Reversal of fortune

It's almost like that climactic scene in every action movie of the past 20 years: One minute, our hero is helpless, doomed. The villain holds a pistol to the head of the hero's love interest. The hero is forced to drop his gun, and the villain chortles with laughter -- his evil scheme will now succeed.

Then -- WHAM! An explosion, the villain is momentarily distracted, the hero grabs his gun, kills the villain, rescues the girl, and foils the evil scheme. A familiar story, yes?

Coming soon to a Democratic primary near you, it's Hillary Clinton, starring in Diehard 2008:

As Hillary Clinton continues virtually nonstop campaigning between North Carolina and Indiana, the candidate and her team are showing signs of increased confidence. . . .
Her operatives speak confidently about winning in Indiana. They are publicly playing down their chances of victory in North Carolina, but her schedule suggests otherwise. Clinton is almost spending as much time in the Tar Heel state as the must-win state of Indiana -- as is her husband, who is campaigning extensively in rural towns in both states. Her aides think finishing only a few points behind Obama in North Carolina and winning in Indiana and other states in May could push her to a lead in the overall popular vote, even without counting votes in Michigan and Florida.
Ace Smith, Clinton's North Carolina state director, is repeating the campaign's mantra that a win in the Tar Heel State would be "the upset of the century."

(Via Memeorandum.) The sun shines now on Team Hillary, while clouds loom over Team Obama, and the Eagleton-like albatross that is the Jeremiah Wright controversy will not soon fly away, as Victor Davis Hanson explains:

Wright won’t quit now for two reasons. First, he knows what he said for two decades, and where Obama was when he said it. So he bristles that Obama’s protestations of suddenly being “shocked” by Wright are empty and untrue, and designed to assure the very “rich white folks” whom Wright dismisses. Two, psychologically Wright resents the reversals in positions; the infant politician that he once sired and nurtured is now far better known precisely for rejecting, at least in speeches, the very mother’s milk Wright fed him for years.

And now, like the apocalyptic voice of doom for Democrats, comes the word from CINC-OC Rush Limbaugh: Operation Chaos is once again fully operational!

UPDATE: When it rains, it pours.

UPDATE II: Hillary just sent me another e-mail:

Senator Obama wants to close out this race before every American has a say, but you and I have a different idea -- and so do millions of Americans headed to the polls in the next few weeks.
This race isn't decided yet, no matter what the Obama campaign would like you to think. After our big win in Pennsylvania, more Americans have voted for me than for any other candidate. And just next week, we've got races in North Carolina (where Governor Mike Easley endorsed me yesterday) and Indiana (where we're in a tight race right next door to Senator Obama's home state).
But before those big races on May 6, we're facing a critical deadline. Tonight at midnight, we close the books on our April fundraising -- and the number we report has the power to shape the story of this election. I can't put it any stronger than this: every dollar we bring in by midnight tonight can make the difference in this race. That's why some of my active supporters have agreed to match contributions from new donors made before the midnight deadline. And because your contribution is matched, it's worth twice as much -- every $25 gift is worth $50. Even a $5 gift is twice as valuable. If you've never made a gift online, there will never be a better time than right now. Contribute before our midnight deadline, and your gift is worth twice as much.
Over the course of this campaign, I have relied on you and hundreds of thousands of people just like you. Your time, your hard work, your generosity, and your heart have all sustained me through the ups and downs of this incredible journey.
Some people, including my opponent, would like to declare this race over. They want you and me to just give up. Why? Because every time they think we're out of it we come roaring back -- and now we have a clear path to victory. Our first step on this path is to show that our campaign is as strong as it has ever been. We have until midnight tonight to get every dollar in the door before our April fundraising deadline. And if you give before midnight tonight, your gift is doubled thanks to our matching program. Double your impact and help us win by contributing before the midnight deadline.
I want to thank you for your personal and powerful involvement in this race. It makes such a difference to me to know you're a part of our campaign.

Thank you, ma'am. It's the least I could do.