It wouldn’t have affected Clinton if a terror attack and if a Navy mistake, he could have used that as an excuse to downsize the navy.
The presidency was somewhat of a pleasant surprise, that he was not going to place in jeopardy for anything.
Both of them were and are obsessive control personalities.
Numerous oopsies were coming to a boil, and this took front row center during a crucial time.
If he thought for a minute that any terrorist or mistaken shoot down would have reflected on his 2nd campaign negatively, it would be totally scrubbed clean of any link to his presidency.
His lead was narrowing in late May and into June, and a disaster on his lap would have brought the race much closer, even with Dole as the opposition.
all of this is post fact.
The fact is it was a shoot down. The discussion should be why the cover up, not the shoot down.