After months of gloating over the ease of defeating Donald Trump, the pit-of-the-stomach fear is growing of losing to an insurgent who might actually upset the political elite’s applecart. Roger L. Simon gets it:

Imagine for a moment you are a powerful Democrat, one of the puppeteers, not a puppet. The big donors, the heads of the powerful interest groups, and probably some people we’ve never heard of. Suddenly, your nominee looks not just vulnerable – as the polls have all but closed -- but sickly, caught deceiving the public on her physical health.

Few would have thought this even a couple of weeks ago, but almost certainly many Democrats are wondering in the wake of Hillary Clinton's sudden "overheating" at the 9/11 memorial service whether it would be advisable to escort Hillary to the wings and bring forth a more acceptable candidate. In other words, she could do, or be forced to do, what most of us did at one time or other in school—use a doctor's note to get out! The motivations for this medical excuse would be considerably deeper than the obvious fact that the former secretary of State has health issues of some sort. (snip) Will this happen? Will that doctor's note get written? Watch the next few days of polls. If Trump continues to rise, calls will go out to Joe Biden—and not necessarily on a secure line. In no time, calls will go out to the doctors as well. You don't have to be as credulous as Chris Cillizza to know you can always find a doctor to write something you want. Hillary clearly already has. It's easy enough to get a second opinion.

The situation of the power brokers is this: they believe that virtually any other Democrat, Biden, Kaine, or even Sanders (though he must worry them), could defeat Trump. A Trump victory is much more threatening than a more conventional Republican would be, as he threatens to end the game as it has been played for the past 2 or 3 decades.

The problem they face is that Hillary knows this is her last shot at the presidency and the personal vindication that would bring to her relationship with her troublesome spouse. He has shamed her, humiliated her, and yet relied on her to beat impeachment. There is a whole lot of score-settling necessary, and only the presidency can provide her the opportunity to reverse roles and make him the one who must yield to the commander in chief when push comes to shove.

She will not give this up unless absolutely forced to.

I have no idea what ammunition is in the hands of the power brokers. Nor do I know what Hillary has on them. But the struggle that will ensue unless Hillary starts doing handstands, cartwheels and backflips -- OK, all she has to do is make it up a flight of stairs on her own, walk unaided, and make it through a speech without dissolving into coughing fits -- will be pure law of the jungle steel cage death match stuff, all done with nods, winks, and references to embarrassing or illegal activities that could be made public.