Jim Moore’s blog: Innovation, Strategy, Public Policy

The news is coming together, and it points to Barack.

Bill Richardson will make history today. His endorsement of Barack Obama will start a cascade of endorsements that will bring the swift end of the Clinton campaign.

Why? Because the professional observers have long believed that there is close to a zero chance that Hillary can win the nomination. She has been battling to undo party rules in Michigan and Florida. This was her last hail Mary attempt to block Barack, and neither is going to happen, as of yesterday. Without them she has essentially no chance of winning the nomination, no matter how well she does in her one remaining stronghold, Pennsylvania.

Meanwhile, Barack launched a national dialogue on race–much needed and much desired by leaders of all faiths, colors, and communities. Barack created a leadership moment for our society, turning a crisis of misunderstanding into a national opportunity for honest discussion. By the way, lets give some of the credit to bloggers who engaged in the dialogue early. Once again, bloggers helped open up a topic that otherwise might have festered below the surface.

So now party leaders see that the time has come to unify the Democrats, and none too soon. Bill Richardson is moving for unity today. This is his own very important leadership intervention, perfectly timed. It will be catalytic. Expect others to follow quickly. Expect Hillary to suspend her campaign within days, in the interest of unity.