My first gut reaction was that this would produce a rally around Hillary effect (basic psychology...at least I think - the victim's favorability goes up). But since Hillary was no where near the place, I kind of doubt it (she's not in any way a victim - her campaign staffers are - and the act wasn't political in any way). It's always possible. I imagine whatever effect this has in phone public opinion polls (NH people may be hesitant to vote against Hillary for 1-2 days after this thing happened) will fade away in a couple of days when people are thinking of other things.

The one concrete thing that it cools down the campaigns for a few days. Edwards/Obama probably can't attack Hillary for a few days (it'll just make them look bad), and Hillary presumably won't bother attacking them (it'll make her look like she's callous to the tragedy...or something).

So...the race pauses for a few days. Oh well, it's a weekend anyway.

My sense is that this won't matter much in the end. It might be good that she didn't have the DNC speech since the comparisons between her and Obama would not have been great. The health care issue is strong for Clinton and she will just push it until it breaks through to voters. It gives her something of substance to talk about. Since Obama has had some momentum the race pausing for a few days is probably good. Her press conference was fairly well recieved as well so that may benefit her. I agree with virginiacentrist thata this will mostly be gone in a few days.

"I wonder if it also subtly reinforces the sense that Hillary somehow provokes crazy, extreme reactions among people in a way the likes of Obama and Edwards do not--"

Only if you're a total jerk.

mmathog:  "Only if you're a total jerk."  Why?  The thought certainly crossed my mind, and I go out of my way not to be a jerk.   I think that thought is called common sense.

Ok. It's settled. She has lost the screaming loonie vote. Admittedly that does seem like a big chunk of the electorate some days, but she never really had them anyway.

"Only if you're a total jerk."

I find the "oh my god people almost died let's suspend politics and political analysis for a arbitrary amount of days!" attitude to be pretty lame.

Right after 9-11 happened, I was totally shocked and very upset like most people (in fact, I spent a great amount of that day trying to contact relatives in NYC). But I also felt that it was appropriate to have a civil conversation with my roommate about the political ramifications. We both agreed that Bush would be politically invincible for at least a year....

Politics goes on, folks...deal with it.

Ashamed as I am to confess it, one of my first thoughts was "Did she put somebody up to this?", and judging from the talk around the office yesterday, I was not alone in wondering.  Of course I quickly shook that off and proceeded to hope everything turned out all right, and, thankfully, it did.

But watching the news later in the evening, I noticed that Hillary got a really good "Presidential" moment  in her driveway, looking calm and concerned and strong, and I had to wait until late into the night to see Edwards and Obama at the DNC because even Mathews was consumed with the mad bomber and Hillary's live press conference outside her home.  The main media covered it and covered her, (and didn't really cover the DNC meeting) and she looked good and fueled the noise about how "Presidential" she is.  Good day for Hillary, I'd say.

(And I wonder if she put him up to it.......?)  (Just sayin')

With the admittedly unfair advantage of 18 hours' distance, I disagree a bit with Mike's assessment

Sorry, you guys are right. I definitely want to jump on the bandwagon of 'Hillary's such a fucking bitch that her campaign headquarters is the most likely one to be the target of a troubled crazy-man raped by a member of the catholic clergy and thrown out on the street by Ronald Reagan.'

What bullshit.

Obama has my vote, but actually it's me who's not letting his emotion get in the way of his analysis (in sharp contrast to virginiacentrist, who always finds ways to type her feelings, and particularly her foaming enmity toward HRC, on these threads) .

It's not that 'what are the political ramifications,' that's a discussion of whether this will impact her or others in the polls, sympathy, more name recognition, etc...

This was just another (totally predictable) opportunity to call HRC a 'bitch,' nicely done.

hog, I like to foam enmity at Hillary myself, but her press conference was good; calm and measured, but to be honest I am not sure how any candidate would have flubbed this so I am not all that impressed either at it. But the only person who seems to be calling Hillary a bitch in this is you. I think vanwurs statement is meant to show paranoid humor and as such is not remotely to be taken seriously. I agree with you that Crowleys statement was a bit bizarre, but nothing to hyperventilate about either. If anything I think the loonies would be attracted to Rudy on the Republican side, and Kuchinich and Gravel for the Dems, since loonies attract loonies.

Blackton, I like your post, but I still think Crowley was cutely taking the opportunity to call Hillary a 'bitch,' I mean just 'somehow provokes crazy' unlike her opponents. Give me a break.

I'm not impressed or unimpressed with her performance (she's no Sarkozy, at least not this time) but there's tons more fruit in speculation on whether this incident attracted any lasting sympathy or raised her name recognition, or not.

I also find it potentially fruitful that the perpetrator might have been the victim of two of the larger controversies in the last 20 years; namely physical abuse by the Catholic Church and Reagan's wicked policies toward the mentally ill.

Aren't those more compelling subjects than another round of 'do hard rock lyrics cause former US marines to shoot up nightclubs?'

Blackton....

Well, maybe remotely.

I've been thinking a lot about the bizarre incident on Friday and how it in itself, and perhaps more