Republicans fret over '12 friendly fire

[cal04]

http://thehill.com/homenews/campaign/188683-republicans-fret-over-12-friendly-fire

Republicans are worried the increasingly rancorous friendly fire among their presidential hopefuls could cost them their chance to beat President Obama in 2012.

(snip)
But the hostile attacks reached a new threshold during the GOP debate Tuesday night that left audience members booing, the moderator speechless and pundits unsure of who came out on top.

(snip)
“What happened last night was horrific. If you applaud what happened last night, then don’t come asking me in December of 2012 what happened,” GOP strategist Frank Luntz told activists Wednesday at the Western Republican Leadership Conference.

He warned that as the race stands now, Obama is headed for reelection — and Republicans will have nobody to blame but themselves.

[rfranklin]

1. It's their modus operandi...why is anyone surprised that they would turn it on each other?

This goes back to the Newt Gingrich memo on villifying opponents and perhaps has roots in the Joe McCarthy style of politics.