Julian Zelizer : Hillary Clinton 's comment about being ` ` dead ' '' landed with a thud . He says gaffes tend to drive a lot of media out of politicians . As Robin Abcarian wrote in the Los Angeles Times : `` Here is an iron-clad rule of American politics : If you are a millionaire with multiple houses , never , under any circumstances , discuss your financial struggles . Vast majority of gaffes do n't have a significant lasting impact , he says . Zelizer : When gaffes do occur , it 's because they reinforce perceptions of candidate 's flaws .
Julian Zelizer : Hillary Clinton 's comment about being ` ` dead ' '' landed with a thud . He says gaffes tend to drive a lot of media out of politicians . Vast majority of gaffes do n't have a significant lasting impact , he says . Zelizer : When gaffes do occur , it 's because they reinforce perceptions of candidate 's flaws .