I not for Tancredo or anything, but why is everybody overanalyzing this as some calculated 'photo op', as some people put it? Geez…the man gave 400 bucks to charity by getting a haircut. Thats something most of us wouldn't do even if the haircut was 40 bucks and the money was going to charity…I'm slowly losing faith in CNN and its ability to produce stories worth reading…

Take everything off above the head, Tom.

Why does the headline for this article not include the words, "For Charity" at the end? If someone were just glancing through the headlines, this one would be misleading. What a good cause to be bringing attention to. Good work, Tancredo.

What else did he get with that haircut?

How surprising that a Republican gets bashed for doing something good for those less fortunate–sure, Tancredo wanted some positive publicity (instead of the usual childish name-calling he hears such as "xenophobe" and "racist"), but that's no different from most people, who make sure their donations earn them a tax break.

Oh, and in case you liberals didn't know this, conservatives give much more money and time to those less fortunate than you all can dream. Maybe it's because most of us don't obsess about buying that new cell phone or ipod like you mass media zombies do!

By KEITH JAMES LOUTTIT
Why are the freaking Canooks even commenting here? What does this have to do with them? What do urine samples and Canadian beer have in common?
The taste.

We Canadians have as much right to comment on this site as you do. And this election has a great deal to do with us and the World. As what happens in the US affects all Nations.

Rhett, Arlington, VA
Writing about your own "generosity" and then cricizing someone else for taking credit for theirs is rather glib.

I wasn't writing about my own generosity for public admiration. I was making a point that Tancredo was writing about his for Public Attention and only for that reason.

First, this man is SCARY. Transparent scare tactics about illegal immigrants. Hey, Bush got into office using scare tactics. Why shouldn't he try it, right?

Second, the comment about Canadians commenting -
1) The WWW stands for WORLD wide web. Get used to it.
2) America needs a reality check from the rest of the world. Half of this country is unbelievably blind.

Not so ironic that a comment about this man who plays on xenophobia for support - is a comment against a foreigner to the U.S. (Canadian). Think about it.

So, like Tancredo, to want a photo up, the guy does not even pay the people that work for him.I wonder if he has ever heard of the phrase "charity begins at home"here home being the peole that work for him. Maybe not because he is so busy ranting about one issue over and over again.

I thank Tancredo for bringing awareness to Autism. I know that wasn't his intention but it was the result and as the parent of an autistic child, I appreciate the exposure. This is an epidemic, one that our current administration is ignoring. Case in point, the recently vetoed Health Care bill included funding for autism in local schools.

How easily this apparent bias could be rectified by changing the headline to:
Tancredo's $400 charity haircut

An addition of ONE WORD to make it a positive, factual, and unbiased headline.

$400 for a non-charity haircut would mean the politician has lost his/her frugality, and that would be just another example of the elite mentally ill class living their lives.

Tom is such an amazing man. I wish more people would actually give him a chance. He is a real American unlike the other candidates. Even against what most people may think…Tom only cares about America and the American people. Tom would be the next Ronald Reagan if people would just give him a chance. PLEASE Iowa think of Tom when you go vote in the Caucus on January 3rd! God Bless America!

These people are not ordinary people. I mean politicians. These guys are hooked up and loaded with cash, connections and are the elite in American society.

It is precisely because of that assessment that they bend over backwards to show that they are like the common folk, like you and me. In doing so they make a horses butt out of themselves. These people couldn't even TRY to be like the common folks in this beautiful country of ours.

Look at Mike Bloomberg who takes the subway to work every day. Yet every time he does, there is someone there to take his picture.

Which brings me to another point: if Bloomberg is taking the subway to work every day, then he surely is in touch with the way people feel about the NYC Transit System - yet there is not change in the BS service that they provde.

Why can't he just do this without a lot of fanfare? Clearly it's a political move.

BTW, who the heck is this Tancredo guy?

Tricia M. wrote: "I paid close to $300 last year to provide food and toy boxes to
disadvantaged families at just at Christmas," yet went on to criticize Tancredo and politicians for getting his name in the media for getting a "service he needed." Wow, that's dripping in hypocrisy.

It was a $10 haircut, so he gave $390 away; is that better than the $300 you gave last year? Does it even matter? Writing about your own "generosity" and then cricizing someone else for taking credit for theirs is rather glib.

I'm curious, since you're so against getting a service you "need" in order to support a cause, have you ever donated to the local band's car wash?

