Writing on the wall?

WASHINGTON - A leader of the Democratic Party under Bill Clinton has switched his allegiance to Barack Obama and is encouraging fellow Democrats to "heal the rift in our party" and unite behind the Illinois senator.

Earlier this month, it was Sen. Sam Nunn of Georgia, and former Clinton cabinet member Robert Reich.

The usual rule of thumb is: people like these don’t endorse until they’re sure they're endorsing the winner.

But on the other hand:

Barack Obama was bleeding by Monday and needed cover. Where, when he could have used them, were Obama's oh-so-famous endorsers: Jesse Jackson, Ted Kennedy, Oprah, John Kerry, Chris Dodd, Patrick Leahy, Tom Daschle, Amy Klobuchar, Claire McCaskill, Jay Rockefeller, John Lewis, Toni Morrison, Roger Wilkins, Eric Holder, Robert Reich, Ted Sorenson, Alice Walker, David Wilhelm, Cornel West, Clifford Alexander, Donald McHenry, Patricia Wald, Newton Minow?

…Even at the crudest level of political calculation and cowardice, there's a point in a presidential race when a candidate's supporters are all in. We passed that point weeks ago. It's him or her.

If they were sure, confident about their endorsement, they’d have come out swinging, like they did for Bill Clinton during Monicagate. Embarrassing and over-the-top doesn't bother these people: they'll leap to their guy's defense because otherwise, everybody believes the attack.

Signals mixed. Signs inconclusive. Shake magic 8-ball again.

Hat tip Althouse.