Breaking Down Palin's Pricey Duds

CBS Evening News: Republican Party Takes Dressing For Success Into Six-Digits

(CBS)  On the night she addressed the Republican National Convention, Gov. Sarah Palin was dressed for success.

The self-described "hockey mom" was sporting a $2,500 Valentino blazer.

Palin's carefully cultivated "Joe Six Pack" image is now bumping up against a six-figure wardrobe, CBS News correspondent Nancy Cordes reports.

Federal records show in the 54 days since she joined Sen. John McCain's ticket, the Republican National Committee has spent $75,062.63 for clothes at Neiman Marcus and $49.425.74 at Saks Fifth Avenue.

All perfectly legal, says a former chairman of the Federal Election Commission, although: "I would be the first to tell you that public-relations wise it is a mess!" said Scott Thomas.

As it was for Hillary Clinton when her $3,000 hairstylist bill came to light - or John McCain with his $520 Italian loafers - or John Edwards, whose $400 haircut has been satired online.

Candidates have a tough needle to thread, says Maxine Rizik, who's been dressing Washington power women for 58 years.

"You do need to spend some money," she said. "And you need to look well."

"Does it have to be $150,000?" Cordes asked. "For three months?"

Rizik said: "You can do it for less. Much less! Yes!"

And while private donations paid for Palin's pricey duds, she's also facing questions about the $55,000 she charged Alaska taxpayers - so her family could travel with her to events the past two years.

Alaska's law is vague.

But when it comes to the clothes, the campaign is crystal clear. After the fashion faux pas came to light, they said all the clothes will be going to charity.

[lesliea1500]

Sarah Palin must really have the Democrats scared if their focus is now on her clothes. Seriously, isn''t there better stories out there. Let this go. Or Katie Couric needs to do us all a favor and put on her Obama shirt for the evening news. Now that''s what I call fair and balanced.

[realstory]

SAN DIEGO, California (CNN) -- I thought liberals were supposed to be good-hearted, open-minded and non-judgmental.

Tell that to the angry Left''s favorite piqata, Sarah Palin. As far as liberals are concerned, Palin can do no right just as Barack Obama and Joe Biden can do no wrong. In fact, Biden is catching more passes than an NFL wide receiver. Read full story!!!!

http://www.cnn.com/2008/POLITICS/10/23/navarrette.liberals/index.html

[blondegenes]

Alaska''s law is not vague! The liberal main stream media and Obama supporters have convicted her when the Alaska State office responsible for reviewing whether the costs are legitimate to bill, or not, has not even reviewed them yet!! Sheesh! Get a grip!
I''m sure you''d love it if you could guilt her into wearing what she wore when she campaigned in Alaska!

[myclub3]

While suturing a cut on the hand of a 75-year old Texas rancher whose hand was caught in a gate while working cattle, the doctor struck up a conversation with the old man.

Eventually the topic got around to Sarah Palin and her bid to be a heartbeat away from being President.

The old rancher said, Well, ya know, Sarah Palin is a post turtle.

Not being familiar with the term, the doctor asked him what a post turtle was.

The old rancher said, When you''re driving down a country road and you come across a fence post with a turtle balanced on top, that''s a post turtle.

The old rancher saw a puzzled look on the doctor''s face, so he continued to explain. You know she didn''t get up there by herself, she doesn''t belong up there, she doesn''t know what to do while she is up there, and you just wonder what kind of dumb *** put her up there to begin with.

[linda_rob]

Is Sarah Palin''s wardrobe really what is important right now? Have we heard how much Michelle Obama has spent on clothing or her makeover? Do we know how much Hilary Clintons pantsuits cost? $6300.00 each retail price. Of course she did not purchase them they were given to her which is also against the law. Can we talk about important issues like where is all of Obama''s money coming from? He made a statement that he and his wife hated America, what has changed? He does not salute the flag. He said he will not be sworn in on the bible but on the book that the Muslems call their bible. He has been to flag burnings and proud of that fact. His wife for the first time in her life is now proud of America. Barrack Obama would like to change the National Anthem that we have sung for years. He would like to change the flag because other countries don''t like it. Excuse me. This is America! This is what we are and it has worked for so many years I love this country and I am very proud of the young men and women who have fought to keep this country free. Yes, right now we are going thru hard times but with Obama in the office things are just going to get a whole lot worse.

