ABCNews.com, Hume join in the Edwards "Coif Controversy"

An April 18 entry on ABCNews.com's Political Radar weblog, titled "Edwards Flattens Coif Controversy," noted that a "report filed with the Federal Election Commission last weekend revealed that former Sen. John Edwards' D-N.C., presidential campaign twice shelled out $400 for haircuts he received from a Beverly Hills salon," adding, "ABC News has learned the money will be returned." The blog post went on to say that the "hair cut revelation did little to minimize what some call Edwards' 'Breck Girl' image."

Similarly, on the April 18 edition of Fox News' Special Report, host and Fox News Washington managing editor Brit Hume reported:

HUME: And Beverly Hills hairdresser Joseph Torrenueva has confirmed that he did indeed give Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards two haircuts at $400 apiece. A report from the Federal Election Commission says the haircuts were paid for out of Edwards' campaign funds, along with $250 in services to a spa in Dubuque, Iowa, and $225 from the Pink Sapphire in New Hampshire, which is described on its website as a, quote, "unique boutique for the mind, body and face," that caters mostly to women.

The Pink Sapphire's owner says the fees were for doing TV makeup, not facials or cucumber peels. Edwards has been teased a lot for his looks, and is shown on this famous YouTube video primping his hair, and sitting for a hair stylist to help him. The video is set to the music "I Feel Pretty," and goes on for more than two minutes. The campaign has had no comment on the new reports about those $400 haircuts.

As Media Matters for America noted, bloggers Greg Sargent and Glenn Greenwald criticized media outlets such as the Associated Press and The New Republic, which also seized on the haircut story in labeling Edwards "pretty," for "playing the 'pretty boy' game in stories about Edwards, given the degree to which it's become a tried-and-true GOP and winger talking point," as Sargent wrote. Greenwald added that reporting like ABC's and Hume's is devoid of "substantive criticism," and instead "is all just mindless gossipy shorthand intended to fuel right-wing caricatures and platitudes that have nothing to do with substance and everything to do with demonizing the personality of these political figures in order to render them ugly and embarrassing -- hence, Edwards is a girlish fop."

From ABCNews.com's April 18 Political Radar entry:

ABC News' Raelyn Johnson Reports: You can tell it's political season when people are putting a fine tooth comb to, well hair. A report filed with the Federal Election Commission last weekend revealed that former Sen. John Edwards' D-N.C., presidential campaign twice shelled out $400 for haircuts he received from a Beverly Hills salon.

Just as fast as gossip spreads in the fashion salon, ABC News has learned the money will be returned. "As for the haircuts, the bill was sent to the campaign, it was paid in error, and Edwards will be reimbursing the campaign," says campaign spokesperson Eric Schultz.

The hair cut revelation did little to minimize what some call Edwards' 'Breck Girl' image. Earlier this year, YouTube showcased a video of Edwards fixing his hair before a televised interview, demonstrating the unforgiving power of the site[.]

—S.S.M.