Posted By Vicki McClure Davidson on April 3, 2009

By Vicki McClure Davidson * Frugal Café Blog Zone

Flashback: Democrats, the mainstream media, some Republicans, and late-night comedians viciously attacked Sarah Palin during our last presidential campaign, smearing her in countless, creative ways.

One of the most enduring attacks was on the reported $150,000 the RNC spent on clothing and accessories for her, her husband, and her children for their public appearances. Also, they paid for her cosmetics and had her hair styled. For this, the governor of Alaska was viciously broiled by the media over an open fire like a skinned rabbit on a spit.

Hypocrites.

I’m one of the most painfully frugal people I know—hence this website and blog, Frugal Café. I’ll admit that $150k is a huge chunk money (more than the price tag on my house when we bought it in the late 1980s), but I’ve never had a serious problem with Palin’s wardrobe budget. And now, it seems trivial when compared to Pres. Obama’s multi-TRILLION-dollar budget approved this week by Congress.

No taxpayer money was used. The family wardrobes were all bought with campaign donations. I donate money to the Republican party. I had no objection to the purchases. Maybe other RNC donors did, but I’m sure even they’d agree that as the Republican vice president candidate, protocol demanded that she look classy and professional. And she did.

Who has attacked Hillary Clinton for her expensive designer pantsuits (averaging $3,000 to $8,000 a pop)? She reportedly brought a half dozen or more with her to each press conference, rally, and public function. Although, because Hillary has been in political circles in Washington for a long time, she usually can finagle or coerce freebies or discounts from designers who are grateful for the exposure. Sarah hasn’t established those kind of “scratch my back, I’ll scratch yours” connections with the fashion world.

How much did one suit of Barack Obama’s cost and who paid for it? John McCain looked well-attired during the campaign. Did RNC pay for his wardrobe? Michelle Obama bragged about wearing cheaper J Crew ensembles, but she wasn’t running for office, so what she wore shouldn’t be as pricey as the outfits worn by a political candidate who is campaigning every day, making several wardrobe changes some days for different venues. Only Sarah was singled out by the media.

While liberal critics decry her for “taking welfare” or “being a hick spendthrift,” only political contributions were used. Good grief, I’d rather Sarah wear a stunning $900 suit to a political rally than Michelle Obama ordering two resort hotel lobster lunches that cost hundreds of dollars. But, that’s just me.

Quality clothes are horrifically expensive, so let’s be honest: When did Sarah have the time to troll the malls for discount deals on sharp-looking duds? She had only a few days to whip herself and her family into “campaign mode.” Imagine the hell they went through to pull it off. From when her VP announcement was made by John McCain to when she had to hit the road for two months, there was no time for Sarah to look for Saks bargains. Two months worth of suits with matching shoes and belts is a heck of a lot to have at your fingertips. No scooting back to Alaska to check out what’s in the old closet.

It wasn’t her decision to buy these clothes, it was the McCain campaign’s decision. McCain staffers took care of the clothing purchases for the Palin family. If any broiling should be done, they are unquestionably to blame for not being more thrifty.

Do her critics feel that they would have embraced her conservative ideals, excellent leadership skills, and her character if she had “bitten the bullet” and worn only second-hand suits from Goodwill or her normal Alaskan winter clothes while campaigning? Hardly. Would the press have allowed her to wear the same outfit twice, commending her on her thrift? Don’t think so. The woman would have been crucified for that as well. Was she suppose to be “Minnie Pearl” frumpy or a “Hillary Clinton Pantsuit Clone”? There was no winning here at all. Sarah Palin was damned the day McCain announced she would be his running mate.

Outfitting Todd Palin and the kids in a few quality outfits obviously added to the final bill. Shoot, one quality men’s tie can top $100, and just one pair of quality dress shoes costs more than two weeks of groceries. Sarah was on the road for two solid months… mix-matching her clothes could only go so far.

Sarah Palin, by all accounts, is a frugal woman. Many of the outfits were returned because they didn’t fit and most have been, or will be, donated to charity by the RNC.

She was the victim of a biased press and a frothing hatred from non-conservatives. While $150,000 seems high, the rushed circumstances at the time justified it. Quality fashion has never been cheap. And I believe because she was attractive, the fury was even more intense, to the point it was ridiculous. Jealousy? Perhaps. Fear from the opposition? Likely.

But Sarah took the brunt of unleashed fury with better humor and grace than most people. Where is that fury now with Obama’s outrageous budget that will affect all of America’s taxpayers?

In an upcoming article in Men’s Journal, Todd Palin sets the record straight about the clothes and a few other things.

