Clusterfuck.
So, so
delicious:
Grim-faced aides acknowledged that it was an unusually dark moment, made worse by the self-inflicted, seemingly avoidable nature of the wound. In low-volume, out-of-the-way conversations, a few of them are now wondering whether victory is still possible and whether they are entering McCain-Palin ticket territory.
No, victory is not possible, and yes, they long ago entered McCain-Palin territory. But this is the best part:
Still, a flustered adviser, describing the mood, said that the campaign was turning into a vulgar, unprintable phrase.
Clusterfuck, right? It should be okay to quote someone else saying "clusterfuck." But given that it usually isn't, "screwed the pooch" would've also worked.
Tue Sep 18, 2012 at 10:04 PM PT: If not clusterfuck, I guess it could've been "shitshow". Or perhaps "shitfest". Or as noted in the comments, SNAFU (situation normal, all fucked up), or FUBAR (fucked up beyond all recognition).
But I still bet it's clusterfuck.