did they bring this on themselves?

The final vote total in Morsi’s favor was 51.7% to 48.3%. Not a cliffhanger, but also not a landslide.

Let’s say none of the last-minute things had happened including stern warnings from the Army, the court’s decision to dissolve Parliament, and a few other things that made it look like the Army was preparing for a total power grab. Is it possible that Shafik might have won?

I do believe so. Just in my own circles of Egyptian friends, I know a number of people who detest the Brotherhood but decided they had to vote for Morsi simply because the Army seemed to be behaving in an especially frightening manner.

These people weren’t usually Shafik voters (Shafik voters tended to be people who couldn’t accept the Brotherhood under any circumstances, and I do understand that sentiment). But there were a number of people who either planned to stay home or spoil their ballots in protest who suddenly decided that Morsi looked like the minimally more revolutionary candidate due to the Army’s actions. (That’s basically where I am personally as well.)

Was it enough people to have swung the election in the other direction? I don’t know, but possibly.