GOP spent $150,000 in donations on Palin’s look
Print this story
Read comments and discuss this story
WASHINGTON (AP) — When the Republican Party decided to coordinate expenses with John McCain’s presidential campaign, who knew it would be color coordinated.
The Republican National Committee spent about $150,000 on clothing, hair styling, makeup and other “campaign accessories” in September for the McCain campaign after Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin joined the ticket as his running mate.
The McCain campaign now says the clothing will go to a “charitable purpose” after the campaign.
The expenses include $75,062 spent at Neiman Marcus in
“With all of the important issues facing the country right now, it’s remarkable that we’re spending time talking about pantsuits and blouses,” said McCain spokeswoman Tracey Schmitt, who has been traveling with Palin. “It was always the intent that the clothing go to a charitable purpose after the campaign.”
In 2007, Democratic presidential candidate John Edwards sparked Internet derision and jokes from late-night TV comics after his campaign for the party’s nomination paid for two $400 haircuts by a stylist from
The RNC has been helping the McCain campaign financially now that McCain is locked into spending only $84 million for the fall campaign under his agreement to accept public financing. Barack Obama, the Democratic nominee, chose not to participate in the public system and raised a whopping $150 million in September.
The RNC is allowed to spend up to $19 million in “coordinated expenses” with the campaign. In September, it spent a a total of $4.4 million. The clothing and styling was part of that, but most was spent on postage for campaign mailings.
So why did the RNC and not McCain’s committee pay for the accessories?
Federal campaign finance law prohibits the use of candidate campaign funds for personal use, including clothes. But a quirk in the law has no such restriction on the use of party money for such expenses.
Print this story
Report an innappropriate comment
In order to comment, you must agree to our user agreement
and discussion guidelines.
You must be registered and logged in to post a comment. If you aren't already registered,
click here.
If you are registered, click here to log in.
Need help? Email Us.

Lorain/Elyria, OH


Now that’s an investment that yielded no return. I would spend the money on educating the candidate on the role of the vice president. We are thirteen days from the election and she still believes that, if elected, she will be “in charge” of the Senate. You betcha that would be a maverick move there, Sarah, you know?
(Report comment)
Michelle Obama called room service and ordered lobster hors d’oeuvres, two whole steamed lobsters, Iranian caviar and champagne. AND NOT A WORD!!!!!!!!
(Report comment)
…. and Mrs. Carter bought her inauguration dress off the rack. Oh and so we’re fair historically Mrs. Clinton received a makeover back in the day to make her “voter friendly”
With the market dropping over 400 points today last check, I’d rather hear coverage about Paulsen’s live speech last night in regards to China and the current bailout package. Or his visit to the stock market floor.
Not about who’s ordering what or wearing what. We can keep going on news like this or talk about actual… you know…. issues.
Come on US press I thought you were better than this.
(Report comment)
And where is the report on Biden saying OBAMA would be tested. It is a guarntee………….ABC News’ Matthew Jaffe Reports: Sen. Joe Biden, D-Del., on Sunday guaranteed that if elected, Sen. Barack Obama., D-Ill., will be tested by an international crisis within his first six months in power and he will need supporters to stand by him as he makes tough, and possibly unpopular, decisions.
“Mark my words,” the Democratic vice presidential nominee warned at the second of his two Seattle fundraisers Sunday. “It will not be six months before the world tests Barack Obama like they did John Kennedy. The world is looking. We’re about to elect a brilliant 47-year-old senator president of the United States of America. Remember I said it standing here if you don’t remember anything else I said. Watch, we’re gonna have an international crisis, a generated crisis, to test the mettle of this guy.”
(Report comment)
http://blogs.abcnews.com/politicalradar/2008/10/biden-to-suppor.html
(Report comment)
Big deal…
When the Republican’ts were going after Clinton, they spent way more than $150K making that slag Paula Jones look like something that wasn’t the result of generations of incestuous breeding.
(Report comment)
I am not concerned about Obama’s ability to lead. Neither is Colin Powell. And I am not the least bit interested in listening to the mouthpiece of George Bush discuss the economic crisis that neither of them saw coming and do not know what to do about. I am really not concerned about Palin’s hair or makeup either. I am concerned, though, that she has been found guilty of ethical abuse of power, that she accepts per diem pay for ‘vacationing’ at home, that she abuses taxpayer dollars by charging them for her kids’ travel, that she still does not know the duties of the vice president, that she believes urban areas like the one we live in are anti-American, and that she believes that if she can stand on her doorstep and see a hospital that she is a doctor. I am concerned about that, ya know?
(Report comment)
Wow. Couldn’t believe Biden’s remarks.
That’ll be some really good “on the job training” for Obama.
Aparently Joe is OK with that now…
(Report comment)
Wow!
Obama will be tested while president!
How this must boggle the mind that is freaking clueless…
People are tested all the time. But despite Bush’s unreasonable fear of all things in that category, tests are good character and brain building tools.
Oh… I just realized why Republican’ts are so fearful of being tested…
…well, not fearful of being tested, it’s more the inevitable failing part, that has them on edge.
(Report comment)
Whoever is voted president will be tested. I’d much rather have O,bama and Biden tested than MCcain and Palin, especially if it is an international test from some rogue country or a terrorist threat. McCain would overract and get us in more trouble just like Bush has since 911, and Palin would be like having my old kindergarten teacher up front. She would have to have her dad beat up the threats daddy.