[jveritas]

Sarah Palin has billed herself as a "hockey mom just like all the rest of you" so she only has herself to blame for this negative press. However, I don''t find this as pertinent as the connection she and her husband Todd have to the militant anti-American Alaska Independence Party. She has recently "blessed" their good work, has taken campaign contributions from them and tried to install one of their leaders into her vacant city council seat. Todd, who has apparently quite a bit of access to the governor''s office and state employees was a member of this party for 7 years. This is a serious question that Americans need to know about especially from someone who talks of patriotism and seeks transparency about Barack Obama''s ties. If she hopes to be VP this association needs to be explored.

[snoopy28173]

Palin discribes herself as "frugal"? I hardly think these EXPENSIVE outfits count as frugal. And what about the $1,000 glasses? All we need is for exectives to spend this amount of money and bill it to the public. She could afford these clothes but chooses a free ride anyway. What about the people who genually need clothes but can''t afford them. Has Palin even heard of Wal-Mart or is she above it? This would be just the beggening if she were to become the VP or eventual President. And what about her lack of experience? She just got a passport. Being able to see Russia from your back yard does not qualify as forein policy experience. I''ve at least been to London, England. At least I''ve been out of the U.S.A.. If you want to get technical and streth the truth, I''ve had more forieng policy experience because I had to go through customs.

[curly1b13]

What a shock, another twisted version of the truth from CBS and liberal supporters. I think I''ll faint. What did Michelle Obama spend on her "makeover" before being on The View? Then, her dress sold out all over the country. But that''s OK, because she''s MRS. OBAMA. Hillary spent $6000 on almost every suit, yes, including the carrot colored one. How much are Obama''s suits and how did he make all his money? He came from Kenya because his father said he''d be better educated in the U.S.? With whose money? Where was Barry born, anyway? If not in the U.S., he''s not abiding by election laws for President. But no, we have to worry about how much Sarah Palin spent of the REPUBLICANS money for her clothes. I live just a few blocks from the Clintons. Believe me, you don''t want to know how much we pay for Bill & Co. to drive two blocks to Starbucks twice a week and get coffee. Our Westchester taxes are now the highest in the country, including Beverly Hills. Thanks Hillary.

[bbensman]

Your news channel is utterly disgusting the way everything you have to say about mccain/palin is negative. personally i am a registered democrat turned republican. do you think maybe you can hide your liberalism, i would really like to know what cbs, nbc, abc have to gain if barack hussien obama gets in there. also i want to know how much money michele obama spent on dinners clothes, how about those nice suits obama wears, how much did they cost. You people in the media really need to get a life and report what is important in this race, not this bull ***.

sincerely
country first supporter

[daevans1]

To answer the question as to why no one is asking about Obama''s clothes, it''s because Obama and his family has been grilled for 2 years on absolutely every aspect of their lives! That''s what happens when you rush an unknown out into the national spotlight, everything they do is dissected.

Plus, Obama is not out there trying to portray himself as the "average Joe" in the "real America" and that is what really looks hypocritical about the story. I wonder if Joe The Plumber or his wife has a $150,000 clothing budget. Hmmmm.

[proudmary9]

Why is it that no one is asking what Obama spends on his suits? Because it really isn''t relevant! But, these stories are intended to suck the reader into perceiving Palin in a negative "fashion"! Propaganda!!! Wake up America!!

[macdoodle1]

WINK WAVE SMILE POSE
WHEN THATS ALL YA GOT
YA NEED THE WARDROBE.

