John Edward's haircut

[laylah]

isn't playing well in Iowa. My comment is the last one...

http://www.qctimes.com/articles/2007/04/19/news/local/doc4626f3bd6f2f2920813459.txt#blogcomments

So many idiots, so little time.

Jenn

[GreenArrow]

1. Idiots? No, just regular salt of the earth folks

for whom the idea of a 400 dollar haircut comes across as more than a bit extravagant and efete. At least it wasn't a manicure...

[TwilightGardener]

2. Yup, folks out here are pretty practical. I can see them not digging this.

[Cameron27]

3. Not sure how anyone can be surprised by this.

This is not going to play well in middle class America.

[Bobbieo]

4. Not playing well in Arizona, either.

[KathySierra]

5. Rosie O'Donnell said she is sick of democrats making such stupid decisions

when they know it will show up on their campaign ledger. Why don't the dems make sure their candidates don't give fodder to the other side.

[Ecumenist]

It's idiotic and in the greater scheme of things...

it makes no fvcking sense!! I don't care where he gets his hair cut nor do I canre how much he pays for it. The idiot in office is completely incompetent, to say the least and Skippy the Wonder Dog would be a vast improvement. Mr Edwards can actually make decisions that make sense and has a linear, (and non-delusional) manner of solving problems. The fact that he has his hair cut and styled for 400.00 a pop is HIS BUSINESS. It's his money and if the man wants to pay 1 million dollars for a cup of used spit, what the hell does it matter? It's his money, unlike all the taxpayers money being crapped away to fly this bubch all over the planet and used for blatantly partisan activities that are CLEARLY against the law. What about all the money being given to bush cronies that come DIRECTLY from the pocketbook of the American taxpayer?

If Edwards wants to use ALL of his money to pay for a custom toenail polish, that's his damn business and I couldn't care less.

BTW, welcome to DU, KathySierra, enjoy your stay...

[Big Pappa]

14. BTW

it was not his money that paid for that $400 cut. It was contributions made by hard working "idiots" in Iowa and other states that probably do not make more than $400 a week. Think about like this 16 hard working families who gave $25 bucks to a man they believe in and their money is now gone. For a haircut, a mans cuts at that. Its called disconnect. JE has so many good ideas, I hope he stops with kind of nonsense.

[Colobo]

15. Exactly.

No surprise the story is not doing Edwards any good.

[Ecumenist]

16. Pray tell me how you know that the money he spent was

for contributions donated by these hard workers? I find it intersting that it's the same lunacy that Clinton was accused of... Funny how noone says anything about the collosal waste of money and the outright giveaway of millions of hardworking Americans from SEA TO SHINING SEA by the present moron in office and his merry band of slobbering idiots but somehow, you and alot of other "new Du'ers" seem to have extra special inside information about how Edwards is specifically taking money that was given his campaign to pay for a haircut...:eyes:

I don't buy it and frankly, it's time to come up with something that has a little more meat if one is to complain about anything. It petty and stupid. Were you present when he paid for the service and saw EXACTLY where the funds came from, ie, what account it came from? It's a huge stretch, Big and an immense assumption for ANYONE to accuse this man when in fact, you know nothing and that's a fact.

Oh, and BTW...Welcome to DU, Big, Enjoy your stay...:hi:

[Big Pappa]

17. Well Ecu

thanks for pointing out my low post count or more correctly "new Du'ers" . It is always nice to get that little barb, like you are either an imposter or your opinion means shit because I have been here longer than you. How old are you because that is so childish. BTW I do not use the Bush yardstick for every argument I debate, but I see that it helps you even if Bushy has not a damn thing to do with Edwards and his $400 dollar haircut. Its all about common sense and not being so disconnected from the American people.

[Ecumenist]

24. I have been here long enough to know that

people often try to start issues on DU, using a series of nothing posts, then start inflammatory posts meant to cause flame wars and arguments. IF you become a long term member, you'll find that there are folks who come here to do just that. I lurked for the better part of 18 months before I joined. There have been a couple of ladies, one of which had been a member for a VERY long time and turned out to be a freeper who caused problems to no end, basically torturing a very dear member who turned out to be terminally ill, even interfering with the fundraising efforts to get necessary surgery.

