I'd say Hillary will benefit marginally from last night and to a
greater degree from Obama's recent slip-ups. If she does not win
Pennsylvania next week, probably even by a comfortable margin, it
will be shocking. Unless Obama gets a bump coming out of North
Carolina, Hillary may well win Indiana. She has stayed in the race
for events like this that might shake the superdelegates' faith in
Obama's electability.
That said, Phil is right that her performance also angered the
people she needs most to win. Closing the deficit in the popular
vote and pledged delegates still seems out of reach. Frankly, for
Hillary this may be a nomination not worth having at this point.
She can only get it under conditions that are likely to embitter
some of the youngest and most idealistic new Democratic voters,
demoralize and anger black voters, and divide the party going into
a general election race against a reasonably strong Republican
candidate. I don't know if there is anything to the liberal line
that Hillary is trying to ensure Obama's defeat in November, but it
would make some sense.