The Obamaphiles have moved from denial (perhaps it was only an 8.5% margin in Pennsylvania?) to rationalization. Now they tell themselves “It going to be fine, fine, perfectly fine.” So what if Barack Obama lost another race? So what if he can’t put together a winning coalition? So what if Hillary Clinton has $10M to fuel her race now? Nothing has changed. Got it? Gail Collins sounds as if she is breathing into a paper bag to ward off a panic attack when she announces:

Although Obama has seemed way off his game lately, the odds are still really, really good that he’ll get the nomination. The superdelegates are just waiting for him to win something so they can rally. And once the fighting is over, there’s no question that Hillary would rally her supporters behind him.

Chances aren’t just “really good” Obama will still win, they’re “really, really good.” And there’s “no question” (none? not a tiny, itsy-bitsy, little one?) that Hillary will bring her supporters over. Her compliments to John McCain about his commander-in-chief credentials were just to throw us off the scent, see. She really means only the best for Obama and wants a full eight years in the wilderness for her. . . uh . . . for an Obama presidency, that is. (And pay no attention to those exit polls!)

We have not heard Democratic rationalization this devoid of fact since the last Iraq war hearing. The reality is: Clinton is going nowhere, Obama lost by 30 or 40 points in rural areas and by double digits in key demographic groups, and those superdelegates will sooner or later have to throw one of the contenders out of the race. It is more likely they will toss Clinton overboard. But a sizable Obama loss in Indiana in two weeks would make it that much harder.