Hysterical wingnut overreaction to the “Re-create ’68!” jackassery that’s percolating in some leftist circles? Indeed, if you count HuffPo among the hysterical wingnuts. Hope and Change from the mailbag of lefty author Rick Perlstein:

Rick, if the Machine tries to give the Clintons the victory at the convention, I swear to God, Chicago’s going to look like a Sadie Hawkins dance. People my age are going to be throwing stones. We all have transportation — cell phones — disposable income — the Internet — free time — and Seattle as our example. Part of me is scared of a riot. Part of me isn’t. The nomination belongs to Obama. Do you think we’re going to let the Democratic Leadership Council take it? “God gave Noah the rainbow sign. No more water, fire next time.”

And:

Not to mention that there’s going to be a significant Iraq veteran contingent at the convention, ready to rock ‘n’ roll. We’ve already had planning meetings about it — we’re going about it the same way that we would plan any decent military operation.

Put it this way: if she goes for the gold in Denver, she’ll have to claim the medal somewhere other than the Pepsi Center.

And:

I can’t emphasize enough how potentially scary things could get — we’ve got folks working on the inside of the convention, and it’s all done on a cell basis, so that folks only know what they need to know.

I’m trying to keep everyone calm, as I just mentioned, but it’s getting harder and harder to do so.

Exit question: First the Times Square bombing, now this. How does Rove do it?

Update: Hard feelings are all but certain:

If black voters who have supported Obama think he lost the nomination because the rules of the contest were unfairly changed, the backlash could be damaging, some civil rights activists said.

“You would be changing the rules after you’ve had the contest,” the Rev. Al Sharpton said. “In Michigan, Obama’s name wasn’t even on the ballot. Clearly, if the name of the candidate who’s getting the African American vote isn’t on the ballot, that encourages many to stay home. . . . It would be a tremendous insult to the voters of this country.”

An Obama victory could split the party in a different way. Like Clinton, the Illinois senator is likely to need the votes of Democratic superdelegates — party activists and elected officials who are free to back any candidate. Suspicion among Clinton voters that Obama courted superdelegates through backroom deals could upset female and Latino voters loyal to the former first lady.