A blunder, yes, but I don’t think I’d consider it strategic.
Here’s the issue: this is likely a trap laid out by Trump. Get Sarah’s endorsement, have Cruz stick his head up with an attack, have Bristol take swipes at Cruz with the aforementioned rhetorical 2X4.
However Cruz really didn’t launch much of an attack. Certainly nothing that would warrant the kind of response Bristol leveled. It ends up looking like an overresponse, and a contrived/planned one that was just triggered too soon for too minimal of a reason.
Strategically this is going to hurt everyone. It drives a deeper wedge between the Trump and Cruz camps and both camps will need the full support of the other to win the general election. Sarah Palin, who’s greatest political strength is Conservative voter turnout, is diminished by angering a good % of Comservatives, making her less effective the general election campaign.
This is all about stopping Cruz in Iowa. Watch Drudge pile on very soon, too.