I have a gut sense that this entire bloggers mess was a well coordinated secret attack by Hillary Clinton's campaign. I mean do you really those right wing gadflys took the time to read all of Amanda and Melissa's old blog posts? More likely they were put onto the existence of those posts by those who actively want Edwards portrayed as way too liberal for the mainstream. By portraying Edwards as having hired two far left wing radical anti-catholic feminists, it put Edwards in a no-win situation. Either he proves he's a centerist by firing them and showing that he values the religious activists more, or he keeps them on and proves he's more sympathetic to far left wing radical anti-catholics.

Edwards is a slick salesman. He tried to have it both ways. He fired them. Then he re-hired them. But all that did was make him look indecisive, or worse wanting to pander to both sides. Wanting to be friends with both the liberal blogging community and the religious activists.

This is exactly what Edwards' opponents wanted to have happen. Which is why I think those old blog entries were leaked, and probably by Hillary's campaign. Team Hillary could easily have thought that Edwards was getting a free ride, playing like a liberal to liberals, a moderate to moderates .etc Able to be all things to all people. By bringing his liberal blogger network supporters face to face with his religious moderate to conservative supporters, it forces him to define himself more than he wants to at this time. Firing them and rehiring them was a way of dodging the issue at this time. Giving each side a little. But the net effect is Edwards looking less like a uniter, and more like a typical politician playing the political sales game.

Which is exactly how Team Hillary wants him to come across. In politics, you either play the game or you get played. Edwards got played and played well in this case. He better learn from it.