Media's message: It's over

Hillary Rodham Clinton may be short on delegates, money and time, but she faced an even more ominous and intractable impediment Wednesday: a growing consensus in the media that her bid for the Democratic presidential nomination is doomed. Examples:

Tim Russert, MSNBC: "We now know who the Democratic nominee's going to be, and no one's going to dispute it."

George Stephanopoulos, ABC News: "This nomination fight is over."

New York Post: "TOAST!"

David Gergen, former adviser to President Clinton: "I think the Clinton people know the game is almost up."

Bob Shrum, chief strategist for former Vice President Al Gore and Sen. John Kerry, D-Mass.: "The campaign may go on, but the contest is now over: Obama is the Democratic nominee for president. Now the decision for her is how she wants to end this."

Jim VandeHei and Mike Allen, Politico.com: Those who believed in a Clinton comeback scenario were "living on another planet."

Bill Kristol, Fox News commentator: "I think she would accept the vice presidency. I think Obama almost has to ask her."

— Seattle Times news services