THE LIGHTS ARE OUT, THE EGGS ARE COOLING …

…the butter’s getting hard, and the jello’s jiggling.

Those are the immortal words of Chick Hearn, arguably the greatest basketball announcer who ever lived. What am I saying? Forget the “arguably.” He was DEFINITELY the greatest basketball announcer who ever lived. And whenever his beloved Lakers sealed a victory, he announced it with the above words.

Well, the great Chick Hearn is no longer with us. But if he were, and if he were paying attention to the Democratic Presidential nomination, I think he’d be warming up his classic line.

As I type this – 10:00 in Indianapolis and Raleigh – Barack Obama is poised to win roughly 128,000 more popular votes than Hillary Clinton. Obviously, that number can change, but what is clear is that Obama will win the popular vote tonight by a substantial margin. Given that he was starting with a 500,000 vote lead, Hillary couldn’t afford to lose tonight by ANY margin. In fact, she couldn’t afford anything but a big victory.

Over the next few weeks, it will be very interesting to see how the Clintons handle this. Will they try to insult our intelligence once again? Their last fiasco was the pathetic gas tax pander. Talk about a gift to Obama! The next fiasco could be the attempt to count the elections in Michigan and Florida – the same elections that they previously said wouldn’t count before she realized that they needed them to count, because they keep getting their butts kicked. The Michigan/Florida maneuver won’t work, of course, but it might have an impact on who runs this country during the next eight years.

I meant that last statement in two ways. First, if the Clintons continue to make fools of themselves and battle Obama like rabid dogs, they could give John McCain the life line he needs to “stay the course” from 2009-2012. Given that Bill’s escapades with Monica were crucial in electing President Bush in the first place, it would be quite ironic if the Clintons were responsible for electing Bush’s heir apparent for term number three.

My second point, however, is more subtle. If Hillary wants to help run this country during the next eight years, it isn’t going to be as President. And I don’t think Barack is dumb enough to let her serve as Vice President either. But … there is still a chance for Hillary to assume control over the U.S. Senate.

In my opinion, a deal could easily be struck to give Hillary Clinton the job currently held – and not exactly in triumphant fashion -- by Harry Reid. That could be an EXTREMELY powerful position if a truly gifted legislator holds it. And I have often maintained that Hillary Clinton, while she would make a poor President, is a much more natural legislator. If she gives up soon AND works like hell for Barack (as Mitt Romney has worked for McCain), the Democrats in the Senate might make the following proposition: “Barack, you get one branch of the Government, Hillary, you get another, and because of this deal, our party will assume control over the third. How ‘bout it?”

Well, Hillary. It’s your choice. Are you ready to serve your country, or are you really just a megalomaniac? America would like to know, because we’re interested in you as a personality.

But as far as this nomination is concerned, the lights are out, the eggs are cooling, the butter’s getting hard, and the jello’s jiggling. And most likely, however sanely or crazily you behave from this point on, you’ve just been defeated by the first African American President in your nation’s history.

From a white man who visited Resurrection City when I was seven (40 years ago), let me just say that it’s about time!