Mr. Maxwell, you are such a cad. Holden's son has autism; yeah, I'm sure he's not interested in the cause whatsoever. Way to pimp your business, though. Real classy.

Folks, seriously, this guy is not going to win and he knows it. I doubt he thinks this will get him the nomination and win him the election. So why not use the attention he has right now to create buzz for a good cause?

CNN, can you be any more agenda driven? The liberal slant on every article you write is pathetic.

Why is this story on cnn.com? is it because cnn does'nt have a left wing bias? hmmm…

Oh, that's exciting. CNN throws out a catchy headline to reel me in, and when I click, he's giving money to charity, not spending excessively on a haircut. Isn't that just like CNN? Here's the headline: GOP Candidate spends $400 on a haircut. When worded like that, it's all too apparent where CNN's sympathies lie. Thanks, DCNN for another balanced headline!!!

Kudos to Tom and his charitable donation for Autism Awareness!!!

Few people have the skill or audacity to use a charity as an excuse to jab a political rival. Ahh, the wonderful desperation of craving attention. Keep up the good work, Tommy.

I HATE.. I repeat HATE how CNN labels these stories and then you get the ignorant masses who don't read the text below the headline assuming that he just got the haircut for $400 bucks instead of it being a CHARITY DRIVE for a good cause. CNN would never put that type of headline up for Hillary.

How many nights does Wolf Blitzer get to stay in the Lincoln Bedroom for putting up such softball questions as the "Pearls or Diamonds" question during the debate?

This is yellow journalism at its worse. When I saw the headlines that CNN posted I thought, yeah, just what I expected of a politician. But when I bothered to read the article I saw what he did was a good thing. Shame on CNN for presenting this story as you did.

Jim White
Statesville, NC

Is this important?

Maybe it should be:

C.N.A.L.I.N

Can't Need Any Less Important News?

No?

Have you ever thought that Autism could be created by Christianity/Hidden terms of Roman Global Fishtrap?

It's a Dollar! Of course it has the same value as gold. I think it's confusing the kids.

http://www.golden-lamp.com

You bleeping Democrats again amaze me with your ineptitude as you can't read a simple paragraph and make an informed conclusion.

This is for CHARITY as this owner has a child with autism and Tancredo paid for this out of his own pocket.

Tancredo should be applauded by all here, just like I will when the Democrat that this shop owner speaks of does the same.

Great misleading headline by CNN by the way, as many of you idiot sheep can only read a byline if it is big letters.

If Hillary did this the byline would be like "Hillary takes time out from the campaign to donate locks to charity" and you sheep would be gushing over it.

And if you ill informed want to discuss who gives more to charity, do some research and you will find study after study PROVING conservatives give FAR more away to charity than liberals, FAR more.

So the myth that we have ours, forget about everyone else, is a LIE.

But it does prove that liberals are very generous, but only when it comes to spending others money.

He could have gotten an illegal to do it for $15. So much for his negotiating skills.

CNN should be ashamed of the headline attached to this story. Though technically true, it is intentionally misleading. The headline suggests a GOP presidential candidate actually paying the outrageous sum of $400 for a haircut along the lines of Edwards and Clinton. The reality is the $400 was a charitable donation by Tancredo.

It is headlines like this that make me question everything CNN reports. You have an agenda and this only confirms what half the country believes about you - you truly are the Clinton News Network.

Just like your news reporting, you filter the comments of your readers so that only those YOU approve of get published. Another technique to manage the news rather than report it. You guys are pathetic.

Say what you will of Edwards, he is still running very strong in Iowa. Three new caucus polls released yesterday have him in a complete toss up with Hillary and Obama. Link to polls.

Shop owner Holden is just promoting his own business and Huckabee is promoting himself and CNN is helping both.

I came across a truly amazing business that sells fantastic vintage items and clothing. It should received the same type of promotion via CNN.
http://www.funkandjunk.com

Look at the "sour grapes" posts by so many scrooges (aka Democrats ?) above my post ! Its a poke a John Edwards, all in good humor, and for an exceedingly good cause, where the barber's own son is autistic.

As Winston Churchill said: “Any man who is under 30, and is not a liberal, has not heart; and any man who is over 30, and is not a conservative, has no brains.” Regardless of age, How about a sense of humor folks ? or is it "bah humbug ?

Why are the freaking Canooks even commenting here? What does this have to do with them? If they want to make a statement, make a statement that has PERTINENCE and not some dumb criticism.

What do urine samples and Canadian beer have in common?
The taste.

