Hillary Clinton has done the impossible. As a confirmed political junkie, I had been looking forward to the 2008 elections for years. I thought that I enjoyed the cut and thrust of politics, the oratorical flourishes, the careers made and destroyed.

But if there’s anything I can’t stand, it’s pointless activity.

Like him or not, Barack Obama has won the Democratic nomination. In the absence of a blowout victory in Pennsylvania, there’s no probable way for Hillary Clinton to make up her delegate deficit. But in the absence of an Obama victory in PA, Hillary Clinton also has the ammunition to stave off her final surrender.

In other words, the primary from hell will continue, as the Democratic Party continues to display its usual indecisiveness and remarkable ability to snatch defeat from the jaws of victory. (No endorsement of either major political party is intended, just a practitioner’s critique)

If this primary were a football game, Hillary Clinton would have started the contest as a two touchdown favorite, only to have a surprising underdog, Barack Obama, shoot out to a 10-point lead based on superior coaching and execution.

Now we’re at the two-minute warning. Obama has the ball, and all he has to do to guarantee victory is to grind out a couple of first downs. Even if he has to punt, Clinton still has to score a touchdown, recover an onside kick, and connect on another Hail Mary to win.

Bottom line? This game is in the refrigerator. Mark it down right now, Barack Obama will be the Democratic nominee (and if you disagree, I will take all bets of *any* size that Hillary Clinton will win, and will even offer 2:1 odds). And as I’ve done with many of Superbowl blowout in the past, I’m going to grab the remote and try to find something more interesting on the Discovery Channel.

I’m done with you Hillary. You won’t be wasting any more of my precious time.