Dressing Up the Spin
In case anybody’s wondering, Clothing-gate is a non-story. Governor Palin didn’t hit the streets of New York on a Pretty Woman shopping spree. The campaign sent out aids to outfit a sudden candidate who had an Alaskan wardrobe for a whirlwind tour of the country in an environment in which campaigning has become showbiz. Rich Galen’s got it right:
“If they hadn’t done this, Saturday Night Live would be doing jokes where Governor Palin would be dressed in elk skin,” said Rich Galen, a Republican consultant not associated with the McCain campaign.
The linked New York Times story doesn’t mention it, for some reason, but according to top McCain adviser Nicolle Wallace, the clothes will be donated to charity upon the completion of the campaign.
Justin,
I must admit Campbell Brown’s commentary on “For Women in public eye, looks matter” is interesting.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/22/campbell.brown.looks/index.html
But for a person who is championing herself as a regular gal and hockey mom who is working for the middle class, $150,000 in clothing, makeup and hair styling is not what your average working class hockey mom wears every day.
$75,062 shopping spree at Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis; one for $49,425 from Saks Fifth Avenue; $4,902 at Atelier, a stylish men’s store and $92 romper and matching hat for baby Trig at Pacifier a Minneapolis store. $4,100 for makeup and hair consulting and not every working hockey mom gets to wear a $2,500 Valentino jacket.
The average U.S. household spent $1,874 on clothes and services in 2006 according to government’s Bureau of Labor Statistics.
Not every average hockey mom gets to fly around the US and invite her kids to join her writing $21,012 off in expenses to the taxpayers.
But the party platform is we are “mavericks”. So I guess this is how a “maverick” will act as a VP hoping OJT will truly teach the duties of the VP to her.
Here’s hoping the other “maverick” going for President does not die while in office.
To think John Edwards’ $400 haircut got such big whoop.
rhody,
I read the excuse that she needed clothing to wear in the lower 48 states because she was coming from Alaska.
I have visited Alaska twice spending over three weeks traveling through the state in 70 degree weather at times. Juneau, in southern Alaska, is the capitol of Alaska and a major tourist stop, has fours seasons just like New England and an average temperature like that of Massachusetts.
As Governor of Alaska she already should have developed a professional wardrobe to go along with the state supplied Governor’s mansion sporting ten bathrooms, six bedrooms, and eight fireplaces; 14,400 square feet total living space.
According to John McCain he purchases his own clothes.
The Obama campaign says that “neither the Obama campaign nor the DNC have ever bought clothes for any of the Obamas or the Bidens.”
According to Politico.com, “An RNC official told Politico Wednesday that the Palins will have to return all of the items that were purchased for them — and that the RNC will then turn them over to charity — no matter who wins the presidential election.”
When Mrs. Obama was a guest on \”The View\” right wing blogs and Fox Noise critisized her expensive black and white designer dress.
IT WAS OFF THE RACK $ 148
Palin\’s $ 150,000
Mrs Obama $ 148
McCains Italian Shoes $ 591.00
Even Joe\”the $250,000 a year PLUMBER\”
thinks this is NUTS
It is much preferable to have campaign funds (which are not tax dollars) spent on clothes rather than on an organization which engages in widespread voter fraud.
Neiman Marcus? Sounds elitist to me. You can’t have it both ways and not get zinged for it. You can’t be a hockey mom and a platinum card holder at Neiman at the same time.
I’m thinking that there’s some leaking going on at the McCain campaign. Maybe a way to shift the blame from McCain to Palin for the up coming loss on election day.
Um, Monique… Florida 2000, Republican massive voter fraud… ACORN’s methods of carrot and stick and cash payment incentives to registrar volunteers encourages REGISTRATION fraud, not voter fraud. We hear “Mickey Mouse” signed up in Florida, a did in Cleveland signed up 40 times- BUT NOT IN DIFFERENT PRECINCTS and at different addresses…in Las Vegas all the names of the Dallas Cowboys and DC Cheerleaders signed up to vote—by ACORN. How much voter fraud-illegal voting will ACORN set up- create? Probably close to ZERO voter fraud. Zero multiple voting. The ACORN irregularities are not done in ANY organized way to create more votes cast than voters casting them.
Phil-you get the Nobel Prize-like Palin hasn’t scared away potential McCain voters?It’s not rocket science.McCain just runs on who he is-take it or leave it.
