The Tale of Elizabeth Edwards and the Park Ranger

Now some fresh pickings from the Political Grapevine:

Hoover Historic Site

The National Park Service is refusing to apologize for a park ranger's decision to ask Elizabeth Edwards to stop filming her recent visit to the Herbert Hoover National Historic Site — or leave.

The West Branch, Iowa Times reports the ranger approached Edwards and her party after noticing the large video camera in the entourage.

She informed Edwards that special permits were required for commercial video photography. When Edwards said she'd never heard that before, the ranger told her that the filming must cease or she'd have to exit the park.

Edwards did both. A local Democrat who witnessed the exchange demanded an apology — which the park superintendent says is not coming. She's backing the ranger.

Crawling With Candidates

And while the state of Iowa is seemingly crawling with presidential candidates these days — two towns have made it clear they were not welcome — at least for a while.

The Des Moines Register reports the town of Williamsburg has told them to stay away from Saturday's sesquicentennial parade. Says one official — "We want it to be for the people."

And restrictions were also placed on candidates for the John Wayne celebration in Winterset last month — no speeches allowed. An official there said he did not want the day to turn into a political rally. But he says Republican Sam Brownback showed up anyway — buying a $100 ticket to a VIP dinner.

Brownback was allowed to speak for four minutes - but only about John Wayne.

Global Warming Litigation

Around a dozen law firms nationwide are starting up special divisions dedicated to what they think is an emerging growth industry — litigation related to global warming.

The Dallas Morning News reports one area firm has a group of 41 lawyers — and another has 26. They foresee lawsuits relating to government regulation, carbon trading, and litigation against energy companies. Some will also represent individuals who will claim they've been harmed by global warming and pollution.

One law school professor predicts insurance companies who have been hammered by claims from hurricane victims will sue energy companies over their role in the greenhouse effect.

But a member of the American Tort Reform Association says the public will not support litigation against energy companies that could drive energy prices through the roof.

Legal Loophole

Britain's sweeping new anti-smoking law will virtually eliminate smoking inside public places on July 1.

But the London Daily Mail reports the landlord at one Southampton pub thinks he's found a loophole — he's had his bar declared the official consulate of the tiny Caribbean island of Redonda.

He thinks his could be the only pub in all of Britain to welcome smokers — and he'd get a break on alcohol taxes to boot.

Britain's health department concedes that embassies are exempt from the rule. But the foreign office says Redonda is a territory of Antigua and Barbuda and not entitled to its own embassy.

—FOX News Channel's Martin Hill contributed to this report.