Everyone seems to think that it is a coordinated smear campaign. I think it is basic human psychology at work. People tend to group other people into "us" and "

Everyone seems to think that it is a coordinated smear campaign. I think it is basic human psychology at work. People tend to group other people into "us" and "them" categories. When there is too much cognitive dissonance in relation to what people want to think about their country or institutions, the easiest way to appease the psychological tension is to move the promulgator into the category of "them." The smears as are attempt by people to humanize Snowden.. make him less scary, and simultaneously one of "the other."