Pure Horserace: Cashing In On Controversy

Even controversial publicity can be good publicity (just ask Paris Hilton) and it's especially good for political candidates when it can help fundraising efforts. Just a day after publicly confronting a conservative critic on a TV talk show, Elizabeth Edwards is using the resulting attention as a pitch to contributors as this second quarter nears an end.

In case you haven't heard, Edwards called MSNBC and was put on the air to confront conservative columnist Ann Coulter and asked for a halt to what she characterized as personal attacks. "The things she has said over the years, not just about John but about other candidates, lowers the political dialogue at precisely the time we need to raise it," Edwards said. Coulter responded, in part, by asking the Edwards campaign to stop using her name on its Web site in fund-raising appeals.

It's doubtful the conservative firebrand is going to abandon her often caustic style and, just this morning, the Edwards campaign sent out a fund-raising appeal tied to the TV exchange.

Titled, "Why I called Ann Coulter," Elizabeth Edwards writes, "John's campaign is about the issues — but pundits like Ann Coulter are trying to shout him down. If they will not stop, it is up to us cut through the noise. Help us fight back — please give what you can today." The fund-raising e-mail included video of the "Hardball" exchange.

Nothing gets partisan pulses racing quite like controversial figures on the other side of the spectrum. Republicans for years have used names like Kennedy and Clinton to rile up their grassroots support and raise money and Democrats use names like Pat Robertson to do the same. Perceived enemies like these can end up being good friends when it comes to campaign cash. — Vaughn Ververs


Guess He Didn't Clear It With His Supervisor: A few days ago, Barack Obama launched his first round of TV ads with two spots now airing in Iowa. But if one of those commercials seems to have changed in the past day, your eyes aren't fooling you — one of the men who praised Obama has been swapped with someone else.

The quick change was required after the man who appeared in the original ad, SEIU Local 1 President Tom Balanoff, requested he be removed from the spot, which focused on Obama's work as a community organizer in Chicago. After the ad began airing, Balanoff asked to be taken out because he didn't want to imply the union was endorsing Obama, according to Lynn Sweet's Chicago Sun-Times blog.

As to why Balanoff didn't think about this while he was sitting in front of the camera recording his testimonial, we'll probably never know. Perhaps a higher-up in the union — its endorsement is sought after by all the top Democratic candidates — made it known that his appearance in the ad wasn't welcome.

Regardless, it looks like the Obama campaign had some backup material ready: Jerry Kellman, who originally brought Obama to Chicago, is now in the ad, allowing Obama's first TV campaign to continue with barely a hiccup. — David Miller


Still The Ones: Presumptive candidate Fred Thompson might be surging in recent polls and Hillary Clinton and Barack Obama may be getting most of the attention on the Democratic side, but none of them are leading in Iowa, according to the most recent survey.

A poll conducted by Strategic Vision, a GOP group, finds that Mitt Romney and John Edwards continue to lead in this crucial early state. Romney tops Thompson, 23 percent to 17 percent, and Edwards leads Obama, 26 percent to 21 percent. Clinton and Rudy Giuliani, who lead most national polls, are both in a close third — Giuliani receiving 14 percent and Clinton 20 percent.

Iowa is set for a crush of candidate visits next week, including the first joint-appearances by Clinton and her ex-president husband. Despite the fact that so many large and delegate-rich states have moved their primary dates forward in order to have an impact on the nomination process, it's becoming increasingly clear that Iowa and New Hampshire remain critical to campaign strategies. These candidates aren't spending the nation's birthday in Los Angeles, after all. — Vaughn Ververs


It's A Bird, It's A Plane … No, it's apparently Al Gore. At least in the eyes of the Draft Gore Committee, which has posted a video on YouTube, noted by the Rocky Mountain News, that lifts clips from the most recent "Superman" movie to compare the man who was nearly president to the Man of Steel. (Even if he's more like Superman's father, who warned of Krypton's imminent demise.)

But that's not all. This week in Iowa, the committee also launched a radio ad called "You Who" that contains calls from various people for him to pay attention to them and their desire that he run for president, according to the Des Moines Register. The ad says Gore is "right on Iraq, right on global warming, right for the 21st Century." The commercial is expected to go nationwide soon.

Gore has never completely ruled out a bid, but unlike certain other former senators from Tennessee, the former vice president hasn't personally done anything to suggest he's gearing up for a bid, a prospect that remains unlikely at a time when Democrats seem satisfied with their options. — David Miller


Patriotic Polling: Polls today often show a country polarized on any number of issues, but one thing on which nearly everyone agrees is that they're patriotic. At least that's what the surveys say, notes CBS News director of surveys Kathy Frankovic in this week's installment of Poll Positions. Kathy notes that while Americans rate themselves as patriots, they're much more wary of politicians and of people with different political views. Which party has a patriotic edge? Find out in today's column.


Editor's Note: Pure Horserace is a daily update of political news as interpreted by the political observers at CBSNews.com. Click here to sign up for the e-mail version.
By Vaughn Ververs and David Miller

[iceman_1960]

"So I've learned my lesson. If I'm going to say anything about John Edwards in the future, I'll just wish he had been killed in a terrorist assassination plot."

I believe Ms. Coulter was saying that while her description of John Edwards as a f*aggot caused a media firestorm, Bill Maher's expressed wish that D*ick Cheney had been killed by terrorists drew very little attention.

She was just joking about that incongruity.

[iceman_1960]

Even Ann Coulter deserves fair play.

(If we can't be fair to our enemies, who can we be fair to ?)

Her remark about John Edwards was just a sarcastic send-up of Bill Maher's remark about D*ick Cheney.

As reported by CNN:

"In answering criticism of her March speech, Coulter referred to comedian Bill Maher's suggestion, also in March, that "people wouldn't be dying needlessly" if Vice President D*ick Cheney had been killed when terrorists launched an attack as he visited Afghanistan. She contends that Maher -- whose comment about Cheney drew little attention -- was not joking. "So I've learned my lesson," she said on the ABC program. "If I'm going to say anything about John Edwards in the future, I'll just wish he had been killed in a terrorist assassination plot."

[r9119111]

Ann C. is a humorist, Dems just don't get the joke when she imitates Dem attack dogs because they are uncritical of their own. We love her because she dishes it right back in their hate mongering faces.
by -davidsparkma

I hope John Edwards raises millions for his campaign as a result of Ann C's rediculously childish comments. Wouldn't it be interesting to see this come right back in Coulter's face. She's a disgrace to anyone who calls themselves Republican.

[davidsparkma]

Ann C. is a humorist, Dems just don't get the joke when she imitates Dem attack dogs because they are uncritical of their own. We love her because she dishes it right back in their hate mongering faces. Dems think only their kind can spew hatred and not be called on to apologize. Her comment on Edwards being killed by terrorist was the same as the same as the apologized for comment on Huffington about *** Chaney should have been killed by the bombing in Afghanistan. If Dems want to tone down the debate, let them start criticizing their own and calling for democratic apologies. It is similar to the fairness doctrine they are spouting now.

[jntlw-2009]

Ann C. is an incendiary ***. She thrives on mockery, ridicule, perverse and outrageous accusations all so she can sell a book and get rich. She is a very sad person and everyone should ignore her. She can't stand that!