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It looked great for the television cameras.

A room with a crowd waving signs such as "Overy Vote Counts", "Yes SHE can", and "Letter Carriers for Hillary!"

A hoarse voiced but relentlessly ebullient Terry McAuliffe, Hillary Clinton's campaign chairman, introducing her as "the next president of the United States!"

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Elderly women wearing badges declaring "Hillary Rocks!" and "Make History!"

A former president, Bill Clinton, and their daughter Chelsea, taking to the stage behind her, hugging, clapping, and looking like they were only a few short months away from moving back into the White House.

Giant screens on each wall from the cable television networks declaring "Clinton wins Kentucky" - to huge cheers - and the former First Lady herself, looking radiant and happy, commending Barack Obama but declaring that she had won the overall popular vote in the primary process.

Yet behind the scenes, and despite another thumping win, this did not feel like victory. The room was not full. The elite of the US national press was not there - most had spent the day focused on Senator Edward Kennedy's brain tumour.

It is hard to overstate just how galling these days are for the Clintons. The former First Lady has won nearly every contest since the beginning of March, yet cannot overcome the hard mathematics of the delegate count. If, as likely, she loses the nomination, her fate was sealed in Mr Obama's 12 straight running streak in February.

"More people have voted for me than anyone who has ever run for the Democratic nomination," Mrs Clinton declared last night, reflecting her campaign's argument that, if the disputed contests in Florida and Michigan are counted, she has won more votes than Mr Obama. "I have fought [this race] the only way I know how. By not giving up and not giving in."

Yet in a sign that she knows the race and her White House bid are nearing the end, she again called for party unity. "United we stand, divided we fall," she said. "We will come together as a party."

It was a message that fell on deaf ears among many in the audience. Cheryl Wilson, 39, said she would vote for John McCain if Mrs Clinton lost the nomination. "I don't think you should go and have tea with the dictator of Iran," she said, referring to Mr Obama's willingness to hold talks with President Ahmadinejad if he is elected. "If there is another terrorist attack, I trust John McCain to keep us safe. Not Obama."

Cheryl Attwood, 44, said: "I think she should stay in to the end, win or lose. She's gone this far, so you go, girl."

But does she think she will win?

"No."

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