The silence is broken....Could it be Depression....Or Could It Be Andrea's Reporting?

HRC AIDE: 'PEOPLE UNDERSTAND THE REALITY'

From NBC's Andrea Mitchell

After a day when Bush and McCain were attacking Obama on foreign policy, Hillary Clinton was talking about rural issues in South Dakota -- not why she's still in the race or how she can win the nomination, although she did fire back at McCain.

Asked if there had been a change in message, a top Clinton aide told NBC News, "People understand the reality, but they are still loyal to her."

Asked again about the softened message, the aide replied: "This is what she has been doing" for more than a week -- an indication that this reality set in after Clinton's less-than-stellar performances in North Carolina and Indiana.

On Edwards' endorsement, the Clinton aide said, "It hurt, but it was not a surprise." NARAL's endorsement, on the other hand, was "shocking."

"Edwards was not her friend; they were her friend."

This is what Kos had to say:

The five stages of grief

1.) Denial:

Hillary hasn't lost! She can still win. Sure, she's lost the pledged delegate count, is getting crushed in super delegates who have pledged since Super Tuesday, lags McCain in the polls, is tens of millions in debt, and has just about run out of states, but there's still a path to victory! Quick, donate more! The only math that matters is the superdelegates!

She's going to get the nomination!

2.) Anger:

What do you mean West Virginia by its lonesome self isn't enough to guarantee Clinton the nomination? That's it! I'm voting for McCain even though I disagree with everything he stands for! Losing abortion rights will show Democrats the folly of letting the primary winner get the nomination! And those poor GIs in Iraq? Who cares, since Democrats insisted on letting the rules determine the nominee! How dare the superdelegates ratify the will of the voters by siding with Obama?

If she doesn't get the nomination, we walk!

3.) Bargaining:

Hillary Clinton for VP. She's earned it! Sure, she brings nothing to the ticket geographically, and offers nothing demographically that can't be offered by anyone else, but it's her or nothing! If you do the math, adding them up together makes them an invincible "dream team", even though we believe Obama is sexist and hasn't crossed the "commander in chief threshold". The superdelegates better force this on Obama!

If she doesn't get the vice-presidential nomination, we walk!

And that's where things stand right now. We've just got to get through the depression stage before we finally get to acceptance. We're slowly getting there.