Hillary Clinton has canceled her appearance at a New York rally organized by several Jewish groups in protest against Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad. Clinton had accepted the groups’ invitation, but backed out after learning they’d also invited Republican Vice Presidential nominee, Sarah Palin.

That would have set up a closely scrutinized and potentially explosive pairing in the midst of a presidential campaign, one in which the New York senator is campaigning for Democratic nominee Barack Obama while Palin actively courts disappointed Clinton supporters.

Clinton aides were furious. They first learned of the plan to have both Clinton and Palin appear when informed by reporters.

“Her attendance was news to us, and this was never billed to us as a partisan political event,” said Clinton spokesman Philippe Reines. “Sen. Clinton will therefore not be attending.”

It’s a shame, really. I have a feeling Palin and Clinton would’ve made Fey-Poehler look like amateurs.