Here, we are not homogenous in our viewpoints and I know that I am one of MANY members who are tired of progressives attacking our candidates for the most asinine and idiotic reasons. The thing is folks need to wake up and stop worrying about things that really don't mean a bloody thing. look at what we're dealing with RIGHT NOW in OUR White House and the last 6 DISASTROUS YEARS which has all but bankrupted my country...AND is probably the reason that so many people find themselves in horribly tight economic straits. IT'S NOT THE IMPORTANT THING, for crying out loud, it's bloody HAIRCUT. More importantly, is what Edwards has done for his constituents, how he's fought for the little guy in battles against bloated corporations who couldn't give a rusty rat's ass about the average joe, ESPECIALLY those folks in the midsection. As a matter of fact, this kind of distracted thinking is alot of the reason why we find ourselves with this giggling twit and his mob now. Outright cronyism, TONNES of money simply disappearing, refusal to account for where and how our tax dollars are being spent; being jacked by fuel prices that skyrocket by the hour, with no actual explanation; the loss of TWO AMERICAN CITIES, while these types did everything from eating cake, playing guitars, reading children's books, shopping for shoes, etc. Hell, I lost family members in New Orleans and 4 friends on 911 and my youngest brother is serving in the military right now.

So again, I will state the same thing again-- It's a BLOODY HAIRCUT for crying out loud. There are things that we should be more concerned about than where, how and the cost of his haircut. I'm willing to bet that if he stopped in somewhere like a Supercuts or a old fashioned Barbershop, there'd be something wrong with that for these same people.

My age has nothing to do with my opinion,rather what I've seen and experienced. Because a person doesn't get the point of what seems to be such a petty thing doesn't make me childish.

[Big Pappa]

26. Before

we get off on the wrong foot. I agree with all you said about how the last six years have been disastrous. I also agree that Senator Edwards has some great ideas and visions for this country. But I guess we will to agree to disagree that it was not such a great decision to get a $400 haircut. If I had been him I think I would have at least been a little more discreet about it. :toast:

[Ecumenist]

28. I will indeed agree to disagree...

Do alot of that with my BohemianCzech Hubby... I suppose I have ben through so much in the last 6 years that were the DIRECT result of this moronic nongovernment that I sometimes cannot see what the complaints that some people have when there are so many more things that are SO MUCH MORE IMPORTANT. I own large acreage in far northern California and am looking into getting into organic farming and know that alot of the folks in the midwest are still very agriculturally centered. Farmers have bee excoriated in a major way with the subsidies being cut and no protection for American products. The Tax cut for the rich was made, in a VERY real way, on the backs of our farmers and I suppose this is the reason why I get so upset when I read articles like the issue of the 400.00 haircut.

Big Pappa, somehow I think that you're going to go a long way here. I'm here on the west Coast and known by all who know me as the little Militant by everyone who knows me and I got this gut feeling that you hage a wee bit of the warrior spirit too. Sorry about the implication regarding your possible freeper status...Sometimes, my "mouth" gets ahead of me.

Let's try this again...Welcome to DU, (albeit belated) and I am proud to have you here!!!:hi:

[karynnj]

19. It was more complicated than that

1)It was in the FEC report that list campaign expenditures. Similar charges were on Hillary's records.

2) He has already reemboursed the campaign.

DUers didn't make it up. The more interesting question is where do you draw the line between personal and campaign. The campaigns do pay for hotels. Do they pay for food?

[Ecumenist]

23. I'm not sure I understand what you're asking me

Could you please rephrase the question?

[CookCountyResident]

40. Yes, campaigns pay for food.

They pay for all campaign-related expenses and that would/should include any dinners, etc. sponsored by the campaign.

[CookCountyResident]

39. FEC reports are very detailed.

And must be filed with all receipts available to back up the expense log in case of an audit or review after the fact. Pure and simple. Rosie has fingered this one correctly.

[Nederland]

36. It matters to other people apparently

I understand that you don't care--but many people do.

If the cut was paid for out of his personal funds I would agree with you, it's his business, not ours. However, the cut was paid for by campaign funds and that makes it our business. It is an indicator of how responsible he is when spending other people's money, and not a very positive one.

