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Party repossesses Palin 'shopping spree' outfits
Paul Waugh, Deputy Political Editor07.11.08
SARAH PALIN faced a bitter backlash from John McCain's allies today as it emerged that Republican Party lawyers were heading to Alaska to retrieve her $150,000 (£95,000) campaign clothes.
The vice-presidential candidate's hopes of challenging Barack Obama in 2012 took a big dent as simmering tensions with the McCain camp finally boiled over into wide-ranging criticism of her conduct.
In a string of damaging briefings, it was claimed that Mrs Palin had spent "tens of thousands" more on her clothes than budgeted for, that she once met McCain aides dressed in nothing but a towel and that she did not know Africa was a continent.
In separate claims made in the latest issue of Newsweek magazine, the Republican vice-presidential nominee was reported to have been told to buy three suits for the Republican convention, and to hire a stylist.
Instead, she went on a spending spree in upmarket stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.
Quoting unnamed sources within the McCain camp, the magazine alleges that most of the clothes were bought by a wealthy donor, who "was shocked when he got the bill".
One angry aide described the shopping spree as something like "Wasilla hillbillies looting Neiman Marcus from coast to coast", and predicted that the truth would eventually come out when the Republican Party audits its books.
It also emerged that Mrs Palin wanted to deliver her own concession speech after Senator McCain delivered his own in Phoenix, Arizona, on Wednesday. The presidential candidate vetoed the idea as a blatant attempt to get her 2012 campaign off the mark.
The magazine also claimed that Mrs Palin used low-ranking staffers to buy some of the clothes on their credit cards, and that up to $40,000 (£25,000) was spent on clothes for her husband Todd. A number of articles of clothing have been lost, the magazine states.
Fox News has reported that Mrs Palin did not understand that Africa was a continent, not a country, and did not know which countries were in the North American Free Trade Agreement.
Newsweek also claims that at the Republican National Convention in St Paul, when aides Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter went to her hotel room to brief her, Mrs Palin walked into the room wearing only a towel, with another on her wet hair.
She told them to chat to Todd, adding: "I'll be just a minute."
Reader views (22)
Why can't we just let this be in the past? I don't see why we have to keep throwing darts at Palin and McCain. They lost. Now let's all work together, fix our country, and stop complaining about stupid idiotic things like clothing that don't even matter.
- Lou, PL, MO
What's the point. Just let her keep them. They are just looking for a scape goat. McCain was crap in all the debates. He has to take ultimate responsibility!!!!
- Sarah, London
Greetings to the people of Britain. I am sorry so many of you have a negative opinion of Americans. Sadly, many Americans are not traveled and get their view of the world watching telly. As an American, I was appalled, shocked and frightened by Palin's selection for Vice President. I wonder if Brits know that the U.S. has no health care system, 50 million Americans have no health care. Why is this issue not addressed? You would think we are asking our politicians to make wine from water. They seem to forget that most first world nations, like Britain have universal health care. Why don't American politicians just ask the U.K. how they do it??! Through taxes you say? We pay taxes too. No taxation without representation! Respectfully, John~
- John, arizona, usa
It just proves once again that while we Americans profess to be all about equality, we still cannot stomach the idea of a working mother. We haven't progressed at all since Pat Schroeder. Michelle Obama was a working mother before this and now she's lauded as some kind of budget conscious Mother Theresa...with a $300K patronage job and her own personal designer on call. I believe these Palin stories as much as I believe Obama was born in Kenya. Change? Hope? Hardly. Just a more sophisticated and hateful sexism.
- Sachi, KC, Mo
I hold no special brief for Sarah Palin but I think that all these busy little leakers sound like mean-minded, bitchy people!
- Mary, London
I hold no special brief for Sarah Palin but I think that all these busy little leakers sound like mean-minded, bitchy people!
- Mary, London
Yes R Allen of Canterbury. I'm reminded of the superiority of the Brits when I observe them wallowing and sweating on our beaches then retiring to the bars to hold belching contest in their fabricly challenged Speedo Union Jack swimwear and black socks with sandals. Very intelligent and attractive.
