Sorry Conservatives, Palin Spending Spree is a Big Story

Marie Antoinette Palin Sez "If They Can't Wear Neiman Marcus, Let Them Shop at Saks"

Politico recently dropped a bombshell about the folksy, populist veep-pick for the GOP. Apparently, campaign expenses on trivial crap like her hair, makeup, and vice presidential get-up have totaled a whopping $150K. Sure, a candidate can't be dressed like some Seattle hobo if they want to get elected, but this seems awfully excessive when the economy is breaking down faster than a Chinese motorcycle. Remember when John Edwards, the guy who supposedly understood the plight of impoverished Americans, got busted for his $400 haircuts and we all called him a douchebag? There's a similar line of logic here, and some Republicans are fucking pissed. From Marc Ambinder:

There is already an attempt to blame the media -- as in, the liberal media would have looked askance at Palin if she wasn't clad in Neiman Marcus, but this won't wash. Republicans, RNC donors and at least one RNC staff member have e-mailed me tonight to share their utter (and not-for-attribution) disgust at the expenditures.

This sort of spending is without precedent -- the closest approximation for any campaign I've ever covered is make-up expenses for television interviews and commercial shoots -- , and Schmitt's weakly defensive response tonight indicates that the campaign is deeply embarrassed by it and has nothing to say in their defense.

In a time of war, many of us are looking for the executive branch to properly lead our military through these troubled times. A man you may not have heard of, Lt. Gen. Austin, is the MNC-I commander and responsible for all combatant forces in Operation Iraqi Freedom. He has adopted a modest demeanor, often carrying around an M-4 as noted by the Washington Post, seeking to be more of a soldier's soldier (much like the great Omar Bradley) as an effective means to set the standard for his troops. In a similar way, many conservatives initially saw Palin as a Washington outsider who could energize the grass-roots base. She's definitely no Lt. Gen Austin, and she is getting more and more disappointing by the day.