Okay, Yogi, it's over.

It was historic no matter what the outcome. Nomination of a woman candidate would have been equally historic as the nomination of a black man.

Senator Hillary Clinton has shut down her campaign, held the obligatory meeting with Senator Barack Obama, and she has made it clear she has no interest in being on the ticket as vice presidential candidate. Why would she? She can return to her Senate seat and prepare for 2012.

And why would Barack want her on the ticket? We realize she has great support among women and among blue collar workers and a lot of middle class white men, but what price would he pay for her in the number two spot?

He would fear being upstaged by her at every turn, given her experience in Washington and in politics. There was even a bizarre theory floating around that the Obama camp would offer her the veep spot -- but only if she promised to refuse it. That would show him as being generous and her respectfully declining it, and everyone working for party unity.

It's been an exciting campaign, and it may have energized the voting public more than any presidential race in years.

* * *

I suppose this will tone down the vicious treatment given Hillary by some of the cable political analysts, guys such as Chris Mathews who sometimes sounds like Rush Limbaugh. Another "commentator" who will have to find a new target is Jack Cafferty of CNN, whose straightman is Wolf Blitzer. Cafferty asks questions each day, seeking responses from listeners. He declares he gets "thousands of responses" and funny -- all of them slam Hillary. He manages to include her in each question, no matter how obtuse the reference.

I await the next vitriolic column from New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd whose pen literally drips venom when writing about Hillary Clinton.

* * *

Another NYT columnist, William Crystal, took apart Barack Obama's commencement speech at Wesleyan University in Middletown, the most liberal campus in the Northeast, bar none.

Obama made a great pitch to the grads to devote their lives to some type of community service, whether it's in science, education, medicine, social services, government service, the Peace Corps and so on.

His omission of military service as a legitimate form of community service was obvious and about what you'd expect in that setting. That overlooks the many missions of mercy carried out around the globe by those in the military. It also gives you an idea what he thinks of the military.

* * *

I pointed out Connecticut DMV's offer of license plates bearing the legend "support our troops" recently, adding that DMV should also offer motorists a choice to include plates with "Bring Our Troops Home" on them. Seemed only fair.

Now South Carolina has picked up a plate design rejected by Florida. The new plate will show a Christian cross superimposed on a stained glass window with the legend "I believe."

Whatever happened to the separation of church and state?

* * *

The proposal by District B Democrats to bring Curtis Sliwa and his Guardian Angels to South Norwalk, supposedly to help the police reduce crime has caused some comment. The idea got a chilly reception from hizzoner Dick Moccia and Police Chief Harry Rilling -- but not for the record.

It looked as if the proponents couldn't find someone willing to take the lead as head of the local effort when, lo and behold, Donnie Sellers stepped forward and offered his services.

Sellers, who has served on the Common Council, stepped down from his seat in the state legislature after pleading guilty to taking a bribe to help someone get a gun permit. He also resigned from the Police Department in order to protect his pension.

Leading cheerleader for Sellers is Bobby Burgess, District B chairman and former longtime director of NEON, the city's antipoverty agency, an agency often in the center of controversy, mostly concerning Bobby.

* * *

Mayor Mike Bloomberg came down hard on Scott McClellan, whose "tell-all" book has rattled the Bush administration. McClellan was Bush's longtime press secretary, and he has been labeled a turncoat by his former associates.

Bloomberg says he hopes some of his aides aren't tempted to write such a book after he leaves office. In fact, they all sign a confidentiality agreement when coming aboard. I wouldn't bet on it, though.

Maybe Mayor Mike has a solution -- never leaving office. He's reportedly exploring a way to legally run for re-election despite the city's term limits restriction.

* * *

Much has been made of the influence of conservative Christians in the election process. But mixing religion with politics is a two-edged sword. Just look at the flaps that have dogged Barack Obama concerning the Rev. Wright and that inflammatory Catholic priest, Michael Pfleger.

John McCain is being dogged by his connection with the Rev. John Hagee, who has angered Catholics and has said that God sent Adolf Hitler to help the Jews reach the promised land.

Senator Joe Lieberman, a Jew, has inserted himself in this dispute in order to calm the waters. Good luck, Joe.

McCain already has spurned Hagee.

* * *

The Democratic Women of Westport will bestow its 2008 Silver Donkey Award on Doris Shiller, longtime League of Women Voters activist, onetime PTA Council officer and Board of Education member.

She was involved in bringing 25 students from Bridgeport to the Westport school system as a part of "Project Concern." She represented Westport on the Connecticut Board of Education. Later in life, she earned her law degree from Yale.

The award will be presented at the Silver Donkey luncheon Tuesday from 11:30 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the home of Connie and Stewart Greenfield, 219 Sturges Highway, Westport. Admission is $20. For more information, call Ginger Tobey (203) 226-7476.

John P. Reilly is editor emeritus of The Hour.