(Report comment)
…and Obama would just apologize for all the wrongs the US had done to provoke their rightful aggression against us.
(Report comment)
You can bet your butt that Obama wouldn’t wet his pants, then sit there ’till they dry out, reading a children’s book.
Oh yeah, there was nothing important he could have been doing with *that* time.
(Report comment)
Stick to the point people…
That musta been some expensive lipstick…
Cindy McCains outfit and jewelry for her appearance at the Republican convention cost $300,000 dollars. If that’s not elitist, then what is? We have Americans working two jobs that cannot afford healthcare for their kids and she wears an outfit that costs that much?
Here’s a fact for the Republicans comments on Bidens remarks.
Was G.W. Bush not tested within 9 months of taking office? Was Clinton not tested early in his term?
Ok, then what the heck is wrong with Biden saying Obama will be tested in 6?
(Report comment)
“Ok, then what the heck is wrong with Biden saying Obama will be tested in 6?”
Not a thing…
Unless that it, you’re a prissy little girl…
…or a Republican’t grabbin’ at straws!
Seriously… if the Repubs have to pretend that they’re shocked at *this* statement, they are in some deep, deep, doo-doo!
This is just too funny!
(Report comment)
Obama should throw the Republicans a bone before they all have a massive stroke.
Maybe managed to get overheard telling Jessie Jackson that he’s gonna make it legal to rape white women or something along those lines.
(Report comment)
So when did Obama become a bastion of “Joe everyone in America” ???
He and his wife both attended “ELITE” colleges/universities. She went to Princeton and Harvard Law where she met Big O. Barack went to Columbia and Harvard Law.
I don’t know about you but if that AINT ELITE then I don’t know what is? Oberlin College, is that elite?
Obama has his view of how the world should be and how America should be. He and the democratically controlled Congress and going to do about as much as all the past Congress’ have. NOT MUCH.
So don’t think that you’re voting in CHANGE because he has raised HUNDREDS OF MILLIONS of ELITIST $$$ from lots of ELITIST PEOPLE who have an AGENDA. Guess what….IT IS NOT YOUR AGENDA EITHER!
(Report comment)
So according to the RAVEN anyone who make more than he does is an elitist?
Democratic Sen. Barack Obama reported $4.2 million in income in 2007.
Republican Sen. McCain total income of $405,409 last year of 2007.
Besides if you shop anywhere else than Wal-Mart, well made clothes are going to cost a bit more. Plus as much as the candidates travel they probably need to change a couple times a day.
Besides, what exactly has Obama completed that makes him “president” worthy, don’t need the “He plans once elected”, just what has he done in the past? that says he is ready to be president?
If that’s the Case then Biden has more experience and should have been the Dem Candidate. but no one wanted to appear racist and say Obama is not qualified. boiled down the election is about race not qualifications, or policies.
(Report comment)
Nowhere did I ever say anyone making more than me was an elitist, but this report just goes to show you where the Republican elitist priorities lie:
WASHINGTON (AP) - An acclaimed celebrity makeup artist for Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin collected more money from John McCain’s campaign than his foreign policy adviser. Amy Strozzi, who works on the reality show “So You Think You Can Dance” and has been Palin’s traveling stylist, was paid $22,800, according to campaign finance reports for the first two weeks in October. In contrast, McCain’s foreign policy adviser, Randy Scheunemann, was paid $12,500, the report showed.
McCain’s campaign said the payment covered a portion of her work in September and a portion of October. An earlier campaign finance report showed Strozzi was paid $13,200 for a portion of September.
In another republican “fun-fact”, the girl in Pittsburgh, you know the one who reported being mugged by a black guy and having a “B” (for Barack) carved in her face?
Well guess what…it was all made up…She even gave herself a black eye!!!
Just more proof that Republicans will do anything to win an election.
(Report comment)
I just have to bring this up…
Remember Morton Downey Jr. The right-wing chain smoking, nut-job from the eighties who had his own talk show whose ratings were tanking?
He did kind of the same thing…he said a bunch of neo-nazis attacked him in an airport restroom in San Francisco.
He claimed they tried to shave his head and that they drew a swastika on his forehead.
Maybe I should try something like that and claim that Rush Limbaugh held me up and made me take an overdose oxycontin…or maybe former Rep. Foley will hack my phone and force me to text lewd messages to young boys
or better yet, some Republican Senator will force me to troll for oral sex in another airport bathroom…what was his name? Oh yeah, Larry Craig.
Oh the memories…lol
(Report comment)
“And where is the report on Biden saying OBAMA would be tested. It is a guarntee…………”
So you guys aren’t even going to pretend that changing the subject isn’t a major tactic?
Look, who cares if Palin spent $150K trying to make herself look presentable, and to get that dead moose smell off her?
The money came from idiot Republican’ts, and everyone knows a fool and his money are soon parted.
(Report comment)
“Was G.W. Bush not tested within 9 months of taking office?”
His honest and honor were tested on several occasions…
…he failed miserably each time.
(Report comment)
The Repubs arent going to be happy until one of their own dies meaninglessly or they lose their rights to the chance to dictate how long they keep the low and middle-class americans down. That is what Bush is all about. They are so busy chewing on their money that they cant see anything past that.
(Report comment)
Do we hear an “Amen” to that?
(Report comment)