Edwards loses out again at the Democratic debate

The final question asked the candidates to say something bad about the candidate to their left. Everyone save Mike Gravel perhaps, who had the misfortune of going first, handled the question well, and at the end it turned into say something nice about the person to your left, recalling the maxim that in politics you should never answer the question that was asked, but rather the question you wish was asked.

John Edwards had an attempt at humor that I thought misfired. He was next to Hillary, and after praising her said, "I'm not sure about that jacket though." People laughed, but it looked like he was picking on her because she's a woman--he would after all never say that to a male candidate. It made him look small, which is his main weakness.

It was also a perfect setup for Obama, who said he thought the jacket looks fine, and didn't see any reason why anyone would think it wasn't.