No talking to Hamas

So Robert Malley, who worked on Middle East policy in the Clinton Administration and who now works for the International Crisis Group, has been cut as an informal Obama adviser because he's met with members of Hamas. It's unfortunate that the campaign feels it's politically necessary to jettison (hopefully only temporarily) advisers like Malley and Samantha Powers at the first whiff of political controversy.

Especially so in the case of Malley. The guy's job at Crisis Group is to provide informed analysis of the political and security landscape in the Middle East, and it seems like a good way to do that would be to talk to members of Hamas, one of the most important actors. And if you're Barack Obama trying to decide what to do about Hamas, wouldn't it be a good thing to talk to someone who has actually gained some perspective by talking to them? I suppose that' s far too sensible for the campaign season.