A CLOSE MINDED ISOLATED FUNDAMENTALIST TRYING TO PLAY WORDLY AND WISE
NEEDS A LOT OF LIPSTICK.

[hillarynow]

Ms. Swan on Sarah Palin -- "She looka like a man.."

"I think the President has lead with great clarity and I think he''s done a great job leading the country don''t you all?" -- John McCain on George W. Bush

"The President and I agree on most issues, there was a recent study showing I voted with the President over 90% of the time, more than my Republican colleagues" -- John McCain on George W. Bush

[letreasonwin]

Why is it that no one is asking what Obama spends on his suits? Because it really isn''''t relevant!

Because there''s is nothing to report. As the article states, there has been no expenses of this type found in Obama''s campaign spending.

[proudmary9]

Why is it that no one is asking what Obama spends on his suits? Because it really isn''t relevant! But, these stories are intended to suck the reader into perceiving Palin in a negative "fashion"! Propaganda!!! Wake up America!!

[gippybear]

I wish she''d spent MORE on her duds!

Good for her!

Who paid for all of those pants-suits Mz. Hillary wore? NOT HER!

Most designers give the clothes away to peeps like SarahBaracuda just for the ADVERTISING.

It''s unusual they spent anything at all.

[fbla1805]

OH, VA, NC, FL, CO, NV, NM, etc., ya''all need money for investments in roads, schools and bridges? Tax your citizens? Heck no, doggone it! Sarah "Spread the Wealth" knows a better way!

This innovator has single-handedly created a new Republican no-tax but spend model:

--no taxes in Alaska (no sales tax, no income tax),

--hundreds of millions in socialist welfare in Alaska (including thousand dollar checks to all),

--including the "Bridge to Nowhere" (flip-flopping for it before she was against it!),

--even hiring a D.C. lobbying firm to get millions while she was the small-town mayor of Wasilla (pop. 7,000!),

--paying for this welfare socialism (spreading the wealth) by boondoggling taxpayers from the %u201Clower 48%u201D to the tune of hundreds of millions of dollars of our taxes each year since taking over as Gov. of Alaska (%u201CI spend, you pay!%u201D),

--and covering her trail by neatly babbling on about "government get out of my way" ("but only after I%u2019ve fleeced you dudes of your money!") in the debate with Biden!

[fbla1805]

Is Sarah innovatin'' again, fighting the coming recession with "trickle down" economics, by spending lavishly on herself?

--$4,716.49 on hair and makeup just through September,
--$5,102.71 at Bloomingdale%u2019s New York,
--$9,447.71 at Macy%u2019s in Minneapolis,
--$49,425.74 at Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York
--and a whopping $75,062.63 spending spree at Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis (hey, doggone - this "hockey mom" is goin'' upscale on us real fast!).

Then there''s the $21,012 for her three daughters'' 64 one-way and 12 round-trip commercial flights since she took office as Gov. in December 2006 (thankfully, that bill was paid by the state of Alaska, admirably proving Palin''s credentials as an equal-opportunity biller!).

Republicans used to belittle former Sen. John Edwards'' $400 haircut, but compared to Palin, that looks like chump change!

Even "Joe" (actually Sam) the Plumber must be turning green with envy - Palin''s fashion budget for just these past few weeks is already more than four times the median salary of an American plumber ($37,514).

If elected, maybe she''ll spend us out of this big recession Bush has us heading into! Wouldn''t she make a swell Pres.?

John McCain thinks so! Making her the V.P. candidate was his single most important decision going into this election campaign!

Does that make you confident of his judgment if elected President? Or not so much?

[proudmary9]

Why is it that no one is asking what Obama spends on his suits? Because it really isn''t relevant! But, these stories are intended to suck the reader into perceiving Palin in a negative "fashion"! Propaganda!!! Wake up America!!

[proudmary9]

Why is it that no one is asking what Obama spends on his suits? Because it really isn''t relevant! But, these stories are intended to suck the reader into perceiving Palin in a negative "fashion"! Propaganda!!! Wake up America!!