Maybe as much as Hillary helped it.

On the day she was announced as the vice presidential nominee, Palin gave a shout-out to Hillary Clinton's campaign and added, "It turns out the women of America aren't finished yet, and we can shatter that glass ceiling once and for all." Yes we can, but Palin hasn't helped.

This latest twist in the perils of Palin soap opera only makes matters worse. The unconvincing explanation combined with refrigerator magnet wisdom -- "Don't explain: Your friends don't need it and your enemies won't believe you anyway" -- underscores the image of women unable to withstand the heat of political pressure.

Hillary's never-quit toughness did so much for the image of women in politics. Sad to see Palin potentially reset the image of women back a step.