Are you people capable of comprehending above a 1st grade level? It was for CHARITY!!!! Most of you need to chill and consider someone more important than yourself. I might not agree with his politics but I won't critique his donation.

When I read the headlines I had to look - I said to myseld I sure hope it wasn't Rudy

Tom WHO?

Instead of grandstanding and playing with the press for a photo op, Tancredo should just simply talk to the American public about autism if he's so concerned about the issue. But last I checked, Tommy's used every opportunity he's had to talk to the American public only to warn us all on the dangers of illegal immigrants and little else.

If tommy boy is a "Good ol Christian Boy", it doesn't sound like he is giving like it's written in the bible, but then again, are any of these (dems included) elitists?

Did this $400.00 come from his pocket or contributor’s/tax-payer pocket’s? Seems it is easy to spend other's money for a "good" cause for one's gain.

Still going after the $400 haircut, GOP? After you rubber stamped how many hundreds of billions?

At least this 400 dollars went somewhere other then the barbers pocket like Edwards. Surprised CNN would run such a nice piece on a GOP candidate.

Girl Edwards actually paid a total of $1600 for a haircut ($1200 to fly his hairdresser to Edwards' location and $400 for the cut).

Tancredo's expensive haircut was a nice gesture. It got him a pic on CNN and it does draw some attention to child health.

Autism
1 in 166 children is autistic
1 in 104 boys in autistic
67 children are diagnosed daily
More children will be diagnosed with autism this year than with AIDS, diabetes, and cancer combined.

Children in poverty 17.1% (2005)
Children ages 6–17 overweight 18%
Children ages 0–17 asthma 9%
Children with nutrition problems 17%
Children unvaccinated 19%

Children living in counties in which levels of one or more air pollutants rose above allowable levels 46% (2004) 60% (2005)

Households with children ages 0–17 reporting shelter cost burden, crowding, and/or physically inadequate housing 37% (2003) 40% (2005)

Students who reported smoking daily in the previous 30 days
8th-graders 4.0% (2005)
10th-graders 7.5% (2005)
12th-graders 14% (2005)

Students who reported having five or more alcoholic beverages in a row in the last 2 weeks
8th-graders 10.5% (2005)
10th-graders 21% (2005)
12th-graders 27% (2005)

Students who reported using illicit drugs in the previous 30 days
8th-graders 9% (2005)
10th-graders 17.3% (2005)
12th-graders 23% (2005)

If this is not a political issue, I don't know what is.

he pays $400 for a haircut because his barber has lost most of his business to illegal aliens and needs the money.
BRAVO Tancredo

This is getting downright ridiculous. How about commenting on the cost of all the toiletry items each candidate uses? Cost of Musk or Perfume? Boxers or Briefs? Madame Candidate in a burlap sack or Sacs Fifth Avenue?

In the old days, it was consider quite rude to comment on the COST of such items, and instead comment how pleasing or hideous a person looked and behaved.

CNN, please stop commenting on such aspects and return back to the basics of reporting how a candidate THINKS and BEHAVES.

Those with their "$400 haircuts" would be better off spending their time articulating their positions … but I guess that's why they are third tier candidates …

Are they also going to spend $700 on pre-debate make-up like Mitt - you know, some are voting for him because "he looks Presidential."

I wouldn't call that a haircut,, It's more like a 400 dollar rap around comb over

LOL $400 DOLLAR HAIR CUTS.

Whats does a $400 hair cut have over a 20$ hair cut from Style& cuts.

What the clippers are made from gold??

There hair cuts look no different then the average 20 dollar hair cut from the mall.

Well it keeps the middle class barbers strong.

Well it your money spend as you please.

I just hope you dont spend tax money like that if elected. If you do it wont matter any way. The republicans are spending trillions on their pork barrel projects called Iraq Iran war.

It's not a $400 haircut, it's a $400 photo-op! I'm wondering if he left a tip?

WOW SO he paid $400 for a haircut. He paid for a service he needed anyway to support a good cause. Cheers Tancredo

I paid close to $300 last year to provide food and toy boxes to
disadvantaged families at just at Christmas.

I received no service nor wanted any.
I choose to give purely because I care. I didn't even ask for a Tax Receipt!

These politicians looking for gratitude for their humanitarian deeds whilst receiving needed services are laughable! I bet 80% of the middle and lower class wage earners could top Tancredo's generosity any day of the week! And not just to get their name in the media! This behaviour is way below leadership standards and quite frankly sickening.