Hillary tries to create inevitability factor

Even with the other Democratic candidates fighting hard, it will be nearly impossible for them to erase the inevitability factor that acts as a symbolical shield around Hillary Clinton's campaign.  And because three cable news networks consider her to be the likely nominee, most Democratic voters are likely to buy it as well.

Elizabeth Wilner notes how this inevitability factor was created in part to scare establishment types inside Washington from supporting anyone else:

Clinton allies made clear to contributors and fundraisers that theywere watching closely who went where -- and that the Clintons wouldhave long memories should she win the presidency.

This message sinks in with more than money people. It also works with the ideas people.  If you are sitting at a Washington think tank, and hope some day to sitat the State Department, you must think twice before working foranother candidate or being quoted saying something less thancomplimentary about Clinton.

Speaking of think tanks, Clinton allies populate the upper ranks of atleast two Washington thank tanks that were started with her activesupport. That willingness by the Clinton team to invest in intellectualand policy infrastructure has helped create an air of expecation andmomentum around her candidacy. Which leads to another similar strategy…

*Project an aura of inevitability. The Bush team used this tactic togreat effect not only during his first campaign in 2000, throughcareful expectations-setting and record-shattering fundraising, butalso during the Florida recount, when they exuded far more confidencethan Vice President Al Gore and his team that they were going to win.

Although Obama’s success on the fundraising front has muddled thiseffort somewhat, the Clinton campaign has touted its huge coffers andpoll dominance in an effort to say, “Forget the other guys, we’re goingto win.”

The Washington establishment is trying to decide five months before the first contest who will get the Democratic nomination.  Hillary has the media on her side too -- even though Obama out-raised her in primary money for the second consecutive quarter, and has more individual donors than both Hillary and Edwards combined.