Apparently Sarah Palin Went Clothes Shopping With Republican Money?
Thursday, October 23, 2008Posted in: American Politics, Sarah Palin gaffes
I can’t say I’m overly surprised.
Sarah Palin has spent nearly £100,000 of Republican money on clothes and accessories.
Her own party has admitted the Alaska Governor blew the cash (almost $150,000) on shopping sprees in upmarket shops such as Neiman Marcus and Saks.
Hey, at least she has great taste in shoes right?
Scott
October 23
11:22 am
Seems excessive, yes. Even though I don’t like Palin, would never vote for Palin, even if it was for city council, I can understand seeing a big bill for clothes while on the Presidential campaign trail. Women’s clothes are more expensive then men’s, and it’s not as easy to mix and match. A guy can get three suits, a half-dozen shirts, and a bunch of ties, and be set. It’s rather easy on our end.
Still, she could have shopped at cheaper stores. 😉
Kristie(J)
October 23
1:27 pm
Unfuckingbelievable.
Teddypig
October 23
1:41 pm
Mrs. McCain probably took her out for some shopping therapy since they are losing so bad in the polls.
But ya know, Joe Six Pack and Joe The Plumber would be better off voting for them since they understand and only have the middle classes welfare at heart even if they are rich and can blow money like a Texan.
Sam
October 23
1:46 pm
Hey Now,
She’s just stimulating the economy. Wish I could be so stimulating myself….
Sam
Emmy
October 23
2:29 pm
I don’t know too many Jane Six-Pack/ Jane the Plumber Wal-mart hockey moms who have a $18k/week clothing budget. Apparently I need to start drinking more.
Dee Tenorio
October 23
3:39 pm
Not that I agree with excessive shopping, but…it’s not like she can go shopping at WalMart. And have YOU tried shopping at NM? I’ve seen a single purse cost 5k there.
Also, those clothes might just be her parting gifts for playing “Who Wants To Be President?”…
Dorothy Mantooth
October 23
3:40 pm
Yes, the RNC gave her the money, and after the election the clothes are to be auctioned off for charity.
AztecLady
October 23
4:01 pm
I am more concerned, regarding her pattern of behaviour, with the whole “who pays for her children’s travel” and “paying perdiem for staying at home” bits than by the one shopping spree.
Then again, blowing 150K in six weeks, when the Joe Plumbers and Joe Six-Pack’s of the country don’t make that in three years or more… well, not exactly relating to the “real” America, from where I sit.
Robin
October 23
5:35 pm
I see this as more about the RNC and the McCain-Palin campaign than about Palin herself. For me it’s just one more double-standard the Republicans and the campaign blithely embrace in order to get their candidates elected (because is there anyone who actually believes McCain or Palin is an independent?). They push the Obama-Ayers thing but won’t address the McCain-Liddy relationship; they call Obama’s tax plan socialist while endorsing the feds buying portions of the banks; they advocate small government and then try to get all this moral legislation federally enacted. As far as I’m concerned, the party the current RNC represents doesn’t care one whit about the middle class and the poor, about Latinos or Blacks or any immigrant group, outside of talking them out of their own economic self-interest — and their votes.
Jamaica Layne
October 23
6:21 pm
At least Obama buys his own damn suits!
vein
October 23
6:58 pm
I find it weird that ‘socialist’ (“From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs”) is an insult over here.
Anonymous
October 23
7:10 pm
I understand she know needs to look the part and she may have not had the clothes to do it, but as a shopper I know it’s totally possible to be stylish affordably. Has she not ever heard of Macy’s? Seriously. There’s also Bloomingdales and even St. John.
This is why you can’t give certain people money. Just because it costs more doesn’t mean it’s better. Take Michael Kors for example. When was the last time the man had a decent season?
joanne
October 23
7:35 pm
I’m no fan of Palin, but I blame her handlers for this more than I do her. I’m not sure, but I think someone else did the shopping. I can understand the need to have her well coiffed and well clothed on the campaign trail, but the amount of money spent is just mind-boggling. Everyone connected to her campaign (including Palin) seems to be completely clueless!
