, February 9, I participated in the caucus in my home state of Washington.  We both supported Obama.  He won three of the four delegates in our precinct.  My wife was elected as a delegate to the District-Level caucus, and I was selected as an alternate. 

Well, tomorrow is the District caucus--the final step before the State Convention.  And today I got an e-mail reminding me to attend.  I thought, initially, that it might be from the Washington Democratic Party, or maybe from the Obama Campaign.

Nope.  It was from Hillary.  She wants my vote.

More specifically, it was from the Washington branch of the Clinton Campaign.  The only place they could have gotten my e-mail address was from the delegate form I filled out at the convention.  And that form specifically indicated that Obama was the candidate I pledged to support.

Granted, Clinton didn't try to make some argument to convince me to betray Obama, or argue for her own superiority.  Her e-mail simply asked me to support Clinton at the caucus tomorrow.  Here's the full text of her letter:

Dear Dan,
Thank you so much for everything you've done in Washington. Your energy and support have meant the world to Hillary. Now Hillary needs your help in Washington again at your local legislative caucus. Your legislative caucus is tomorrow, Saturday April 5, at 9:00 AM at XXXXXXXXX in Seattle.
The delegates you earned on February 9 will be selected at your local legislative caucus tomorrow, and we need you to be there. If you were selected as a delegate or alternate, it is critical that you attend to stand up for Hillary.
Click here to RSVP today!
If you were not selected as a delegate or alternate, you can still help by attending your caucus and showing your support for Hillary. We need to have a strong energetic showing tomorrow and we can't do it without you. Will you stand up for Hillary at your legislative caucus tomorrow?
Going to the caucus is easy and fun: Make signs, wear your Hillary gear and show up!
Click here to RSVP today!
Thank you so much. Hillary could not ask for a better team.
Sincerely,
Zach Stewart
Washington State Director

I wonder if she will end up losing more delegates here in Washington tomorrow.

Recalling a famous scene on the steps of the Philadelphia Museum of Art from the 1976 Oscar-winning film "Rocky," Clinton said that ending her presidential campaign now would be as if "Rocky Balboa had gotten halfway up those art museum steps and said, 'Well, I guess that's about far enough.'"

"Let me tell you something, when it comes to finishing a fight, Rocky and I have a lot in common. I never quit. I never give up. And neither do the American people."

Editor's note: they also both get beat by a black man at the end.

Now I might be all wet here, but I think I see a way for Obama to close this deal within the next few weeks.  It's bold, it's unconventional, and it's straightforward. 

Obama should insist that the Florida and Michigan delegations are seated.  Period.  No revotes, no special allotment, nothing.  Give Clinton the extra delegates.  Put to rest any accusation that Obama's victory is the result of gamesmanship or disenfranchisement.

It's like the point in a chess game when you see that by sacrificing your queen you have mate in five.

If Obama shows that he's willing to go out on a limb in this way, it will project a showing of strength and confidence that Clinton will not be able to overcome.  I suspect that, if Obama were to do this, he would have superdelegates declaring their support for him in record numbers.  Undecideds in the remaining primary states, and even marginal Hillary supporters, would be moved to support him.  It would generate another groundswell in fundraising support.  It would put upset Florida and Michigan democrats fully behind the democratic nominee again.  And it would deprive Hillary of one of her last arguments. 

Quite frankly, Obama can win this race even with Florida and Michigan seated.  If Obama waits too long, his decision to seat the delegations will seem disingenuous and dismissive: as if to say, "It doesn't matter what you think Florida, so we'll let you in anyway."  But by making the announcement when it still appears that it could sway the outcome of the race, Obama would gain an immense tactical advantage from the act.  And the risk of an actual Clinton victory is largely illusory.

Quite frankly, Obama's campaign is all about taking the high road.  Obama needs to seat Florida and Michigan, and the sooner he does it, the more mileage he can get from it.