So, here’s the thing: I still don’t have as big a problem with the red phone ad, in isolation, as many other observers do. It was nasty business, to be sure. But c’est la guerre. By contrast, I still do think that Hillary’s Commander in Chief mash note to Old Man McCain was appalling, totally beyond the pale. If you look at the two together, though, now it seems that we’re talking about a special kind of stupid.

And here’s why: as TPM has noted, Hillary’s decision to make this race about experience and foreign policy chops likely isn’t going to do her much good against Obama. Because she has no foreign policy chops to speak of. And her experience argument sits on a pretty shaky foundation. In fairness, the same is true, on both counts, when it comes to Obama. But Old Man McCain, on the other hand, appears comparatively experienced and strong on foreign policy. These are his issues. Hillary, in other words, has shifted the game to the playing field on which McCain has the greatest perceived advantage over both of the potential Democratic nominees. (Though at least Obama can say that he was against the Iraq War from the get-go.)

Hillary’s strategery, then, might provide some short-term gains. But her tactics lead nowhere over the long haul. Or at least nowhere good. For either her or for Obama. You don’t believe me? Then listen to McCain aid, Randy Scheunemann, who says: “Please keep running those 3:00 a.m. ads about who you want to answer the phone, because we like those.” And why wouldn’t the McCain camp like them? Most Americans, when polled on the issue, think that Old Man McCain is the best person to answer that phone call. By a wide margin. Well played, Hillary. Well played.

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