Maybe it is just all PR
The craziest conspiracy theory is the whales did this on purpose not just to profit by shorting and repurchasing cheaper, but also to create a massive amount of promotion for The DAO.
The any promotion is good promotion school of marketing.
$50 ETH here we come? (note it could also crash to $1 so please don't think I am offering any advice)
Normally it is best to buy when there is "blood in the streets". Ethereum isn't likely dead. So far, CC is a delusion of decentralization any way.
The ETH chart is looking very similar to BTC's 2013/14 crash.
Note after an extended deadcat bounce, then BTC proceeded to make lower lows and eventually found bottom @150ish.