Edwards Vows to Ax Hacks

John Edwards added a little stand-up to his routine yesterday, drawing laughter from a New Orleans university crowd as he proposed a law against political hacks running amok in Washington. He called it “Brownie’s Law,” referring to FEMA’s Michael Brown—and Bush’s back-slapping remark: "Brownie, you're doing a heck of a job," while New Orleans was falling into chaos.

Hillary Clinton took shots at Bush, too, during the candidates' summit, saying Washington has done little to salvage New Orleans after Katrina. “We act like we're not a rich country. I don't understand that,” she said. Mike Huckabee, who took second in Iowa’s GOP straw poll, gave Bush a “mixed review” on Katrina and vowed to spend Washington aid dollars more strategically. (More John Edwards stories.)