When Bill Clinton told Hillary about his dalliance with Monica Lewinsky, the First Lady banished him to one of the White House couches for several nights. “I spent the first couple of days alternating between begging her for forgiveness and planning strikes on al-Qaeda,” Mr Clinton recalled.

The former president was not implying any causality. But it is tempting to believe that Mrs Clinton’s wrath alone would be capable of launching missiles at distant targets. Starting this weekend, when she finally concedes the nomination, obituaries of the Clinton almost-dynasty will start to appear.