Obama is as much an unknown quantity as Palin when it comes to being able to be President-after all,he hasn’t had to deal with any serious crisis as an adult-unless you know of something I don’t.Biden said basically the same thing and he’s supposed to be on Obama’s team!!I don’t just mean the latest gaffe either,but during the primary race.It was vaild then and it is now.Maybe if Obama wins,he’ll give that miserable turd,David Cicilline a job in DC where he can f**k things up for some other people in the country.At elast Providence will be rid of his crooked ass.
With apologies to Gilbert and Sullivan, here’s a Palin campaign song for her next try at the brass ring. To the tune of Little Buttercup:
I’m called little Hockey Mom –Dear little Hockey Mom
Sweet little Hockey Mom, I.
I’m cocky and wacky – Though none call me Nazi,
Although I can never tell why.
So vote for your Hockey Mom – Dear Little Hockey Mom,
To the ballot box fly
Vote cocky and wacky – And praise tickey-tackey
And let all your common sense die.
Then vote for your Hockey Mom– Dear Little Hockey Mom;
Voters should never be shy;
So, vote for your Hockey Mom– Poor Little Hockey Mom;
Come, of your Hockey Mom try!
OldTimeLefty
OLDTIMELEFTY
Slapshot…Score
Joe
I hear what you’re saying. McCain’s POW experiences demonstrate his mental and physical toughness. But what I’m not convinced of about McCain is his intellectual capacity. A person’s worth should not be in question during these campaigns, unfortunately the game is rough and happily near its conclusion. I know by now that you don’t care for David Cicilline. I’m agnostic when it comes to Providence’s politics. I’m glad that the waste water tunnel that has been constructed below the streets of Providence is close to going on line. It may lead to much cleaner bay water and more shellfish ground opening.
Phil-stupid people don’t fly carrier jets(and survive)-I wouldn’t equate McCain’s somewhat halting way of speaking with any intelligence issues-he has a much less glib style than Obama,and I’ll concede Obama has a higher IQ than Palin.Biden is just weird.
“Agnostic” on Providence politics?LOL
The wastewater tunnel is a great and almost unknown project(and provides good jobs),and Cicilline’s only contribution to it has been when he flushes his toilet.
“Obama is as much an unknown quantity as Palin when it comes to being able to be President”
It is remarkable the way Obama supporters can level the “lack of experience” or the “she’s unknown” criticism at Palin entirely without realizing how that rebounds to the top of their own ticket. (Now, of course, Palin is much better known and investigated by the msm than Obama. Ditto for Joe the Plumber.)
Monique,
Palin is no longer an unknown.
After years as a mayor and now governor she has no professional wardrobe.
We now know as Governor she abused her powers in a possible ethics violation and is currently under a second investigation.
She likes expensive clothes.
She likes expensive makeup and hair consultations.
She likes to give her children and family a free ride at the expense of taxpayers.
She can’t remember duties of VP of USA normally taught in high school basic history/political science.
Looking at Russia across the ocean qualifies as an understanding of international affairs.
As a “maverick” (means not willing to work within party lines) she carries no extra weight to the RNC McCain/Palin ticket.
I doubt McCain’s ability to stand up to Putin or the little twits in Iran or Venezeula if he can’t even stand up to Karl Rove.
If he had just gone ahead and picked Leiberman, he wouldn’t be in the fix he’s in now. Where was the base gonna go, really?
Rhody-if he’d picked Lieberman,I wouldn’t have voted for him,but not for the reason you think.I am NOT a member of the religious right,but Lieberman nauseates me for a few reasons:
1)he ran for VP and Senate simultaneously in 2000-he apparently needed “insurance”to keep his sorry ass in public office-what do you think of a guy who doesn’t even believe enough in his own ticket to take a chance?Bob Dole stepped down from the Senate to take on a long shot run against Clinton,which I respect him a great deal for.
2)he is a “let’s you and him fight”armchair warrior-he never served in the military,nor his kids,but he can’t wait to drop a few bombs here and there
3)I think he is overly invested in Israeli interests in the Middle East to the point where he can’t tell them when they’re wrong
Romney or Ridge would’ve been the best choices,or perhaps Hagel.
Ha! Way to go, Joe.
My objection to Lieberman is along the lines of your item #2. He stood on the Senate floor during the Clinton impeachment debate and strongly condemned Bill Clinton. Then, when it was time to walk the talk, Lieberman voted against impeachment.
Huh? How about putting your money where your mouth is? Either don’t speechify against the official or vote for impeachment. Having done the reverse, however, you are either weak or you’re trying to take both sides of the issue: hoping that those who supported impeachment only saw the speech and those who opposed it only heard about your vote.