Hillary Clinton and her media set up his losses this week and are orchestrating a brilliant strategy now that puts her at the centre of her Party urging him to behave. She is a Manipulatrice and he is now, sadly, in her web.

He and his supporters seem not to comprehend what has happened. Hillary will now offload as much of the Democratic Party's baggage to him, while she struts around charming bluehairs and labour. He will be exposed on issues that make the whiners whine and the screamers scream, and he will smiling while he grumbles and tries to find his pace again. He coiuldn't afford to lose it, but I fear he did.

McCain will now pick up the more substantive pieces of the Obama agenda and make them his. He need not worry about the Christian Right doing anything more than coming to the polls in November. A few, well-timed Clinton memories will cover that task. The smart agenda moves to the Republicans now while the Democrats go into a girls' fight.