[CookCountyResident]

37. You should care about how a candidate uses donor money

for his/her expenses. That's why the FEC laws exist.

For what it's worth, I've served as a Treasurer on a congressional campaign and had to do the accounting and prepare the quarterly reports.

[CookCountyResident]

38. It would be one thing if if WERE "his money"

but it's not "his money" when the money is given to the campaign and the campaign logs the expense.

[fuzzyball]

64. A $400 haircut reflects on the man's spending judgement and

value judgement and priorities in spending. I would be
afraid of him spending our tax payers money in that manner.

[Sukie1941]

6. I tried to comment

I tried to comment at the website you have for qctimes.com and I must have filled in the alpha/numerical box 15 times and it comes back that I didn't do it properly.

I learned lower case alpha and numeric in kindergarten and keyboarding in school, so I think I can handle this.

They just won't post pro-Edwards comments.

[laylah]

7. It took me 3

times and I live here! Keep trying.

I understand the "salt of the earth" thing...I was raised here; however, what I do not understand is not researching and learning more so that an intelligent, well informed comment might be made!

Jenn

[Ecumenist]

10. Figures, Sukie....

I thought that the post was asinine to begin with.

[laylah]

22. Oh, another for

open discourse. No wonder I post so frequently...not. Cheese and crackers, wtf is wrong with some of you? People post THEIR personal opinion and instead of civil responses, especially from those that disagree, snarky swipes are made?

Jenn

[Ecumenist]

25. You know what Laylah, Jenn or whoever you are

Your post makes absolutely no sense. I was responding to Sukie's comment that the website she was trying to post Pro Edwards responses wouldn't allow that. WTF were you talking about? You need to read and understand things before you make ignorant, UNINFORMED repsonses. You didn't even bother reading what I was responding to.

[laylah]

31. My sincerest apologies

for not connecting the response to the appropriate comment.

Peace.

Jenn/Laylah/or whomever I may be :headbang:

[Ecumenist]

45. No problem....

I'm sorry for the misunderstanding too...been kinda testy lately and I've been noticing that alot of people have been a bit edgy. Hope to get to know ya. what is your screenname BTW-- Is it Laylah or Jenn? My given name is Melody:hi:

[laylah]

48. Screen name

Laylah...given Jennifer, actually but Jenn for short :hi:

[Ecumenist]

51. Nice to meecha, Jenn...

:hi:

[laylah]

56. You also.

I have to say that in the 6 years I have been here, I have NEVER had a thread last more than 5 minutes...tops. This is actually kinda fun :rofl: *wondering how I can put my foot in my mouth again soon* :hi:

Jenn

[Ecumenist]

59. LOL!!

:rofl: Stick with me, kid. Between the two of us, I'm sure we can come up with something.:eyes:

[laylah]

61. You lead,

I shall follow...not an easy thing for me to do! :rofl:

Jenn

[Catchawave]

8. I see it was linked to the Drudge Report

how nice.

[FrenchieCat]

12. It came from the FCC report........

and yes, Republicans will certainly point this kind of disconnect out......as they are the opponents, and if John Edwards wins the nomination, one of these Republicans will be his rival.

John Edwards hasn't denied this expense, or did he? :shrug:

[bklyncowgirl]

20. I believe that Edwards has reimbursed the campaign. Unfortunately, the damage has been done.

It was sloppy. That and the You Tube video showing him in the makeup room with Julie Andrews singing "I Feel Pretty" in the background were not good for the campaign. Maybe Joe Trippi coming on board may help them out. If anyone should know how these inadvertent embarrassments can hurt a candidate it should be Joe Trippi.

[FrenchieCat]

9. Being Rich and being extravagant are not the same thing.....

one cannot be faulted for being rich, in particular if one "earned" it....or even inherited it!

However, having a lot of money doesn't mean one is excused in their extravagant spending. And yes, to many $400.00 for a haircut is an extravagant expense. It's like saying that because the Gov. has lotsa money, they are perfectly justified in paying $6,000 for a toilet seat or $1,000 for a hammer(remember that scandal?)

Calling those folks "idiots" because they don't quite "get" the need for a $400.00 haircut no matter how rich a person is doesn't necessarily help John Edwards' case, or yours.

