Just laying a little talking-points groundwork in case the miracle happens in Texas and Ohio and she decides to implement Operation: Destroy The Party after all. Jake Tapper duly delivers the eyeroll. How’s she going to win with the superdelegates when they keep inching over to Obama’s side?

Ace thinks she’ll go quietly now, sliding easily into the consolation prize of Senate power broker and elder statesman in the same “dignified” way that, um, Ted Kennedy did.

Soon, perhaps. But not yet.

Peggy Noonan wondered a few weeks ago how bad it’ll get before she accepts defeat “gracefully”; the possibility that it’ll get very bad indeed is our own lone consolation prize. All I ask is for one or two moments of true meltdown — a Buffenbargerian explosion by Hillary here, a reprise of his patented brand of “aw, shucks” race-baiting by Billy Jeff there. Give us something to remember you by. Something Clintonian.

In the meantime, crack Clinton strategist Mark Penn hits on the stroke of genius that’s going to turn the whole thing around: Only Hillary has the credibility as commander-in-chief … to order a total surrender in Iraq.

Update: Rats off the ship.