Robin
October 23
8:25 pm
I find it weird that ’socialist’ (”From each according to their ability, to each according to their needs”) is an insult over here.
Americans have been indoctrinated into the idea that anything even possibly hinting at or resembling communism is *bad* and to be feared, hated, and reported upon immediately. That our entire income tax code could be characterized as socialist (along with social security, minimum wage, etc.) does not register with many Americans, because we have not been taught to understand economics philosophically but rather through some warped prism of “patriotism,” which creates an equally warped notion of capitalism and of liberal and conservative politics. So yes, calling something socialist is a smear of the highest order, because it feeds into the American fear of communism. Which always cracks me up because the Republican color is red.
sallahdog
October 23
10:06 pm
I am no apologist for Palin, but I would bet that while on the campaign trail, someone (who was a freaking idiot) went out and brought a lot of clothes back to the hotel wherever she was and she pointed out the ones she liked. I couldn’t tell you the difference between a 5k or a 500 dollar jacket..
This one I blame on the RNC, not on Palin herself..
sallahdog
October 23
10:10 pm
That our entire income tax code could be characterized as socialist (along with social security, minimum wage, etc.) does not register with many Americans, because we have not been taught to understand economics philosophically but rather through some warped prism of “patriotism,”
Or that lovely bailout that Washington just voted for, that is actually a classic example of socialism.. But far be it for people to actually get told the ‘facts’… The US has been indocrinated to think that we are a free market system, which isn’t really true…
Teddypig
October 24
12:10 am
Americans have been indoctrinated into the idea that anything even possibly hinting at or resembling communism is *bad* and to be feared, hated, and reported upon immediately. That our entire income tax code could be characterized as socialist (along with social security, minimum wage, etc.) does not register with many Americans, because we have not been taught to understand economics philosophically but rather through some warped prism of “patriotism,” which creates an equally warped notion of capitalism and of liberal and conservative politics. So yes, calling something socialist is a smear of the highest order, because it feeds into the American fear of communism. Which always cracks me up because the Republican color is red.
Did anyone catch the youtube video of Rep Michelle Bachmann on MSNBC Hardball from Friday all wild eyed and demanding an immediate investigations for anti-American views starting with Obama? It was like a full on McCarthyism moment. It’s like every good friend of Sarah Palin’s the Republicans can find is going on national television to make the most irrational accusations to get a McCain win.
It is great comedy and all but the fact these people honestly believe what they are saying is scary.
AztecLady
October 24
1:13 am
I don’t know if the people in the news (McCain, Palin, etc.) believe it or not, what worries me is that there are citizens who vote that believe these bits.
JC Wilder
October 24
2:31 am
Teddypig – I did see the video of Bachmann and it was horrifying. Did you hear the RNC pulled all of the funds for her advertising? Yep – they left her high and dry.
As for Shopping-gate, in 1993 McCain went on the warpath about spending public money on personal expenses. He was specifically talking about Clinton getting a $200 haircut.
McCain went on and on about how disgraceful it was and it shouldn’t be allowed…and only 15 years later Palin has loaded up and so did his wife – she spent 300k.
At this point even a writer couldn’t create fiction better than this. 🙂
queenbeetrainer
October 24
4:00 pm
Just out of curiosity, why isn’t anyone asking who is paying for the rest of the candidates’ clothing? Palin’s family of moderate means and I have no problem with her getting assistance with her wardrobe. I find it to be somewhat disingenous that this is even coming up; if they didn’t dress her right then she’d be up on stage looking like a schlepp next to Cindy McCain and all the talking heads would be carping on her for that. I can hear it now “How embarrasing that a VP candidate is meeting the leader of France in her fleece. Can’t the RNC even dress her…” If people want to disagree with her based on policy and record that is one thing, but this clothing thing is dumb. If people can’t get over it though they should just chalk it up to the RNC testing out Obama’s redistribution of wealth plan.
Roslyn Holcomb
October 24
5:16 pm
Actually Queenbee, they did investigate the other candidate’s shopping expenditures and found nothing like that.
Anon76
October 24
6:07 pm
$150,000. Say it with me, $150,000.