[laylah]

11. Frenchie Cat...

my point IS a lot of that cost pertained to travel expenses for the "stylist". I LIVE here, most folks do NOT research but rely on Faux or Rush for their "news". I know of what I speak; however, I will concede calling names does not accomplish anything. Thank you for calling me on the faux pas.

Jenn

[FrenchieCat]

13. I personally don't really care about this issue, but I cannot fault other folks

who find this objectionable.....just like I don't find fault in those who believe it to be OK.

Most folks do not bring their Hairdressers to where they are....and so the travel expense doesn't necessarily help those who don't quite understand why the need for such high maintenance.

Bottomline is voters are not of a single mind, and relativity and personal experience comes into play as to whether some will believe that the cost of those haircuts are "No big deal" or, on the other hand "obcene". It brings back the incident with Bush Sr. when he went to the grocery store and didn't have any cash and didn't know how much things cost as though he came from a different world; This story on Edwards makes Edwards appear to come from a different world as well to many folks who pay $12.00 to $25.00 for their cut. I don't believe that John Edwards nor his campaign wanted to convey that image which is why John Edwards, after it came to his attention, wrote a check to pay the campaign back.

It is like someone said on his own site back in 2004.... "Mr. Edwards is a strange political animal: a multimillionaire who harbors a laborer's anger; a man with an expensive haircut who wears a cheap digital watch and `worn-down` shoes; the owner of four houses who employs a `live-in` nanny and a housekeeper but still celebrates his wedding anniversaries at Wendy's because that was what he and his wife did when first married". -- New York Times, January 12, 2004

"His biography is the stuff of the American dream. He has four houses and a $ 30 million fortune, yet still celebrates his wedding anniversaries at Wendy's burger chain because that is where he and his wife went as `newly-weds`". -- The Times (London), January 23, 2004

"If Edwards can convince his wife to go to Wendy's for their anniversary, just think what he could convince other world leaders to do." -- Rocky Mountain News, February 18, 2004
http://www.jregrassroots.org/forums/index.php?showtopic=5314


I don't know if you or John Edwards can convince most voters that a $400 haircut is not extraordinary or a big deal, no matter the travel expenses involved....but at the same time, I don't think this will derail Edwards' campaign anymore than Obama's smoking derailed his.

[w4rma]

18. I just want to know why you and other bashers aren't talking about Hillary's $1500 haircuts.

Paid for with your campaign contributions.

[laylah]

21. First off,

I have donated to no-one as of yet. Too early for my liking, I'll decide when I am ready, not when everyone else is.

Secondly, I knew nothing of Hillary's $1500 haircuts. My issue was with those in my "neck of woods" jumping on the bandwagon of Edward's bashing without all of the information.

If I may go on record as saying, I think a $400 haircut is obscene, a $1500 one despicable.

Thanks for your input :pals:

Jenn

[FrenchieCat]

30. You can call me a basher.......

if you want, as you have a right to your opinion as to whether what I wrote was bashing.

I happen to disagree with you, but I won't go around calling you names for the fact that I am not you.

Sorry to disappoint you.

I haven't donated to Hillary's campaign, but I will say the same thing that I said about John Edwards supporters who may be in disagreement with this particular expenditure......I don't blame those who would be upset about Hillary's Coif cost, nor would I blame those who believe that it is tempest in a teapot.

Go ahead......and call me a Hillary Basher too. Equal time bashing is what you are demanding from me, after all. :hi:

[laylah]

32. OMG!

I was referring to the people who responded to the article in my local paper!

Jenn

[FrenchieCat]

33. Please note that I was not responding to anything you posted ,

I was responding to post #18-- in where I am called a "Basher" by that poster.....although I consider my response "measured". I was just letting that poster know that I can certainly be much more assertive in the bashing department had that been my intention.

see---> http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=3225443&mesg_id=3225960

[laylah]

34. Obviously my best position

is that of a lurker. My apologies :blush:

Jenn/Laylah/or whomever I am

[IA_Seth]

41. I live here..

And I agree, I think it's shitty that he had the campaign pay for it..

Oh yeah, yeah..I know it was a mistake and he apologized. Mistake/apologize/repeat. I think I got it.

