Return of the hack gap or, "My opponent's fortitude is not an issue in this campaign"

On MSNBC this morning Michael Barone deployed the new GOP beholden hack talking points on John Edwards. In bullet point form they are:

• Like everyone, I have great sympathy for John and Elizabeth Edwards
  
• Having a terminally ill spouse would put a lot of stress on a President.
  
• None of Mr. Edwards opponents would bring this up, so
  
• It will be an issue for voters to consider in the privacy of the voting booth.

I feel dirty just from watching Barone's performance. Ick. I'm sure we'll see it repeated hundreds of times by dozens of GOP proxies before this is over. Ick. Ick. Ick.

A note to the naive: not talking about something is not the same as talking about not talking about something.