Clinton Camp Considering 'Nuclear Option' to Get Nomination

No, I'm not talking about her Iran saber-rattling. I'm talking about damning the common-sense torpedoes and moving to ramming speed, blowing up the Democratic Party in the process.

Huffpo.

Clinton's campaign has a secret weapon to build its delegate count, but her top strategists say privately that any attempt to deploy it would require a sharp (and by no means inevitable) shift in the political climate within Democratic circles by the end of this month.

With at least 50 percent of the Democratic Party's 30-member Rules and Bylaws Committee committed to Clinton, her backers could -- when the committee meets at the end of this month -- try to ram through a decision to seat the disputed 210-member Florida and 156-member Michigan delegations. Such a decision would give Clinton an estimated 55 or more delegates than Obama, according to Clinton campaign operatives.

The Bylaws/Credintials committee basically handles credential disputes (such as Florida and Michigan). More:

The full make-up of the Credentials Committee will not be determined until all the primaries are completed, but the pattern of Clinton and Obama victories so far clearly suggests that Obama delegates on that committee will outnumber Clinton delegates. Obama will not, however, have a majority, according to most estimates, and the balance of power will be held by delegates appointed by DNC chair Howard Dean.

For the scenario to work, then, Dean would have to be convinced of Clinton's superior viability in the general election, and that she has a strong chance of defeating McCain next November.

Frankly, I sincerely doubt that Dean would push the majority to the Clinton campaign if Obama continues to be ahead in delegates by a decent margin. I doubt he would risk the backlash that giving Clinton the majority would bring about. A lot depends on this Tuesday, as far as Clinton's continued viability is concerned. As the story notes, the only real possibility of this happening is if Clinton wins both IN/NC, and/or some other major scandal hits Obama. We'll know a bit more after Tuesday, but right now I'd say the chance of the Nuclear Option is quite low right now; maybe 5%.