Todd Palin: $150K on clothes ‘out of our control’ | Townhall.com
April 1, 2009

The husband of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin says the Republican Party’s lavish spending on her wardrobe during the presidential campaign was “out of our control.” In the May issue of Men’s Journal, Todd Palin was asked about the more than $150,000 that the Republican National Committee spent on clothes, accessories and beauty services for the GOP vice presidential nominee. He defended his wife, saying she was focused on preparation for her debate with Joe Biden.

“She never went to Saks, or any of that stuff,” he said. “You come into a campaign late, you put all your trust into the team, you got people who are working on VP ops for a long time, and we’re just focused on debate prep. I couldn’t give a rat’s (expletive) about clothes. Please. I mean these are my Sunday go-to-meeting jeans!”

Sarah Palin and Republican presidential nominee John McCain faced a storm of criticism over the tens of thousands of dollars spent at high-end stores to dress the Alaska governor and her family. Some of the purchases included a $75,062 shopping spree at Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis, one for $49,425 from Saks Fifth Avenue and $4,902 at Atelier, a stylish men’s store.

The buys were a stark contrast to Sarah Palin’s image as a “hockey mom” who calls herself part of an average, middle-class American family.

Sarah Palin has said she neither wanted nor asked for the wardrobe. Some of the clothing was returned immediately because it was the wrong size, or for other reasons, the McCain-Palin campaign said at the time. The Republican National Committee has said the remaining items would be donated to charity.

Todd Palin told the magazine that his wife had been through tough campaigns before becoming McCain’s running mate.

“You got to remember, it’s not like they just plucked us off the fishing boat with scales still under our nails, you know?” he said.

[...]

The Men’s Journal issue reaches newsstands April 10.

To put the $150,000 in better perspective, how many tax dodgers have been nominated for White House administration positions?

Obama Health and Human Services nominee Tom Daschle failed to pay $128,203 in back taxes and $11,964 in interest until after he was chosen. Obama-appointed Secretary of the Treasury Tim Geithner didn’t pay $25,970 for taxes owed in 2001 and 2002, as well as $17,230 for 2003 and 2004 (I think after he was nominated he paid them, but he also used his child’s time at overnight camps in 2001, 2004 and 2005 to calculate dependent-care tax deductions, so who knows how much he still owes? His taxes are a muddled mess). Nancy Killefer, Obama nominee for Chief Performance Officer, had a lien of nearly $1,000 against her for failure to pay taxes. Hilda Soltis, Obama nominee for Secretary of Labor, also had non-payment of tax problems, with public records showing that since 1993, two state and 14 Los Angeles County tax liens totaling about $11,640 have been lodged against her husband and his business.

The cost of Sarah’s RNC wardrobe is dwarfed by these tax-cheating totals, and these are only four cheating Democrats that we know about.

The critics no longer have any validity, unless they decide to villify and destroy these Democrat tax cheats in the same spirit they tried to villify and destroy Sarah Palin. The smear campaign against her continues; her RNC wardrobe is still used in opening paragraphs by liberal writers railing against her.

“Doing what’s right” shouldn’t stop at party lines. There should not be a double standard.

Where’s the outrage, where’s the fury against these Obama nominees? And why is there still feigned outrage at Sarah’s wardrobe?

Hypocrites.

*****

Goodtimepolitics: Sarah Palin is a genuine ethics reformer, so they are trying to destroy her with frivolous ethics complaints.
Michelle Malkin: Accused Sarah Palin hacker hit with more charges: Feds say he concealed records to impede investigation and What happens when liberals decide “Quotes of the Year” and The trouble with Meghan McCain
Gateway Pundit: They Feel Your Pain… Michelle O Wears $1850 Frock to Watch Hubby at SOTU Address and You Betcha. Actress Wins Entertainer of the Year for Trashing Palin
Greg Gutfield, Big Hollywood: Daily Gut: Angry Chicks Against Ladies
Patrick S., TeamSarah.org: The Zest for Power: Palin’s Presidential Hopes Take Dent From Missteps
Michelle Malkin: What if all of Joe Biden’s gaffes came out of Sarah Palin’s mouth?
Jim Blazsik: Weekend: This is why people love Sarah
Fire Andrea Mitchell!: Michelle Obama is cutting back like all Americans should too! Sneakers only cost $540! John McCain – $520 loafers
Hot Air: Bristol Palin: Abstinence is the answer and Limbaugh: Jeb Bush and the anti-nostalgists hate Palin

Categories: Conservatism, Economy, Frugal Fashion, Media & Communication, Social and Political Climate
Tags: Alaska, attacks, Barack Obama, campaign, clothes, Democrats, frugal, Hillary Clinton, John McCain, Michelle Malkin, Michelle Obama, RNC, Sarah Palin, tax cheats, Tim Geithner, Todd Palin, Trigg Palin, wardrobe