Just like John Edwards’s “two Americas,” today we have two Democratic parties: the Obama party and the Clinton party.

If you want to know where this kind of split leads, read about Kennedy v Carter in 1980, Ford v Reagan in 1976 and McCarthy v Humphrey in 1968.  This is a formula for defeat in November.

The longer the fight goes on, the rifts grow deeper, the feelings more bitter and the time for healing shorter.

Democrats are fractured along racial, gender, age and class lines.  Obama gets most black voters; Clinton, most whites.  Obama voters are younger; Clinton’s, older.  Women like Clinton; men, Obama.  The upscale “Starbucks” voters swoon for Obama, the Dunkin’ Donuts crowd soaks up Clinton.

If Obama gets “robbed” of the nomination by superdelegates, his acolytes will be angry.  If women are “robbed” of their rightful time by misogynistic men, they will threaten to stay home.

It is a fairy tale that some Big Shot Democrat can sit the candidates down and resolve this.  Like who?  Howard Dean?  Nancy Pelosi?  Al Gore?  Could one of them persuade Obama or Clinton to say: “Gee, you’re right; I should step aside and let Barack/Hillary be the nominee.  Well played, old sport.”

While the negatives pile up on both Obama and Clinton – for convenient use by the Republicans in the fall – John McCain gets a free ride.  If there was ever a fraud who deserved unmasking, it’s Maverick McCain, Mister Ethics and Integrity, Mister Stay-the-Course in Iraq, Mister Independent, Mister Closet Progressive, Mister Straight Talk.   

For months, I’ve told my Democratic friends this is our election to lose.  And I’ve told my Republican friends not to worry; we’re perfectly capable of blowing it.

We are well on our way.