Yeah, this is very old but its informative that its still hot on YouTube after all this time, and main stream media outlets are still talking about it: NBC and Slate write it up again today, left wing outfits both. And yet lefty extremists The Young Turks seem to think its a “right wing hit-piece” -as an aside, I liked this piece of “righting” by the young turks:
“But that’s what’s great about this particular kind of smear. You throw it out there and the jokes right themselves.”
Yeah, they do. Edwards has been “righted” by this particularly accurate representation of his character and honesty.
I caught this first months and months ago at Harry Shearer’s column, a lefty who doesn’t let leftist politicians get away with shit just because their politics are on the same side.
Haircutgate , according to pearl-clutchers like CTMET at DailyKos, is a big bunch of nothing that the LameStreamMedia© are throwing out there to damage Edwards because he is the only candidate who isn’t afraid to criticize President Bush. Yeah, right.
Even while trying to defend the issue as just a little “mismanagement” Edwards team gets their digs in:
“Breaking news — John Edwards got some expensive haircuts and probably didn’t pay enough attention to the bills,” said spokeswoman Colleen Murray. “He didn’t lie about weapons of mass destruction or spring Scooter Libby; he just got some expensive haircuts.”
So what about John Edwards is supposed to make us think he will make correct decisions on issues of great import like Iraq or pardons? I happen to agree with President Bush on both these issues, so that doesn’t cut much mustard with me anyway, and the “Bush lied” mantra is not even worth a response. If that’s the best they can do, they better get out of the race now.
Edwards is reported to have
…said that he was embarrassed by the cost and that he “didn’t know it would be that expensive,” suggesting the haircuts were some kind of aberration given by “that guy” his staff had arranged.
In doing so, he hurt “that guy’s” feelings. The guy was doing the haircuts for free (which, if they are worth so much, seem like they border on improper gifts) because he supported Edwards, he felt he was, if not a friend, a bit more than a lackey or a servant, and didn’t like Edwards portrayal that suggested he was unaware the barber was gouging him, so its the barber’s fault.
This is another thing that makes it bigger than just a haircut. Little shit like this gives you insight into candidate’s character and honesty. He blames the barber, deflects blame to his staff, lets loose on a loyal supporter because its politically expedient. Is this how Edwards A. picks his staff and backs them up 2. treats supporters and staff when there’s a foul-up.
There’s also the fact that on several occasions he used campaign monies to pay for the haircuts. When a middle-class, lower-middle class or even poor person, Edwards target audience, ponies up $100 campaign contribution, its a lot of money for a working man. And a working man is probably going to find squandering his hard-earned dollar on primping over-priced haircuts a bad return on his monetary support for Edwards. And yes, while other candidates don’t seem to be getting the same scrutiny, its bullshit when lefties claim “ok, he’s rich and worked 6 figure hedge-fund jobs and lives in a mansion and gets $1200 (the latest claim) haircuts, but at least he’s for the working man!”
This is bullshit. You have to walk the walk if you talk the talk. This kind of hypocrisy seems to be especially unique to the nanny-state left. Gore is guilty of the same kinds of hypocrisy, so concerned about the end of the world, not concerned enough to stop using enough energy to power a small city. Lefties love to hoot it up when a Republican who talks up family values gets busted in some moral failing. However, that is not on the same plane as preaching for huge programs and expenditures by the government for ideas and political hobby-horses you don’t even seem to believe in yourself.
What I love best is, Edwards seems to be such a prig its very enjoyable seeing him damaged by this stuff. Contrary to what his defenders say, it is a big deal in the fact that it teaches us much about the man. I’m one of those who thinks the high-profile high-pressure campaign brings out the true person in the candidate, warts and all, for the American public to see and they make their decision come Nov 4th on what they see during the campaign. I have a hard time believing a plurality of U.S. voters want a man like Edwards running the White House for four years.