CNN

This story almost as interesting as
As Paris Hilton's Rebirth in Cell 26!

Glam and Scam the American Way...

We're interested because?

I am amazed at the idiocy of some of the posters. This is most definitely news-worthy. This cuts to the core of his platform of poverty, two Americas. Between $1200 haircuts, 30K sq. foot mansions and 150K stump speeches on poverty, not to mention how his poverty center at UNC was and is just a fundraising tax shelter, this man cannot be trusted to lead the country. He is an ambulance chaser, without any real record to speak of.

Someone who thinks $400-$1200 for a man's haircut is better use of money than engaging the brutal tyranny of Saddam and the fanatic fundamentalist who is sworn to kill all us 'infidels' doesn't understand the terrorists will cut your hair off, just below your larnyx (voicebox). You can believe killing Americans is more important to al-Qaida than getting a new do. It's the outcome that is important - not whether it is inconvenient or not. Having been there, I can tell you the American lack of will will defeat all our military power. If you think the Iraqi Congress is inept, take a look at ours! If you think Iraqis can't get their act together, take a look at the anti-war activists in the US.

So, if he had only spent $25 on a haircut would that mean he's cheap since he's very capable of paying more?

The media is nitpicking and fueling the embers of a campfire hoping it will burn down the forest.

How completely destructive that is.

CNN and any other media outlet that continues this charade loses my respect and my viewership, too.

I count on CNN for real news. If I want something like this, I will by a tabloid. Where is your coverage of the ACORN forum and Edward's important presentation there? Where is your coverage of Edward's plan to increase mimimum wage (announced at the ACORN forum). Does CNN have no respect for the dedication of ACORN? John Edwards does.

I'M NOT SURE WHY YOU THINK A $400.00 HAIRCUT FOR A MAN IS A DEAL.....DID HE HAVE EXTENSIONS ADDED???

DONALD TRUMP IS A PERFECT EXAMPLE OF PAYING TOO MUCH FOR A HAIR JOB!!!

"There are TWO Americas... the haves and the have not!"

John Edwards Sissor-hands

This just means that he'll never have a bad-hair day !!

GO EDWARDS !!!

Leave John Edwards alone, you have
detroyed him, and the republicans
will win the election in 2008. Hillary
and Obama are losers, no matter how
much money they raise. CNN is a sellout to the republican party for
writing these silly items on haircuts. If any democrat believes this garbage and votes accordingly, they deserve another four years of the status quo administration which is what they'll get with Clinton, Obama or any republican.

Allison from Austin,
I hope a doctor never makes a mistake and leaves you or a member of your family disabled or dead, otherwise, you might have to use one of these hypocrites that you don't think are noble.

Anyone who pay's $400 or even $175 for a haircut is not only vain, but is definately not in touch with the "other" America.

That just shows that politicians are overpayed...Does this show how he would spend "our" money?

who cares!!

What makes me so angry about the media coverage of the democrates is how quick they are to make Edwards looks as stupid as possible. There are a million stories about Clintons and Obamas policys and campaigns, but Edwards, who has the most substance, gets haircuts and Coulter.

The media is doings its best to make this a two man race and its completely ridiculous. Obama is more a celebrity then a legit. politician.

Get over it! He spent his money! "W" and co are spending yours! How about 2.5 billion of yet un-earned tax dollars per week in Iraq! Focus on that and all the small stuff disappears.

“WE THE PEOPLE”

Sorry guys, but a $12 haircut leaves you looking like Gomer Pyle – at best. I don't have much hair left, and every few years when I get really Stupid (like this "news" point) I get a walk-in type cheap hair cut. And I walk out looking like the average voter as witnessed in a lot of this blog...looking stupid enough to have obviously let an unskilled craftsman hack at my hair. To the rest of you bloggers that think being a candidate and acting like one precludes you from running for president...well, look in a mirror, you're not running on enough cylinders to make any decisions.

What appalls me about this story is not anything about Edwards spending his own money as he chooses, but the fact that the media chooses to focus on haircuts when we have people dying in Iraq, a global warming crisis, 37 million of our own people living in poverty, 43 million of our own people without health care, and so on.

What SHOULD be making the news is that John Edwards is the candidate with the most substantive plans to solve each and every one of the problems I just mentioned.

Good Gravy – is that all you got against John Edwards – poppy cock, get over it.

Edwards is the best choice for the working people of America – last time I checked that was the MAJORITY OR US.

