The first time I heard the John Edwards haircut story, my reaction didn't differ that much from Ezra's. Why did the campaign expose itself to this kind of bad publicity?
But as this article -- linked in Hilzoy's typically excellent post -- describes, there's a good reason for the haircuts to cost so much. Being busy, Edwards was having barbers travel to him rather than the other way around:
One reason the cost of the cut was so steep even by Beverly Hillsstandards is that Torrenueva went to Edwards rather than the candidatecoming into the stylist's salon a block off Rodeo Drive.
"I go to him wherever convenient," Torrenueva said.
