When a card's attack "does damage to itself", is this damage considered to be an ATTACK against the Defending Pokémon? Let's say you had an Electabuzz versus a Team Rocket Porygon and Team Rocket Porygon switched Electabuzz's Weakness to Lightning. You Thunderpunched with Electabuzz and flipped tails. Would Electabuzz receive 10 or 20 damage? Furthermore, would Defender prevent this damage? (Defender prevents damage from attacks).
1) 20, it is considered an attack. 2) Well, assuming it was an attack that did damage to itself, then Defender would help with that damage.
Source: WotC Chat (2000-08-03)