RNC shells out $150K for Palin fashion

This wouldn't normally matter a jot to anyone, but this is other people's money we are talking about here:

The Republican National Committee has spent more than $150,000 to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her family since her surprise pick by John McCain in late August.

According to financial disclosure records, the accessorizing began in early September and included bills from Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York for a combined $49,425.74.

The records also document a couple of big-time shopping trips to Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis, including one $75,062.63 spree in early September.

The RNC also spent $4,716.49 on hair and makeup through September after reporting no such costs in August.

Did the people who donated money to McCain's campaign do so to help defeat Obama or to add to Palin's wardrobe? I mean let's face it, she didn't work at the local bingo hall before McCain picked her, she was the governor of the only state standing between the US and big bad Russia. I presume she had clothes.

Now, no-one's arguing that she should be sent out in sackcloth and ashes, but it's a bit much to have to listen to the Republicans talking of "elitist" Democrats and then find them spending tens of thousands of dollars of other people's money in Saks Fifth Avenue to dress up someone who they then sell as "a regular Hockey mom". The distance between what they are claiming and the reality is simply gob smacking.

But what's hysterical here is the Republican reaction to all this:

"With all of the important issues facing the country right now, it’s remarkable that we’re spending time talking about pantsuits and blouses," said spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt. "It was always the intent that the clothing go to a charitable purpose after the campaign."

Yeah, with "all of the important issues facing the country right now" it's really important that we immediately get back to discussing what William Ayers did when Obama was eight years old.

Next, we'll have Karl Rove lecturing us on negative campaigning. Oh wait, we do!




Shortly after a woman tries to arrest him Rove states, "Yesterday John Kerry, your nominee of your party in 2004 stands up and says, 'If John McCain was asked a question of whether he wore boxers or briefs, his answer would be, "It depends!"' I think that's under the table and pretty nasty!"

Imagine being so despicable as to imply that someone is a flip-flopper?

These people are such transparent hypocrites.

UPDATE:

American Blog have worked out that the Hockey mom spent as much on clothing for this campaign as the average family spends in eighty years.

Click title for full article.

Tags: Palin, expenses, McCain, US Election 2008