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HereÂ's A Tip, Hillary

Never underestimate the power of even the smallest gaffe.

When Hillary Clinton walked into the Village House Restaurant in Albion, New York, for a little handshaking and a lot of scrambled eggs, how could she know that New York tabloids would soon scream she had egg on her face? How? Easy.

Ever since Hillary Clinton mentioned she was even thinking of making a run for the Senate, her tiniest move, mention, gesture, and gesticulation has been dissected and dismembered by the media. So when Hillary didnÂ't leave a tip for 31-year-old Trish Trupo, a single mom who makes less than the minimum wage before tips, it shouldnÂ't have surprised her, or her staff, that the New York press would accuse her of Eating Crow, that GratuityGate would erupt.

Suddenly her likely opponent, New York Mayor Rudy Giuliani, was dropping 75-percent tips on Long Island, and the once unlucky Trish Trupo was getting tips in the mail from all over the country...at last count, some estimates exceeding $1,000. So Hillary called to apologize.

She said I was a sweetheart, Trupo told The Washington Times. But still no cash. She didnÂ't offer, and I didnÂ't ask. Headline: Waitress Hillary stiffed gets apology, but no cash.

As the tabloids teased about it, and Jay Leno laughed about it, Hillary continued campaigning through New York this week. She joined the home heating oil prices fray, but only for a moment, since the president fixed that fast with a $125 million infusion. WhatÂ's that saying? ItÂ's not what you know, but who you...never mind.

Then it was a chat with talk-show host and 60 Minutes II Correspondent Charlie Rose (no cameras, please) at a Manhattan panel discussion. She talked of her role as first lady and insisted she was not using the Senate as a springboard back to the White House. She also admitted there would be no more talk of the Yankees: I donÂ't want to go there anymore. When asked what she would do if she lost the Senate race, the answer was simply, IÂ'm going to win. And she got out clean.

Finally, there was GardenGate. Hillary blasted Rudy for Bully-dozing a neighborhood garden in Manhattan to build low- and middle-income housing.

"The destruction of Esperanza garden tells us a lot about the difference in leadership styles that we're going to see in this campaign. The Mayor seems to think that you bulldoze first and ask questions later and I don't think you can bulldoze your way in the Senate," said Hillary.

That went pretty well, too.

But still, lurking underneath it all, was that tear-evoking picture that poor woman in Albion, New York, stiffed by the First Candidate. Heating oil, baseball, and gardens aside, Trish Trupo was the talk of the week. And so, six days after the offending act, Hillary ponied up. She sent Trish a $100 savings bond for her son. Now itÂ's over.

You could say, better late than never...or you could say, put the small fires out fast, before they start to bur up your valuables.

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