Over a cup of coffee this afternoon, Victor Davis Hanson and yours truly made a bet.

My position: After spending the last eight years convinced that Al Gore, not George W. Bush, was rightfully elected president, the Democrats will have no choice but to award their presidential nomination to the candidate who wins the popular vote. If Barack Obama garners more primary votes, in other words, he’ll be the Democratic candidate, no matter what sort of delegate count he has going into the convention.

Victor’s counterpostion: No way. The Clintons will do anything—anything—to win the nomination for Hillary, the popular vote be blasted. The filing of lawsuits, the dangling before the noses of superdelegates of various irresistible blandishments—whatever it takes, the Clintons will do. Without compunction. Even with a certain glee. Regardless of the popular vote going into the convention, therefore, Hillary Clinton, and not Barack Obama, will emerge with the nomination.

The stake in our bet? Well, you need to understand that Victor carries with him certain memories of the family farm in the San Joaquin Valley, including nearly going broke not once but twice, while I have five kids to clothe, feed, house and—apparently this is a requirement these days—educate. Neither of us is therefore what you might term a high roller.

We shook on five bucks.