EDWARDS' HEALTH PLAN WOULD REQUIRE TAX BOOST

Headlines like the one above will blare in the newspapers and 24-hour newsertainment networks for the next day or so.

Democratic presidential hopeful John Edwards did indeed say today on NBC's Meet the Press that his plan to provide universal health care will cost $90 billion to $120 billion and require a tax increase.

That's likely the only part of the plan that will get any attention by the media, particularly the electronic media.

What Edwards said in the next breath is that the funding would come from employers who don't now offer health care and from the repeal of the tax breaks given by George Bush to those making $200,000 a year or more.

Edwards said his plan, outlined briefly in this Associated Press report, will result in health care coverage for those who don't now have it and lower health-care costs for the middle class.

McCAIN SAYS PRO-SURGE STANCE NOT HURTING CAMPAIGN

Over on another network, Republican Sen. John McCain told ABC's George Stephanopoulos he doesn't think his presidential campaign has suffered due to his backing of Bush's plan to send more troops into Iraq.

McCain criticized a proposal in the Senate to pass a non-binding resolution opposing the escalation of America's presence in Iraq. He said on ABC's 'This Week' that the resolution is a vote of "no confidence" in the troops. (click on the video, prepare to sit through a 30-second commercial and then push the video ahead to about 3:30 to here the comments).

Appearing on the same show the Republican most vehemently pushing the resolution, Sen. Chuck Hagel of Nebraska, said he thinks McCain is wrong and says the troop surge will be more like 50,000, and not the 21,000 being reported.

NADER KEEPS DOOR AJAR FOR '08 RUN

Ralph Nader, appearing today on CNN, said it' s too early for him to decide whether he will run for president in 2008, but said he'd give it some thought later this year.

One thing seems clear, Nader will not likely vote for Hillary Clinton, whom he called "a panderer and flaterer."