The New York Post's Charles Hurt has an intriguing suggestion for Hillary: Show up tonight in St. Paul. He writes:
A surprise appearance and endorsement by Clinton - who is scheduled to hold her own event in Manhattan - would allow Democrats to mark that territory in history as the heart of a new and perfect unity for the party. ...
She would endorse Obama in biblical terms and embrace him - literally - with both arms. Obama would bury her in the genuine gracious praise that comes so naturally from him.
And just when the drama could not possibly heighten, the curtains would part again and out would walk her husband and her daughter, along with Michelle Obama and their two girls.
In that instant, everyone would forget all there has been in this campaign to dislike about Bill and remember why they once loved him.
It's true--it's the one quick and easy way for the Clintons to rehabilitate themselves. And to tamp down the chatter that will dog them for the rest of the year (and, if Obama loses, pretty much forever): Are they really trying to help Obama win, or are they subtly sabotaging him to give Hillary another shot in 2012?
P.S. As long as we're talking about (soon-to-be) counterfactual history, I'd have given Obama more points tonight for appearing in some corner of Appalachia, like Southeastern Ohio or Southwestern Pennsylvania. I think he also needs a big, magnanimous gesture--in his case, to demonstrate that he's really competing for these votes.
Update: Link came via Drudge...
--Noam Scheiber