No wonder Barack Obama is encouraging Hillary Clinton to stay in the race. The longer she stays, the easier it becomes for primary voters to recognize not only the flaws in Sen. Clinton’s judgment, but the absence of admirable content in Billary’s character.

Though adamant in their condemnation of New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson for reneging on an “alleged” promise not to endorse Obama, the Clintons apparently see nothing wrong with encouraging those delegates pledged to Obama to renege on their promise. Indeed, Sen. Clinton said she “welcomes” them to change their minds, apparently oblivious to the hypocrisy of castigating Richardson for doing something which she’s now publicly encouraging delegates committed to Obama to do.

Clearly, the Clinton campaign’s eyes-on-the-prize mission is the Democratic nomination. Finishing second isn’t an option. And to borrow a call-to-arms phrase from Malcom X, they, too, seem determined to achieve their goal by any means necessary.

How else to explain the Clinton campaign’s spurt of racially inflammatory comments – from the former president’s reference to Jesse Jackson also winning South Carolina (1984, 1988), which was captured by Obama in January – to the recent mantra “Obama can’t win” the general election against Republican John McCain. The you-know-why inference need not be verbalized in either case.

How else to explain Hillary Clinton’s cavalier attitude in encouraging delegates to break a promise. What a Republican headline that would make: “Democratic nominee pooh-poohs commitments.” Is her husband behind her shift to the dark side? She’s definitely not the same candidate who told us not long ago how honored she was to share a stage with Obama.

While Obama tries to sidestep the muck and mire of politics, Clinton dives in headfirst. Her win at any cost campaign, supported fully by her “Let ‘em fight” husband, gets uglier every week. With the Pennsylvania primary only two weeks away, one wonders what ghoulish acts or words the Clintons might dredge up by then.