This is politics at THE highest level.  Self-righteousness doesn't exist except in crocodile tears and acting.  It's last-man-standing, to-the-death competition.  Every advantage is neither overlooked nor unloved, but instead, squeezed to the limit...and then more.  What campaign at this level would ever be so divine as to not salivate after the wet T-shirts and pursue the water hose?  And, revelation of an iota of law somewhere ably fashioned for crucifixion will always start a stampede.