How Do They Say Goodbye? Clinton and Obama May Have Delicate Dance Ahead

Although Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., shows no signs of dropping out until after the final primaries June 3, the Democratic Party is slowly but surely beginning to coalesce around Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., even as the two candidates try to navigate the delicate dance of wrapping up the primary campaign.

Today, some of the party's most influential leaders -- including some former members of President Bill Clinton's administration -- are now saying publicly that it is over for the former first lady.

At the same time, Obama wiped out Clinton's last real advantage, picking up seven superdelegates to pull ahead of Clinton on that closely watched scorecard. He now leads by every major metric -- popular vote, states won, pledged delegates and superdelegates.

As both candidates campaigned in Oregon today, Obama struggled to sound humble about the near-impossible odds Clinton now faces, begging off questions about a unity ticket with Clinton as vice president.

Related

Sneak Peek: Election Night 2008

Obama Takes Lead in Superdelegate Tally

Clinton's Still in, but Obama Envisions End

"Until I am the nominee, I don't want to speculate on running mates," Obama said in Beaverton, Ore. "I will say she has shown herself to be an extraordinary candidate and public servant."

Even neutral veterans of the Clinton administration are now pointing Clinton toward the exit.

"At this point, Barack is the presumptive nominee," said Rep. Rahm Emanuel, D-Ill., the political director in Bill Clinton's White House and the fourth-ranking Democrat in the House.

"She's put up a good fight and put up a good race, but I think there's a time now where she needs to concede and unify the party," said Leon Panetta, Bill Clinton's former White House chief of staff.

But this is a sensitive time for the Democrats.

When Obama supporters such as Sen. Ted Kennedy, D-Mass., seem to denigrate Clinton -- as when he today told Bloomberg News that Clinton would not be a possible vice presidential pick for Obama -- it alienates Clinton supporters.

"I would hope that he would also give consideration to somebody that is in tune with his appeal for the nobler aspirations of the American people," Kennedy said.