The rhetoric is getting louder for Clinton to step aside

The calls for Hillary Clinton to gracefully bow out of the race for the Democratic nomination for president grow louder each day. She should ignore the clamor.

Yes, Clinton is trailing Barack Obama in pledged delegates by a considerable margin. Yes, she's also losing the popular vote. But, truth be told, she's only one Obama misstep away from the tide turning in her favor.

Clinton's worst scenario played out following the Texas and Ohio primaries, both of which she won. Having gained the momentum, she then faced a lengthy layoff until the next major primary set for April 22 in Pennsylvania.

And that interim period has not been pleasant for Obama.

For the first time this campaign season, he's been scrutinized in the press about some questionable associations he has had ? most notably with the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. Those revelations brought some negative responses in the polls and sent him scrambling for two weeks to address issues other than the usual campaign rhetoric.

But time was on his side. Because of the layoff, Obama's had time to recover. Clinton wasn't able to capitalize on the momentum she'd gained and many in the Democratic leadership have rallied around the Party's new star, pledging their support for an Obama nomination.

They see new money, new voters and a fresh face for the country to embrace.

That's understandable. But Clinton should keep forging ahead. Fortunes can change quickly.

Just ask John McCain. Given up for dead last summer, he became the defacto choice of the Republicans as Mike Huckabee split the conservative vote between himself and Mitt Romney. Evangelicals who feared a Mormon being in the White House rallied around Huckabee which left McCain as the front-runner among moderates and independents. By the time Rudy Giuliani decided to join the race, McCain had too much momentum to be stopped.

Miracles do happen.

Vermont Sen. Patrick Leahy raised the "get out now" rhetoric last week by openly calling upon Clinton to step aside. This came after New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, who served two senior positions in President Bill Clinton's administration, cast his timely support to Obama. More Obama support has followed.

Democratic leadership voice concerns about Party unity, should Clinton stay in the race. And the Party hurt the Clinton campaign by failing to come up with a way to seat delegates from Michigan and Florida ? both states which favored Clinton in those ill-fated primaries.

How will those voters respond once the general election is held?

It's way too early for Clinton to give up. Primaries still have to be held; the convention is yet months away. Michigan and Florida votes should still be counted.

Only then, should the nominee be named.