That said, many activists on the left believe, rightly, that they haven’t gained permanent control of the party. They have its heart and soul, but the Sanders revolution doesn’t yet command the power stations. Effective party power remains with what Sen. Sanders repeatedly calls the “establishment.”

But Bernie has something close to veto power. Sen. Sanders has disconnected Mrs. Clinton from most of the party’s younger voters. They’re listening to him, not her, and maybe not even to Barack Obama anymore. Indeed, one may ask whether the Democratic establishment abhorred by Sen. Sanders’s base now includes Mr. Obama.

All of which makes the scorpion dance over “unifying the party” between Sen. Sanders and bloodless Democratic heavyweights a show not to be missed.

I am reminded of the Corleone family in “The Godfather—II” when Tom Hagen tells Frankie Pentangeli it’s time to go. I see Harry Reid as making the Hagen buyout offer to Bernie.