Hillary Meets The Lazio Effect

On Meet The Press today, Tim Russert asked Hillary Clinton to respond to criticism aimed at her by female commentators about her playing the victim card. She bobs and weaves masterfully. Here is that segment:



Russert quoted from Maureen Dowd's November 4, 2007 column which I discussed in "You Go Gallfriend". The quote as read on-air has a interesting omission:

If the gender game worked when Rick Lazio muscled into her space, why shouldn’t it work when Obama and Edwards muster some mettle? If she could become a senator by playing the victim… surely she can become president by playing the victim now.

Those three ellipses removed the phrase “after Monica,”. I wonder what discussion went into deciding that Monica Lewinsky is not relevant to a discussion of Clinton's political career benefiting from her image as a victim.