Palin's Clothes

Okay, we have a new scoop in the world of politics. Did you see it this week? The Republican party reported that it has spent approximately $150,000 on clothes for Sara Palin and her family. Now the press reports this as if it were a "gottcha" kind of thing. It's shown on the news wires as if it were something scandalous. Perhaps some in America think it is. And they've backed John McCain into a corner with it - such that he felt he had to defend himself by telling the world that the clothes will ultimately be given to charity.

So let's talk about practical reality here. The Palin's make a small fraction of what their peers make on the campaign trail. Joe Biden's income is similar to that of Sara Palin's. But Joe has been dressing for the political circuit for years. Moreover, it is well known that men's clothes are much cheaper than women's clothes. It is also far more acceptable for a man to appear in public in the same suit more than once. (Most men I know own few suits and repeat them often!)

Simply put ... to dress Sara Palin for the role she's playing would cost some money. Did we expect her to run up her credit cards for this? Her husband is a blue-collar worker. Heck, he probably only owns one suit (for weddings and funerals). But we put him on national state and the whole world is watching the debates. Would we be happy for him to show up in bib overalls and tennis shoes? I think not!

I'm actually kind of glad the Republicans have dressed Sara. She's meeting world leaders, appearing on a global stage, and representing America to the world. I don't want to be embarrassed. I saw her making a speech the other day and she had her baby on her shoulder. I have to admit that I kind of winced. A world leader burping the baby while she speaks to the world. I suppose there's nothing wrong with that. But it is certainly a new image. Heck, I think it's a new image even if she's only the governor of a state! At any rate, she was well dressed and I thought that was appropriate.

I don't think there's a news story here. I think the media is looking pretty pathetic for reporting on this. My first observation is that it might have been wise for John McCain to have Cindy take Sara shopping. You know, two girl friends trying on clothes together and doing lunch. Cindy's got the money and could certainly have afforded to buy the clothes that Sara needed. In hindsight, I bet he wishes he'd had Cindy do that!

I also don't think the clothes should go to charity. How many homeless people do you know that would appreciate fine clothes from Nieman Marcus? I'm not saying poor people don't deserve nice things. I just don't think it's a practical gift. I've never seen a homeless woman in a pair of spiked pumps, for example. Besides, if they go to charity, they'll just end up on some celebrity auction on e-bay with some simpletons bidding for clothes worn by Alaska governor Sara Palin. The poor people wouldn't ever get to to wear them anyway! So I say let Sara Palin (and her family) keep the clothes and shoes.

And to the media who waste time reporting stories like this, I say, "Get a life."