It has become clear that more is at stake in this tug-of-war between Barack Obama and Hillary Clinton than just a Democratic nomination and the potential to be the next President of the United States of America. Historic issues of race and gender are also being played out in this campaign.

Supporters of both camps have been wielding the appropriate issue to their advantage, claiming any criticisms are based upon an institutionalised discrimination. For her part, Clinton has stated that sexism is part of the pressure mounted on her to quit.

Granted, this is somewhat true. Politics is undoubtedly a big boy’s club – particularly concerning prominent leadership positions like President of the United States of America. John Edwards didn’t face calls to quit the Democratic race during his campaign in 2004, despite having severely low chances of winning the nomination. Critics could have easily dismissed his campaign as wasting time and resources, as they have done Hillary Clinton's. If Clinton were an opposing male candidate, most would agree that the same calls would not be waged with such enduring vigour.

Secondly, for the most part, Obama's and Clinton's contest wasn’t like that of John McCain and Mike Huckabee. It was a real contest – real in the sense that both candidates had a strong chance of taking the nomination at several stages. Intellectually, charismatically and policy-wise, there is not a vast gulf between Obama and Clinton. On the road to the convention, either candidate had a legitimate chance at clinching the right amount of delegates (for what was a substantial and extensive period).

And yet the calls to quit have plagued the latter half of Clinton's campaign. Though this mounting pressure has surely had some adverse effects, it has also undoubtedly hardened her resolve and resilience. One thing is certain for now: she’s going nowhere.

She may, however, have overstayed her welcome. Indeed, some commentators are now saying that ego has clouded what could have been a successful campaign. With the 'Clinton' brand name, it could be suggested that she has acted as if she was entitled to the nomination because of her experience, and, perhaps, her famous surname.

So where should she go from here? Option one for Hillary Clinton now would be to quit altogether, and retreat in humiliation. Option two demands a stronger conviction in her reasons for being there, and sticking it out until the end. Either choice poses problems at this stage. Although the latter has prevailed, it’s no longer in Clinton's hands to change the outcome. Super-delegates must fulfil their responsibility to make their choices known, and to end the race.

Clinton has still managed to garner immense turnouts and gain support from key constituents and groups with whom Obama is failing to register. While she leads over such a key demographic (that of the white, middle class, middle aged voters), critics within the Democratic party should be wary of dismantling her efforts and discrediting her style. She has earned her right to be standing where she is.

“This is one of the closest races for a party’s nomination in modern history,” she mused recently. It’s true, and let the rightful candidate earn each vote to clinch the nomination.