Clinton's options

As her defeat looks an almost certainty, Clinton has several options for exit.

One is to quickly endorse Obama after he reaches the number of delegates needed to secure the nomination, and to get a joint ticket with Obama.

That will be the best scenario for the Democrats.

However, it's hard for Clinton to campaign for Obama or become his deputy, given her repeated arguments that Obama is not the Democrats' best choice to defeat John McCain in the general election.

Her attacks had gone so far as she even doubted about Obama's beliefs and attacked his character.

These old wounds are very hard to heal and if Clinton joins Obama's team, she will face a crisis of credibility.

Another option is to fight all the way to the national convention, no matter Obama gets enough delegates or not. That will be a nightmare for Democrats.

At present, the Clinton campaign is still protesting DNC's decision on halving Michigan's voting rights at the national convention and awarding the state's delegates to Obama even his name was not on the state's ballot.

Clinton aide Harold Ickes said the option is still open for her to take the issue to the convention.

However, that scenario is also less likely because that will make Clinton look like a spoiler to her own party.

A third option is to suspend her campaign and keep distance from Obama.

In that scenario, Clinton could act like a bystander in the general election and wait for her chance in the next presidential election in 2012.

With each option, there will probably be a different impact on the general election in November.

(Xinhua News Agency June 3, 2008)