RNC appears to shell out $150K for Palin fashion
By JEANNE CUMMINGS

The Republican National Committee appears to have spent more than
$150,000 to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah
Palin and her family since her surprise pick by John McCain in late August.

According to financial disclosure records, the accessorizing began in
early September and included bills from Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis
and New York for a combined $49,425.74.

The records also document a couple of big-time shopping trips to Neiman
Marcus in Minneapolis, including one $75,062.63 spree in early September.

The RNC also spent $4,716.49 on hair and makeup through September after
reporting no such costs in August.

Politico asked the McCain campaign for comment, explicitly noting the
$150,000 in expenses for department store shopping and makeup
consultation that were incurred immediately after Palin’s announcement.
Pre-September reports do not include similar costs.

Spokeswoman Maria Comella declined to answer specific questions about
the expenditures, including whether it was necessary to spend that much
and whether it amounted to one early investment in Palin or if shopping
for the vice presidential nominee was ongoing.
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Palin Fashion


“The campaign does not comment on strategic decisions regarding how
financial resources available to the campaign are spent," she said.

The business of primping and dressing on the campaign trail has become
fraught with political risk in recent years as voters increasingly see
an elite Washington out of touch with their values and lifestyles.

In 2000, Democrat Al Gore took heat for changing his clothing hues. And
in 2006, Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton (D-N.Y.) was ribbed for two hair
styling sessions that cost about $3,000.

Then, there was Democrat John Edwards’ $400 hair cuts in 2007 and
Republican McCain’s $520 black leather Ferragamo shoes this year.

A review of similar records for the campaign of Democrat Barack Obama
and the Democratic National Committee turned up no similar spending.

But all the spending by other candidates pales in comparison to the GOP
outlay for the Alaska governor whose expensive, designer outfits have
been the topic of fashion pages and magazines.

What hasn’t been apparent is where the clothes came from – her closet
back in Wasilla or from the campaign coffers in Washington.

The answer can be found inside the RNC’s September monthly financial
disclosure report under “itemized coordinated expenditures.”

It’s a report that typically records expenses for direct mail, telephone
calls and advertising. Those expenses do show up, but the report also
has a new category of spending: “campaign accessories.”

September payments were also made to Barney’s New York ($789.72) and
Bloomingdale’s New York ($5,102.71).

Macy’s in Minneapolis, another store fortunate enough to be situated in
the Twin Cities that hosted last summer’s Republican National
Convention, received three separate payments totaling $9,447.71.

The entries also show a few purchases at Pacifier, a top notch baby
store, and Steiniauf & Stroller Inc., suggesting $295 was spent to
accommodate the littlest Palin to join the campaign trail.

An additional $4,902.45 was spent at Atelier, a high-class shopping
destination for men.