- Mike, PA. USA
What a cowardly lot the Republicans are to take her to task for some of these things. The accusation that Obama 'palled around with terrorists' is what was wrong with her - the McCarthyite smear - which the Republicans as a whole did not shy away from either! What hypocrisy. So, she came to the door in a towel. So what? She was in a hurry to answer the door and (mistakenly) thought she was among friends - among Republicans. I certainly despise her politics, but this stuff is on the whole snobby, classist tripe from a Party that brought us a war based on lies and with that untold death and destruction, the incompetence and more needless deaths from Katrina and a world economic collapse. And we're supposed to worry about Sarah's towel? And HER profligate spending?? Oh please! Give us a break!
- Lucy, London, UK
i am not surprised at her ignorance. as an african i have come across quite a few americans & europeans who are totally ignorant about the outside world and even within their own country.
- Ursula, Accra, Ghana
Can we please leave the poor woman alone! Of course she had to be equipped in the latest designer fashion and it wasn't going to be cheap. The Reps had to create the image, they knew what they were doing. Itr's all a bit hard on Sarah that she can't keep her wardrobe, but then that's Showbiz. Perfrmers are quite used to it; the smell of the greasepaint, the roar of the crowd and miserly producers.
- Dhanraj, Basildon Essex
R Allen from Canterbury may have worked on ships for a while but what he/she says about US pax is not the norm. I can recall grimaces from the crew thinking that they had limey pax coming on and they were from the UK. Obviously he/she wasnt at sea long enough to get an idea on other nationalities, not just Americans. bet you took the tips though, American or not.
- Les, Richmond, UK
Have you not heard the news? The great one has been elected, The smear stories are no longer necessary.
- Trevor, Southend
I think we should demand that the Blairs repay their cost to the UK taxpayer - they don't need the money given how much they now earn on the back of the premiership (pay for own security, etc)
- Andy, London
A 'deputy political editor' should know better than to base stories on sour grapes innuendo appearing in Newsweek of all publications.
- Buddy L Moore, WV USA
John I agree with that comment especially after the make over prior to that she is nothing the talk abouut let alone the MILF!!!
PS: people need to know a little general knowledge and she aitn got a clue a dumb bimbo!
- Ted, London
John, London: You obviously have been indulging in far too much self-abuse if you think that this Alaskan person, who is not the brightest light on the block, is a MILF. She is just another stupid politician taking advantage of every opportunity to milk perks out of the system.
- Len, Perth, Australia
"Newsweek" magazine is infamous for printing rubbish, drivel, and nonsense. Sarah Palin's name and photo get attention, so the junk US media just can't let her go.
- Celia Benson, Atlanta. USA
When I left school I did Camp America and the woman in charge of the camp was a high school teacher of English literature. I will never forget when she asked me, "Where is Wales? Is it in London?" When I put her right and laughingly said this was akin to a British person asking an American if Mexico was in Washington DC, she was visibly offended but still not embarrassed by her own ignorance.
- Sarah Bradshaw, Enfield, Middx
I Used to work on cruise ships carrying American cruisers. The stupidity and general child like ignorance of the American passengers was jaw dropping and the source of much amusement for the non US crew. One day when it was quite rough at sea the passengers were advised not to swim in the ships pools since the passengers would have been thrown about quite badly. One dimwit passenger asked me 'Gee look at the size of the waves in that pool! How do they get the waves so big? Do they use sea water?' How we Brits and Italians laughed at that one.
- R Allen, Canterbury
A story about Cherie Blair and her children gathering free goodies in an Australian shop comes to mind...
- Db, London
She may be a M.I.L.F. but, as a politician, she sounds like a nightmare.
- John, London
Why did Sarah 'The Hockey Mom' Palin show up at John McCain's concession speech in a $498 Elie Tahari suit, incidentally sold at Neiman Marcus? Did she forget to return it with the other clothes, wanted a souvenir or is it just the Diva in her.
- Dae, Grove USA