[baldguy]

27. This $400 haircut has been playing in the corporate media for a week.

Yet they're silent about Bush's $25,000 suits.

[w4rma]

29. And Hillary's $1500 haircuts. (nt)

[polichick]

35. Is this true???

$1500 for a haircut? That's obscene!

As far as JE goes, I agree with those who say he'd be smarter to get a $20 haircut and donate $380 to the poor if he wants to be a credible "people's candidate."

Doesn't matter what GW pays for his suits or haircuts ~ he has no credibility to lose.

[Cobalt Violet]

52. What is so obscene about it?

Could you clarify that to me?

[polichick]

60. Obscene...

...meaning "disgusting," not necessarily "indecent" ~ although I guess you could make a case for that too if the $1200 came from campaign donations.

But I've only seen this claim about HC's haircuts here, hopefully it's not true.

[Forkboy]

42. Both dumb

One doesn't excuse the other.

[Colobo]

46. Exactly. Waste of donated money.

[BeyondGeography]

43. If you don't think this is a problem for Edwards

here is what edwards + haircut gives you on Google news today:

http://news.google.com/news?sourceid=navclient&aq=edwards%20haircut&ie=UTF-8&rls=GGLR,GGLR:2006-34,GGLR:en&q=edwards+haircut&oe=UTF-8&um=1&sa=N&tab=wn

[Manifestor_of_Light]

44. That was a really stupid thing for Edwards to do.

Since he talks about poverty and the "Two Americas".

He should know better than that. I could see $60-70 at a fancy salon.

I have very thick hair and refuse to cut it myself, because I'd look like I'd been "makin' love to a buzz saw" as mom would say.

I go to Supercuts for the $14.95 womens' special.

As far as coloring, I go to Sally Beauty Supply and get my own chemicals and do it for $4.99/ tube for color and about $4 for a large bottle of H2O2 which is enough for a LOT of colorings. My hair grows very quickly. It's been 3 weeks since I colored my hair and my roots are already showing.

If I went to an expensive Muffy beauty salon and got my hair colored every month, it would be quite expensive. I don't do that, I do it myself.

[Clarkie1]

47. Hey, I'd stop calling those smart Iowans "idiots" if I were you.

I've got a problem with Edwards $400 haircuts, too. It says a lot about the man and his values, and I don't like what it says.

No, it's not going to play well in Iowa, and it shouldn't.

[laylah]

49. Come live in the Quad Cities

for any length of time, ESPECIALLY after being in California (I was in Colorado for 29 years), then we'll chat.

Thanks for your response.

[Clarkie1]

54. It's not idiodic to consider the fact he spends $400 for a haircut

when making a voting decision.

We elect people, not political speech and slogans. A guy who spends $400 on his hair just isn't my kind of candidate, period. This post from the link provided in the OP sums it up nicely:

"This story does a fine job in presenting the local perspective, but misses the most important angle of the whole episode. Do we really want such a vain and financially irresponsible Narcissus in the White House? Nothing could more exemplify his "Two Americas" than this sort of behavior. Are we really to believe that he can comprehend the America that the majority of us live in when he is stuck in a fantasy world where paying $400 for a haircut is feasible? I ain't buying it!"

[cleveramerican]

50. cements his "Breck Girl" image

coming on the heels of his "other" hair related news story.
I think its a lot of nothing, but stuff like this sticks in peoples minds alot more than any of us might care to admit.

[madfloridian]

53. Then maybe it's good they won't have so much primary influence.

If that's how they judge a presidential candidate.

[dpiddy]

55. I don't understand..

IF you're running for POTUS, the only thing that's relevant are job related stuff. How exactly is it a bad thing that he spends 400 dollars on a haircut? He's got to look his best. Can you explain to me what that says about his values if he cares about his appearance while knowing the rest of america is likely to judge him based on his looks more than they would his platform?

[PresidentObama]

57. The haircut, like the stink raised about his house, won't be the deciding factor.

[Rydz777]

58. Enough already n/t

[laylah]

62. You are NOT

the boss of us! :evilgrin:

edited to add the right smiley thingy

[laureloak]

63. Same old Edwards bashing crowd, I see.

Ho hum. I'm off to read about ISSUES and matters that affect our lives.