Now look at your bank accounts. Is $150,000 in there. And if it is, is it throw-away money? Can you take it all and trick yourself out?
I do understand that you have to put on a certain image as a VP candidate, but this is beyond the pale.
For me, the ticket of McCain/Palin is about excess. And Palin is setting aside her supposed values as a “hockey mom” and feeling that rock star thing.
I don’t need stars, I can read about them in the Enquirer. I want answers. I want to know why many doctors are dropping their long term patients once they hit medicaid age. I want to know why drug costs are so high. I want to know why our tax code is hundreds and thousands of pages…with most of them being for hiding of assets so as not to pay tax on them.
I’m sick to death of the rich riding on our backs.
Sigh. Um, that was a tirade, but I had to get it out. Sorry all.
Emmy
October 24
6:50 pm
I can answer that one. Doctors lose too much money from Medicaid patients, and since doctors are real people who have bills to pay and families to take care of too, they can’t afford to take the losses. Ergo, bye bye sweet patient.
Medicaid has decided how much something *should* cost, and they will only pay a percentage of that. So if Medicaid says a routine physical costs $100, they pay 80%, or $80, and the patient has to cover the rest. If the doctor charges $200 for that physical, the patient is on the hook for the extra $120. Since most seniors are on fixed incomes, they can’t afford it, and the bill goes unpaid. After so many of those losses, a doctor in private practice will go out of business.
It’s a bad business decision to have too many Medicaid patients.
Robin
October 24
8:20 pm
And yet there’s a world of difference between a $2500 suit jacket and sharp dressing. When Michelle Obama appeared on The View wearing a $149 dress from the White House Black Market store, it sold out all over the country. It’s the sheer excess of the amount that I think floors people, not the fact that the campaign and party are spiffing Palin up. John Edwards was ridiculed for his $400 haircuts. The hypocrisy is stark.
Palin and McCain are trying to run as “real” people. But it’s an illusion, and the 150K price tag shows it to be an illusion. I don’t know any middle class women (including myself) who regularly wear couture. Cindy McCain is an heiress, and she can afford couture — the economy isn’t hurting her. But when people are losing their jobs and homes, when formerly middle class folks are looking at bankruptcy and worse, $150K for a month’s worth of clothes and makeup and hair for a VP candidate strikes me as REALLY out of touch at the very, very least.
JC Wilder
October 24
8:39 pm
queenbeetrainer wrote: I find it to be somewhat disingenous that this is even coming up; if they didn’t dress her right then she’d be up on stage looking like a schlepp next to Cindy McCain and all the talking heads would be carping on her for that.
I agree that they would be carping on that as well – let’s face it, none of them can breathe without being criticized.
My issue is that with the economy in the crapper – she spent an outrageous amount of money on clothing. In Ohio, something like 400 houses go into foreclosure each week.
Almost 2mil people have lost their jobs this year alone.
The stock market has dropped about 40% of its value.
People are hurting and to have someone who is supposedly working for The People, acting as if she’s one of The People – buying designer garments on the public dime is a slap in the face to people who are scrambling to put food on the table and keep a roof over their heads.
Tuscan Capo
October 24
9:00 pm
Salladog wrote, “This one I blame on the RNC, not on Palin herself.”
I agree. They could have gone anywhere to shop – even god forbid, Wally World. Their call. Besides, if the woman donates the clothes to charity after the election as she says she will, I feel its wrong to bray about it. And the same goes for Mrs. Obama or any other lady (or man) highly profiled in this campaign. There’s plenty of people out there in need of clothes who just might be grateful.
queenbeetrainer
October 24
9:47 pm
I did read an article that said that there was an over abundance of clothing purchased for her and that about a third of it was sent back because it was ill fitting, some of it was allowed to be returned after the convention (which is not uncommon in the industry especiall if the store or designer gets the plug) and the rest will be donated and sold for charity after the campaign is over. If she gets elected then the designers will be lining up and this will become a non-issue. I can quote Joy Behar also about Michelle Obama’s $149 “View” dress, but I’ve also heard that Oprah set her up with someone – you don’t hear much about that. And, how many of you actually went out this year and bought $150 sundress?