Try and get him on the real issues not junk media hype!

He is still the best choice for 2008!

All the way to the White house.

I am a Republian, and I cannot believe I am actually defending Edwards on this. Edwards is on a campaign trial. He cannot fly to California to get the haircut, so he has to fly the stylish to him. In fact, it is cheaper to fly the stylish over to him, then flying himself and his entire campaign staffs to California. To answer someone question here. Edwards is using campaign money (donor's money) for most of the haircut except the most recent one. His haircut, foods, hotel expense, are all from campaign money, why won't he? $400 a haircut is ridiculous for most of us, but it is not for him. He has a previous one with $1250. The stylist earns $150 per haircut at his own studio. He has to miss half a day to a whole day of work. He is losing money to give Edwards a haircut. It is a bargin for Edwards. Get over it. If you want to know, the real costs is alot more. He had to pay for the stylist the plane ticket, the limo dive, the hotel stay, the foods.... Trust me if you fly someone over, you are going to pay for his foods. The actual cost for that "$400" haircut is probably over $1000.

Has it occured to CNN editors that you have spent more air time on John Edward's hair cuts than you have on his positions on the issues? Do you feel any responsibility for the fact that more Americans know what John Edwards spends on his hair than they do about what he wants to do about health care? Is this laziness because informing people about the issues takes actual work or is this really what you all think qualifies as excellence in political reporting Do you all need to be reminded that this is a campaign for the Presidency that has at stake such mundane issues as war, trade balances, disparity between our wealthy and the middle class, immigration, and many others that some of us may think deserve more attention than an expensive hair cut?

How about covering NEWS instead of trivia? If you devoted as much attention to Edwards' health care plan as you do his personal grooming, you'd be doing a public service.

If you're not going to do real news, how about at least covering the Republican candidates in the same way you do the Democrats? For example, why do you treat Edwards as though he's pretty while you at the same time you suggest Romney's hair and chest and shoulders make him appear manly?

Bill McKern
Barre, VT

Give it a rest! This is NOT news. This is no more news worthy than the cost of Mitt Romney's suits or Hillary Clinton's shoes. Does CNN have no shame–demonstrate a little editorial judgement and responsibility for goodness'sake. I, for one, am tired of such trivial, petty drivel.

It is regrettable that the MSM treats this as news, but as much as hate to admit it, there is a paradox here. Which came first? Tabloid news (the chicken) or a public that is only intrigued by tabloid news (the egg)?

Beyond that I absolutely hate that a candidate with real substance in his stances (whether you agree with them or not) keeps getting overshadowed by this ridiculous vanity angle.

Quite frankly, his campaign should be much sharper than this considering that technically he's the only one that's been down this road before. Why would they take a response angle to the $400 story that is dismissive of the stylist WITHOUT getting things straight WITH the stylist, so stories like this don't happen. Very disappointing.

The looseness under which this campaign is being managed and how they are handling what gets thrown at them troubles me much more than the fact that he's paid for high-dollar haircuts.

Still an Edwards supporter, but getting concerned.

Edwards is an example of hypocrisy...fighting poverty and getting hair cut for $1200.00. It is an issue, because it is his character. If he cares about poor, then he should give those money to poor.

I believe $400 is cheap for a haircut.
I also believe in Santa Claus, Easter Bunny and the Tooth Fairy!

Who cares? But does anyone really believe anyone BUT a multi-millionaire can be president.

All this does is point out whats wrong with America and why the rest of the world hates us. We are greedy and excessive and let out poor starve in the streets while the "haves" pay $400 for a $12 haircut, and the "have nots" rack up credit card debt to do the same thing. It's news because it points out our excessive waste and greed. Next time let him go to supercuts and get a real haircut that most of us do just fine with.

Let's see- $400 could have paid some of my rent. $400 could have spayed three cats, or neutered four dogs. $400 could have fed a small family for a month who otherwise couldn't afford to eat. No matter how far his $400 could have gone, it was still his to spend- stupidly or not. What worries me is if he spends his own money so foolishly, who is to say he won't do the same or worse with taxpayer money... IF he were elected President.

Everytime columnists brings up this hair cut I realize again how toroughly nervous Republicans are about an Edwards candidacy. He's got you all sweating bullets and the haircut is the only complaint you've got! Give me a break. This story is nothing. What did Bush pay to keep Libby quiet. Oh yeah. His integrity. What did Gulianni pay to get out of 3 marriages? What did Romney pay to hush up the animal abuse for so long? And what payoffs are keeping this haircut story in the news? Those are the prices I want to know.

