Edwards Appearance Gets Hairy

In new polls, Obama maintains lead as runners-up move into statistical tie

(NEWSER) - South Carolina may yet smile on native son John Edwards, polls taken since Monday's debate indicate. A Zogby poll released yesterday and a Clemson University Palmetto Poll out today show the ex-senator in a statistical tie with Hillary Clinton—both well behind Barack Obama, reports The State. Common to every poll registering Edwards' gains are vast swaths of undecided voters. More»

Remember, that was his deal in '08 campaign

(NEWSER) - If there’s one person to thank for the health-reform measure that passed the House yesterday, it’s John Edwards … really. It was Edwards, Chris Good points out, who was on stump talking about health care in 2007, even when it wasn’t a huge issue for voters, and well before Hillary Clinton or Barack Obama—and Edwards had an actual plan well before either of his Democratic primary competitors. More»

Not surprisingly, Bill Clinton is king of the list

(NEWSER) - David Letterman’s acknowledgement yesterday of some skeletons in his closet is only the latest caught by television’s unforgiving lens; Lisa Todorovich runs down her faves on True/Slant:

• Bill Clinton: The Democratic candidate, with wife Hillary alongside, cops to “mistakes in my marriage in a 1992 interview with CBS.
• Bill Clinton, part deux: “I don’t think there is a fancy way to say that I have sinned,” he told the 1998 White House Prayer Breakfast in admitting his dalliance with Monica Lewinsky.

The president sums up his thoughts on health care, and more from the interview

(NEWSER) - Yes, there was that whole potato thing. But President Obama’s stint on Letterman included more funny moments, and Time runs down the top 10:

• During Dave’s Top 10 list, the No. 2 reason why Obama agreed to appear on the show: “Said yes without thinking, like Bush did with Iraq.”
• After Obama mentioned his daughters goofed off all summer “which I couldn’t do,” Letterman responded, “Ha, ha, ha. Others have!”

Obama and Letterman tackle the tough topics, including potatoes

(NEWSER) - President Obama's media blitz continues tonight on The Late Show With David Letterman, where he'll remind the host, "I think it's important to realize that I was actually black before the election." Snippets CBS released after this afternoon's taping reveal lighthearted moments and more serious stretches, as well as an interaction with an audience member who arrived at the Ed Sullivan Theater toting a heart-shaped potato. More»