"Who is behind this anti-Edwards video?"

First Read (MSNBC) with video, (01:04)

From NBC's Mark Murray and Domenico Montanaro
At 12:11 pm ET today, we -- and, as we understand it, plenty of other national political reporters -- received an email that contained an unflattering video of Edwards, which shows him apologizing for his votes for the Iraq war and the bankruptcy legislation. The video concludes, "We need a president who will get it RIGHT the first time."

The email -- from a person identified as Neil Dooley, and with a Patrick McMurphy cc'ed in it -- says simply: "Have you seen this? It's pretty funny. Biden gettin' feisty? See you on the trail."

We contacted the Biden campaign, which denied being behind the video. And as the Politico's Ben Smith points out, Biden's folks "would be unlikely to raise the war and the bankruptcy bill as talking points."

What about the Obama campaign, since Obama has begun engaging Edwards on the trail? Obama spokesman Bill Burton tells First Read that they're not behind the video and have no idea who Dooley and McMurphy are.

First Read has emailed both Dooley and McMurphy, but neither has yet responded to the query. Neither also seems to have contributed to any political candidates, according to a Federal Election Commission search.

We know that by posting the video, we're giving free advertising and publicity to it. But it's too sophisticated of an effort not to try uncover who is behind it.

Howie P.S.: I wonder why they don't mention the Clinton campaign?