I recntly traveled to New Orleans and took a tour of the Katrina devastation. There is a rebuilding orgagnization in one of the heighborhoods, building new homes. Most people volunteer for a few days, to help build the homes.
Our tour guide told us, that when Edwards announced his candidicy, he showed uo in a limo, took his jacekt off, rolled up his sleeves, and had a photo OP with a shovel in his hand. He gave the impression that he was working on the site to assist the homeless. Probelm is, he put the shovel down, put his jacket on, and drove away in his limo.
Actions like this and his $400 haircuts make me sick. I will never vote for this guy.

This guy is a hypocritical hick. He made all of his money suing doctors. How noble.

If we're talking excessive here, why not mention the frequent Bush vacations to the Texas "White House" paid for by taxpayers, and his extravagant display of crony-sim by his comutation (and possible pardon) of Scooter Libby's sentence after the public footed the bill for the trail. The knife cuts both ways.

I agree with Ashen. Whether this was paid for with Edwards' own money or the campaign money, Edwards can use his own discretion to decide how to spend it. The life of a campaigning Presidential hopeful probably doesn't allow much time to go to a barber shop, so the barber comes to him. Shipping the barber from out of town seems excessive, but I don't see how this is news?

what bothers me most is that he doesnt pay for his haircut, he has someone else pay and doesnt have a clue himself what it costs. How can someone represent the people if they cant relate to the prope

Money is no object, folks, including ours!

I am convinced that when John is elected president and fixes poverty, then I too will be able to pay $400 for a haircut. Bush has a lot of money to throw around too, but so far I have only gotten poorer!

I would rather we looked at where candidates stood on the serious issues of our day, like Iraq, the economy, fighting discrimination and prejudice, etc. instead of dwelling on this nonsense. John Edwards is a fine man. I would vote for him any day over the backward, intolerant, anti-gay Republicans who are running for President.

Let's see what everyone else is paying. I'll bet a Bush haircut goes for alot more than $10 bucks as well.

Edwards could have gotten that same haircut from the local Supercuts for $12.95, and no one would have to be flown in to do it. Seriously, if you're going to pay $400 for a haircut, I would expect them to include a free gold bar with every purchase.

Maybe I'm just too far separated from the "haves" in this country, but I can't see flying a particular hair stylist across the country, no matter how busy you are.

All that being said, everyone here who is saying this is not news are 100% correct. This is just late night TV joke fodder.

Good Lord, cut me a break. It is actually funny. And all this he didn't know anything about it. I never saw so many people who don't know anything about their personal lives. Are you kidding? How could they expect people to vote for them. It's beyond me.

If it's Edwards money, who cares? if it is from campaign money, that's a problem.

Image is imperitive when in the public eye. This is not rocket sience. The man has some nice hair and that has helped his career- it is an assett. I do not understand why that is so hard for people to fathom. It's interesting to me that paying lots of cash for a high end haircut is more significant than the billions of dollars wasted on a baseless and useless war. Where is the outcry about that!

We need to stop looking at the sideshows of politics and stick with the issues. Whether or not Edwards, McCain, Clinton, Romney, or Bush gets haircuts for $ 400 or more dollars is neither here nor there. What matters is how effective a leader that person can be. We have to focus on more worthy issues.

Ah yes, more of the Celebrity News Network timely and relevant stories. First we were treated to endless days of Paris Hilton watch, then the Pro-Wrestler "mystery" but since the kids in Hollywood have been behaving this week we must now report on relative costs of hair cuts.

If you are going to have a political ticker, you might think about using it to cover political issues – you know ones like stands on the environment, health care, education, foriegn policy.

And I wonder why I get better US political coverage from the BBC...

Julie,

No, he is not. He is using campaign money for his haircut, not tax money. In other words, these are money from donation.

Some guy who would like to be President overpays for a haircut. This is enough to foment comment and, perhaps, destroy his campaign? Why does he think his hair requires such expert treatment? Wouldn't Frank down at the old-fashioned barber shop on Elm Street be able to give him a serviceable trim? Anyway, if somebody as rich as he is wants to throw away money, who are we to object?

Is this guy so narcissistic that he believes this is the only guy that has the ability to cut his hair? How completely out of touch with reality can one be? Imagine the vast amounts of money he must waste on other things. This is NOT presidential material folks.

