'Today': Haircut to Hedge Fund, Dee Dee Digs at Edwards

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In the unlikely event John Edwards is elected the next president of the United States, don't look for Dee Dee Myers twirling on the dance floor with him at the Inaugural Ball. Appearing on this morning's "Today," the former Clinton press secretary took some serious shots at the former senator from North Carolina.

At about 7:08 am EDT this morning, Meredith Vieira began a tour of the presidential horizon with Myers and conservative commentator and radio talk show host Laura Ingraham. Talk turned to Edwards, and Vieira framed the issue in a manner not particularly flattering to the ex-trial lawyer.

View video here.

TODAY CO-HOST MEREDITH VIEIRA: You have Democratic candidate John Edwards, who portrays himself as a man of the people but obviously a very rich man of the people. He has assets of just under $30 million and earned another $500,000 last year working for a hedge fund. So who has the bigger image problem, do you think, John Edwards or Giuliani? [Note: the panel had previously discussed Rudy's recent earnings of $16 million].

Ingraham declined to bite at Vieira's class-warfare bait.

LAURA INGRAHAM: I don't think American people are concerned with what your portfolio says or how much money you've made. I think they're concerned with where you're going to take the nation.

Myers was considerably less forgiving.

DEE DEE MYERS: But I do think that in the short term the press is going to make an issue out of the fact that he talks a lot about poverty and he works for a hedge fund, which is a very lucrative investment vehicle available only to the wealthiest Americans. He talks about poverty but he lives in a huge house. He talks about poverty but he pays $400 for his haircut. Those may not be fair but in the short run I think they're going to cause him a little heartburn. You know, I don't think you need to be a consultant to a hedge fund or invest in a hedge fund to learn how capital markets work and how they affect poverty in this country, and I'm not sure that explanation sticks.

Ouch!

Contact Mark at mark@gunhill.net