When I heard that the protest of Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad’s latest visit to the United Nations would be graced with the presence of both Senator Clinton and Governor Palin, I was pleased. It’s a nice thought that the two parties could agree on one thing, at least: that it’s important to remind the UN that just because they like having would-be genocidal maniacs wandering around their offices, we particularly don’t. So we send our people over there, and make our statement.

Yeah. The Democrats just made a statement, all right. And it’s not a very nice one, either.

Clinton Cancels Rally Appearance After Learning Palin Invited

WASHINGTON — Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton has canceled an appearance at a New York rally next week after organizers blindsided her by inviting Republican vice presidential candidate and Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, aides to the senator said Tuesday.

…

Organizers said Tuesday that both Clinton, who nearly won the Democratic nomination for president, and Palin, Republican candidate John McCain’s running mate, are expected to attend.

… “Her attendance was news to us, and this was never billed to us as a partisan political event,” said Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines. “Sen. Clinton will therefore not be attending.”

To start off with, this isn’t “blindsiding.” The Conference of Presidents of Major American Jewish Organizations can invite anybody that they darn well please – and they decided to invite an openly pro-Israeli State governor. Yes, she also happens to be the GOP nominee for Vice President, but let me pour some cold reality on certain of our lurkers: sitting Governors are hot-ticket items in their own right. In other words, Sarah would still be there in an alternate universe where she didn’t get the nod for VP, but did happen to be in NYC that week anyway.

I’m disappointed – first, for the way that the general message (which is very important for both Ahmadinejad and the UN to hear) was subverted in favor of the very thing that Clinton’s people used as an excuse for withdrawing: petty partisanship. Second, I’m disappointed in Senator Clinton herself. This was beneath her. I mean that sincerely: I’ve never been a habitual Hillary-hater, and I’ve always thought that she’s been a perfectly respectable and conscientious Senator. Too liberal for my tastes, but New York elected and re-elected her, so clearly they disagree. But something like this makes me wonder if I’ve misjudged the woman.

It would be nice to find out that Clinton realizes that she simply made a bad call, which she now regrets and will reverse…

Moe Lane