Eleanor Clift: Schiavo Case Weakened Republicansbr Commonwealth Club - The Commonwealth Club of Californiabr Eleanor Clift, one of the most adept political reporters, reveals the US consciousness to us in a way that few could.Clift's husband died of cancer one day apart from Terry Schaivo, the brain-damaged woman whose family was thrust onto the public, political stage as they battled over whether or not to end her life.Clift says this incident gave most Americans a glimpse into the fanaticism and political power of a small minority, more commonly called the religious right.