Peggy Noonan writes that only a Democrat could hurt Hillary Clinton, “and a Democrat just did”, and as a result, David Geffen is about to experience the patented Clinton Attack Machine up-close and personal:

Mr. Geffen should be braced for a lot of bad personal box office–negative press, searching profiles, strained relations. We’re probably about to see if the Clinton Machine can flatten him. Little doubt it will try. John Dickerson wrote in Slate this week of Bill Clinton’s generously sharing his campaign wisdom: “Your opponent can’t talk when he has your fist in his mouth.” Among some Democratic political professionals this kind of talk is considered tough and knowing, as opposed to, say, startlingly belligerent and crude.

But the outcome of the Geffen-Clinton episode is worthy of watching because it is going to determine whether it is remembered as the moment in the 2008 campaign when it became clear you are allowed to criticize Hillary–or as the moment it became clear you are not.

Noonan concludes “Usually Mrs. Clinton is a tough little tank, but on Tuesday she seemed less large, less formidable. If only for a moment, less inevitable.”

Update: Roger L. Simon agrees. “Maybe I’m reading too much into this here, but Geffen made his billions picking winners (The Eagles, etc.). He’s made another judgment. He may be right”.