It’s interesting to me that so many people are up in arms about this wardrobe money, but no one has a problem with Obama spending two million dollars to spruce up a facility for a victory party on an election he hasn’t won yet. How does that line up with all the concerns above on our country’s current financial situation?
Robin
October 24
9:53 pm
Here’s an interview with Michelle and Barack Obama about their clothes (this was before the Palin thing). Has anyone suggested that they don’t purchase their own clothes? I haven’t heard anything about that.
Shayne
October 24
11:01 pm
Still not on par with the how many billions Bush spent. And it’s not going to be on par with however much the winner of the presidential election will spend.
Dems and Repubs are the same. They spend everybodys’ money. Just on different things. So it all depends which of those different things are important to you, doesn’t it?
Tuscan Capo
October 24
11:12 pm
Nah, we don’t hear much about the View dress (as lovely as it may have been), just like Mrs. Obama’s suggestion to go out and buy a $600 pair of earrings with a stimulus check:
http://www.washingtontimes.com/news/2008/jul/11/michelle-obama-spend-600-stimulus-check-earrings/
Maybe the people shopping for Mrs. Palin aren’t shopping for bargains, but Mrs. Obama doesn’t sound like she’s much of a fan of the Dollar General Store either.
Sybil
October 24
11:38 pm
I can believe this… but isn’t she running as the ‘everyday working woman’ (to which I call bullshit) who does her own cooking, sells the jet (so the fam can fly commercial and charge the state – cuz one MUST take teens who can stay home. hmmm oh well they need to be there to watch the baby, while mommy’s busy), she is just your everyday hockey mom ya’ll
But can’t shop for her own clothes? Of course she has been busy, lots of studying and watching Russia (oops) from the house takes time out of the day.
Robin
October 24
11:58 pm
She didn’t “suggest” anything of the kind. What she said — and even the Washington Times quote makes this clear, and they aren’t at all trying to show her in a good light — is that the stimulus check is only a quick fix, that it doesn’t provide lasting financial security. She’s saying that the extra six hundred dollars makes people feel good at first, that they go out and buy themselves something — a pair of earrings in her example — but nowhere in that quote does she a) suggest that people buy earrings b) suggest that they are $600 earrings, or c) suggest that SHE has $600 earrings.
And I don’t know if she shops at the Dollar Store, but it wouldn’t surprise me. In the ET interview I linked to in my post, she’s wearing a $30 dress from the Gap.
Throwmearope
October 25
1:27 am
Deleted by author to avoid sounding too much like a doofus.
sallahdog
October 25
4:45 am
This one I blame on the RNC, not on Palin herself..
I can believe this… but isn’t she running as the ‘everyday working woman’ (to which I call bullshit) But can’t shop for her own clothes? Of course she has been busy, lots of studying and watching Russia (oops) from the house takes time out of the day.
To be fair (and being for Obama, I admit this galls me) thats part of why I blame the RNC rather than Palin, since they know damn well what her “image” is, and yet thought it was smart to go to Neiman Marcus to outfit her..
As far as not shopping for herself, remember that she was chosen only a few days before the convention, and has been on the campaign trail since then… Not a lot of time to go pickin some purty things out at her favorite clothing store…
There are a lot of things to be disgusted at Palin for, but this just doesn’t happen to be one of the things that trips my trigger…
Robin
October 25
5:13 pm
One of the reasons I think the campaign did such a bonehead thing is that all this time McCain keeps trying to sell himself as a ‘man of the people’ and his ticket as “country first.” So the country is in economic peril, but no one in that campaign apparently had the idea to do some budget shopping for Palin and then play up the bargains they got her. Like, ‘look at Sarah’s suit — that’s from H&M.’ Or look at Sarah’s shoes, they’re from wherever.’ They could SO EASILY have turned an affordable but still chic look for her into a strength in the campaign, increasing her likability and relatability AND showing they’re conscious in a palpable way of the economic downturn and the struggles of middle income people. I don’t just see this as a failure of campaign strategy, though; I see it as part of a more general failure of the current Republican leaders to make their message of economic opportunity for everyone the least bit believable.