The Page

By Mark Halperin

Clinton's Last Long Shots

Even Hillary Clinton's top advisers believe that the last Democratic primaries on June 3 will lead to a final stampede of superdelegates into Barack Obama's column and their own candidate's eventual withdrawal. But if Clinton wants to fight on against the odds, here are some final acts of stubborn survival she could try:

1. File a lawsuit (or have someone else file a lawsuit) challenging the Democratic National Committee (DNC) decision on seating the disputed delegations from Florida and Michigan.

2. Say she plans to appeal at the Denver convention in August anything short of a DNC ruling on Florida and Michigan that is fully in her favor.

3. Point out that Obama might not end up with a majority if the number of delegates needed to attain one increases as a result of the DNC's decision.

4. Argue that since elected (a.k.a "pledged") and automatic (a.k.a "super") delegates can change their minds at the convention, even an apparent Obama majority doesn't mean he will have a majority in Denver.

5. Wait around to see if anything pops out of Obama's closet.

6. Announce that she wants to hear more from her supporters before making a decision.

7. Suggest her supporters insist that she fight all the way to the convention, lest they be alienated and vote for John McCain.

8. Give a big speech, with Ross Perot--style charts and graphs, arguing that she is a far stronger candidate against McCain.

9. Put out a campaign travel schedule that includes stops in Battle Creek, Mich., and Tampa, Fla., November battlegrounds.

10. Send an e-mail fund-raising appeal.

CAMPAIGN SCORECARD [This article contains a table. Please see hardcopy of magazine.] ROUND 1 2 3 4 ISSUE Age Veepstakes General-Election Battlegrounds Machismo ACTION John McCain's doctors testified he is as healthy as a 71-year-old former POW and cancer survivor can be; his campaign released his long-awaited and still politically perilous medical records over a holiday weekend, minimizing news coverage. A fired-up McCain dismissively referred to Barack Obama as a "young man," attacking his inexperience. Not McCain's best issues, so by not losing, he wins. Both McCain and Obama are taking seriously the task of selecting a running mate, launching confidential inquiries headed by old Washington hands A.B. Culvahouse and Jim Johnson, respectively. McCain hosted three prospects (former rival Mitt Romney, Florida governor Charlie Crist and Louisiana governor Bobby Jindal) at his ranch and avoided unseemly leaks or accusations of pandering. Obama faces pressure to choose opponent Hillary Clinton, a tangle he'd rather avoid. Obama paused his nomination battle with Clinton to focus on swing states like New Mexico and Nevada that will be decisive in November. He may also install adviser Paul Tewes at the Democratic National Committee to merge party and campaign operations. McCain faced more questions over the nimbleness and strength of his campaign, along with Republican doubts that he has maximized the springtime break created by the prolonged Democratic fight. For McCain and Obama, all the candidates' men (and they are almost all men at the senior levels of both campaigns) are testosterone-fueled gunslingers who often respond to perceived slights or challenges by attacking first and asking questions later. The candidates have become increasingly feisty and, at times, personal. If this keeps up, watch for petulance, errors and overreaching to crop up during a long, hot summer--and even hotter fall. REPUBLICANS DEMOCRATS TIE

Winner of the Week: Tie

Obama still can't totally shake Clinton, and the flap over her Robert F. Kennedy comment ensures further intraparty strife. But some Republicans see McCain as ill-defined to voters and slipping in the polls, even before Obama's likely victory-lap bump.

NOT ALL ROUNDS ARE CREATED EQUAL. THE WEEK'S WINNER IS BASED ON THE RELATIVE IMPORTANCE OF EACH FIGHT AND BY HOW MUCH THE WINNER TAKES EACH ROUND.

With reporting by Randy James, Katie Rooney