Liberals are prone to fantasy, believing as they do that human nature is malleable. But theor most acute current fantasy is the belief that someone will tell Hillary to quit the race and make it happen.

... the most obvious candidate is Emanuel. He is an old friend of Barack Obama's campaign strategist, David Axelrod (so close that Axelrod signed the ketuba, a Jewish marriage contract, at Emanuel's wedding, an honor that usually goes to a best friend). At the same time, Emanuel worked on Bill Clinton's '92 campaign and was an effective operative in the Clinton White House, and he is tight with various Clinton advisers like James Carville and former campaign manager Patti Solis Doyle (whom he calls his "little sister" from the Chicago political wars). He has the loyalty of many Democratic congressmen, whom he recruited and for whom he prodigiously fund-raised, helping to secure the Democratic majority in the 2006 election.

"He's in a good position," says Axelrod. "He's very, very close with Barack and is very close with the Clintons. He thinks of Barack as a peer, but he's very mindful and respectful of the Clintons." The only uncommitted superdelegate from Illinois, Emanuel has been joking for months that he is "hiding under his desk." Last week he told NEWSWEEK that he is not ready to play Barry Goldwater, and doesn't think he'll need to. "I may, but there's as good a chance I may not have to," he says. With perhaps more hope than the realism for which he is generally known, Emanuel continued: "I have confidence in both of my friends that they will be good Democrats. Both candidates will do what's necessary to help the party. Neither wants to be seen as a spoiler ... They [the Clintons] are dear friends, and they have been selfless in their commitment to Democratic Party ideals."