[WS:] And what exactly is wrong with dumping loose cannons that are bound to be a net liability costing Edwards votes? It is a rational thing to do in a majoritarian system. Anyone who is serious about getting elected instead of mere grandstanding would do the same. Do not blame the actor, blame the audience and the political system that severely penalizes taking minority stands.
The only mistake in this whole affair is what appears to be a direct engagement with controversial figures as opposed to tacit, arms-length cooperation a la swift boat captains. That was indeed a rather rudimentary blunder for a (presumably) seasoned politician, but I wonder whether that was done by a relatively junior inexperienced staffer, or perhaps an act of sabotage carried out by a mole in his campaign.
Wojtek