If nothing else has become clear in American politics this week, at least we now know that John Edwards likes to look good. And if looking good costs $1,250 (airfare included, natch), then so be it.

But Edward's pricey stylist wasn't the only member of the candidate's camp to break ranks in recent weeks. Edward's wife, Elizabeth , got in a heated argument with conservative waif Ann Coulter on MSNBC's Hardball, igniting rumors that the whole thing might have been a publicity ploy to raise money for her hubby's campaign.

That wouldn't be out of the question, as Edwards recently e-mailed supporters asking for handouts in order to reach a goal of $9 million raised for the quarter, a big step below the $14 million he was able to raise in the first quarter. He's in third place among Democratic candidates but well behind front-runners Hillary Clinton ($27 million) and Barack Obama ($32 million) for earning in the last three months.

It's precisely these kinds of challenging moments that lead to a public relations emergency. With politics, image is everything, baby. So as Johnny's coif fell flat with critics, Radar got on the horn to Frank Kauffman, executive VP and general manager of Edelman PR, the firm known for handling political hot potatoes on the Hill.

John Edwards, you're in the PR/ER!

Try investing in a cheaper 'do
Kauffman: "This is kind of obvious advice, but I can't say it enough. If you are running in the Iowa or New Hampshire caucus, you have to be very cautious about your spending. Don't get a $400 haircut when you are vying for a state where people go to Supercuts or don't spend more than $25 on the average. Journalists will jump all over the discrepancies and have a field day."

We all know you're rich, but get your story straight
"This country has a history of electing affluent candidates—Kennedy, FDR, the Bushes—but right now something seems ironic about Edwards's talk about there being 'two Americas' when he is clearly part of one America. He expresses this genuine concern for the poor but is a bit loose with his own spending. I'd tighten that right up."

Keep the diversion going
"His campaign was really smart when they issued the statement saying, 'So what? He got his hair cut. There is a war going on,' because it made all of this seem petty. He's just got to keep changing the focus back to the issues."