Ashen, don't you think he is??

Why is this news? Is it a slow news day for CNN? Why isn't the criminal activity of the Bush administration as regards obstruction of justice covered on your home page? Doesn't that merit continuing coverage?

If the man cannot even keep track of how his campaign staff spends money, then how can We the People trust him to keep track of governmental spending?

Edwards is in the public eye and wants to present an image of a well-groomed, professional man. However,while it's his choice to spend money on high-end hair stylists, as a politician he needs to be more aware of the people from which he is trying to win a vote. With many families working three or four jobs just to make ends meet, and so many kids growing up without basic health and dental care, Edwards really needs to rethink his priorities, and more importantly, what kind of image this sends to the "common man."

CNN is sure doing a service with these stories. Please respect the intelligence of your readership.

Mr. Edwards has money like a rockstar! He tipped all nine valets at his most recent speech in Los Angeles a Benjamin each. P Diddy doesn't tip that well.

What a freakin joke our government is..... I'm glad they get to decide to give themselves raises so they can dish out 1500 bucks for a haircut Judy down at Supercuts could have done in 20 minutes for 10 bucks... what a friggin joke.

On the sheer idiocy of this excessive act alone, John Edwards should not be elected President of these United States.

Although I don't see this as news, I certainly do not see anything wrong with paying $400 to get a haircut. Keep in mind how mych the stupid war in Iraq is costing. If you have the money, then what is wrong with paying this amount for a haircut?

Okay, let's stop. Let's just stop. It is in no way hypocritical to advocate for the alleviation of poverty if you are rich. In fact, it's admirable. I don't begrudge John Edwards his wealth – unlike George W. Bush, he worked hard for it.

Newsflash people – rich folks live in big houses and buy expensive things. Some of them also use their position to help others (like Edwards). Many don't.

This story needs to die, because it has nothing to do with the issues. There's a war. There's a healthcare crisis. There are big, fat problems from sea to shining sea. And you wanna waste time talking about the costs of haircuts from three years ago?!

From now on, all Presidential candidates must be bald so that we the people make sure that they aren't spending too much of their money on haircuts. That goes for Hillary, too.

I'm still curious how much political insiders paid for Deborah Palfrey's girls' time.

If he wants to waste his money on a haircut, fine by me. This would only be 'news' and there should only be 'outrage' if he were actually using taxpayer dollars for those haircuts.

Who cares about the cost of Edwards' haircut? What about his presidential platform? Let's stick to the issues, please.

(CNN, I am terribly disappointed in you.)

not as bad as 440 billion for a war in iraq

I am a republican, but $400 per haricut for Edwards is not THAT expansive. He has to fly the stylist out for a haircut. The plane ticket can easily cost as much. I am not sure if the travel fee is included or not. The total real cost to his campaign may be more than $1500 with the plane ticket, hotel stay... Anyway, both Hillary and Bill Clinton have spent alot of money on hair too, so this is not abnormal. Bill has once flew to LA by air force one to get a haircut. Do you have any idea how expansive to flew air force one with jet fighters security and a secret service company? $400 is cheap, even a $1000 or $10 000 is cheap in comparison. I can it can be dishearting for average grassroot donor to learn that their $100 donations are not even 1/10th of a haircut. Guess what? Donate more! If you don't like it, than back someone with less hair, like Guilianni or Biden. Otherwise, grow up.

Give me a break. How much do you think Billary pays for a hair cut? Why isn't that news?

What a crock!!! I pay $10 for my haircut and I look 100% better than John Edwards!!

This is news. I like some of Edwards' positions, but this and other things he's done smack of hypocrisy. He advocates for the poor and claims we need to end the divides in America. I agree. But then he spends absurd amounts on haircuts, and has an outrageous mansion!

No one is perfect, and we blast our politicians for every imperfection. But in this case, Edwards deserves some criticism.

This is newsworthy because it really shows the difference in the "2 America's".

It seems as if you guys have an ax to grind. This story should have died a while ago, and yet it didn't. Instead, you keep getting new angles, and angles on those angles. It is rather amazing. I for one, am impressed. If you don't want him to be president, just say so.

How is this news?

Men who are so obsessed with their hair that they pay such money for their chosen stylists are, how shall I say this, a tad on the metrosexual side. Billy Crystal's SNL character 'Nando was only kidding when he intoned "it's better to look good than to feel good." Make us feel good enough to vote for you instead of Shrillary or Obama, and stop being such a priss.