With four more superdelegates going his way yesterday (apparently), Sen. Barack Obama is now just 48 delegates away from the nomination.

He’s likely to win about half of the remaining 86 pledged delegates in three upcoming races, so the countdown to victory is on. Right?

Hold up. If you think the Democratic presidential race is going to end at that point, or soon after, or at all diplomatically, think again.

Sen. Hillary Clinton will do anything to win. Anything.

No angle will be unexplored, no argument left on the table. This race will have no graceful bow-out, no congenial exit strategy.

People expecting Hillary Clinton to go quietly are kidding themselves.

When she calls herself a fighter, she couldn’t be more right. But it’s as much for herself and her own legacy as it is for America. This race is like a WWE match, only unscripted. Somebody’s going to be left bloodied on the Democratic mat. No one’s walking away from the ring, head held high.

Comments and actions from camp Clinton in recent days prove beyond a doubt that the top priority is not the Democratic party. The attacks have ratcheted up, the talk about sexism and media bias reaching a fever pitch.

A former President of the United States is even espousing conspiracy theories.

There’s been talk of trying to energizing HRC’s supporters to finagle the vice president slot on the ticket, but the chances of her actually getting that dwindle with each hair-brained attack. This is about winning. Period.

As Hillary’s defeat looms (eventually), there has also been talk of her running in 2012 if Obama loses to John McCain, or even 2016 if Obama wins two terms.

But make no mistake about it, this is her best shot. A lame (in so many ways) duck president, the timing just right for the Democrats. Clinton has won almost half the votes cast and worked relentlessly for years for this chance.

Point being: This nomination isn’t being handed over. It’s going to have to be taken, and that may mean it takes place at the convention in August.

Obama has a majority of pledged delegates, won via more than 50 primaries and caucuses in the U.S. and abroad. But it’s the superdelegates that will officially put him over the 2,026 barrier, and they always can change their minds.

None are actually voting for him until the convention.

Therefore, Barack Obama reaching the 2,026 benchmark is only a victory if Hillary Clinton chooses to concede it. And what are the chances of that?