Democrats dance delicately around Clinton

WASHINGTON — Breaking up is hard to do, especially when the other person doesn't want to say goodbye.

One way to go is the torturously deferential one, the route of choice for some of those leading Democrats who think the race for the presidential nomination is pretty much over for Hillary Rodham Clinton.

Take this lengthy comment on Sunday from John Edwards about Clinton's decision to remain in the race:

"I think the one thing that she has to be careful about — and she doesn't need my advice; she knows this full well — is that, if she makes the case for herself, which she's completely entitled to do, she has to be really careful that she's not damaging our prospects, the Democratic Party, and our cause, for the fall," Edwards told host Bob Schieffer on CBS' "Face the Nation."

Indeed, even those who think Barack Obama has the nomination sewn up are avoiding coming right out and suggesting Clinton should drop out of the race.

Sen. Chris Dodd of Connecticut refused to do it in his appearance on NBC's "Meet the Press," even after he was asked about his suggestion that Clinton's continued campaign toward Tuesday's West Virginia primary was like asking people "to vote against somebody who's likely to be your nominee a few weeks later."

"I'm not distressed about the fact that Hillary Clinton's still in the race in West Virginia," Dodd told host Tim Russert. "But to what extent, what kind of rhetoric is used, how are we describing Barack Obama? I think we've been through a lot of this over the last number of weeks."

Though Obama has amassed a nearly insurmountable lead in delegates and has turned his attention to a general election against Republican John McCain, Clinton is pressing ahead in West Virginia and Kentucky, states where the demographics strongly favor her.

While Obama was taking a day off at home in Chicago, Clinton was touring the birthplace of Mother's Day in rural West Virginia on Sunday, offering Democrats a subtle reminder that her fading candidacy remains strong among women and blue-collar, white voters.

That loyal base is expected to carry Clinton to a sizable victory Tuesday, though it won't do much to close the gap between her and Obama.

After visiting the home of Anna Jarvis, who is credited with founding Mother's Day 100 years ago, Clinton spoke to reporters and told stories about women who have changed history by pressing for equal rights and breaking into male-dominated careers.

At an evening campaign stop in Eleanor, W.Va., Clinton quoted Eleanor Roosevelt: "A woman is like a tea bag — you never know how strong she is until she's in hot water."

But on the Sunday news shows, even the ultra-polite commentary refused to entertain a long-term extension of the drama.

Several shows speculated about the chances of Clinton and Obama joining up as running mates.

"These are two great candidates who fought very hard," said Dodd, "but my sense is today that that probably won't be the ticket."

David Axelrod, Obama's top strategist, said it as nicely as he could.

"We'll focus on the vice-presidential choice at the appropriate time," he said on "Fox News Sunday."

Meanwhile, Clinton's friends were on the airwaves forcefully arguing that she still has a chance to win.

Never mind that some are calling Obama the "likely nominee," Terry McAuliffe, Clinton's campaign chairman, told Russert.

"Likely nominee? That's not the actual nominee," he said. "All I can tell you, Tim, is we have 7 million Democrats [who] have yet to vote. Let's let them vote."

Clinton aide Howard Wolfson took it a step further on "Fox News Sunday."

"If Barack Obama wants Hillary Clinton out of this race, beat her," he said. "Beat her in West Virginia, beat her in Puerto Rico, beat her in Kentucky."

Clinton is heavily favored to win in all of those places, and Wolfson seemed to suggest the end is nowhere in sight.

Material from The Associated Press

is included in this report.