Sarah Palin -- Biting the Hand that Dressed Her?
For all of you who are comparing Sarah Palin to Eliza Doolittle, the original before-and-after Miss Makeover, you would do well to remember the original ending to George Bernard Shaw's play, ``Pygmalion,'' not the sappy happy-ending Broadway and Hollywood spin-off versions.
In the original, Eliza gives her her ''creator,'' Henry Higgins, the metaphorical ''lydy-like'' middle finger and walks out on him to marry someone else.
If the reports are correct and McCain's Eliza, Sarah Palin, is biting the hand that dressed her, defying the McCain campaign's dictats, then she is hewing closer to the original Eliza.
She's even denying the RNC reports that $150,000 was splashed out for the Palin Family makeover. As she told the Chicago Tribune, the clothes were ''loaned to us during the convention. And I don't think it was anywhere near ... What did they say... 150 grand? It wasn't anywhere near that," Palin said.
Um, did she see the bills? Or at least the labels? Valentino, Cole Haan, Tahari, Kate Spade? This wardrobe that she also said stayed in the plane? [Like the rain in Spain]? Or her running mate's explanation that ''she needed clothes''?
Maybe she doesn't know how much was spent on her Pygmalion presentation. This is plausible because I don't think she herself was cruising the aisles at Saks, Neiman's or Bloomingdales. The RNC probably hired a personal shopper who took her sizes and preferences and shopped a six-figure frenzy.
Here's the clincher, as far as I'm concerned -- two of them, in fact: one in her favor, one against.
In her favor: check out those red Kate Spade croc print red pumps. See the gap at the back? They are too big for her. No woman doing her own shopping would walk out of the store with such a poor fit on such expensive [$297] shoes.
But to all that protesting overmuch about "Gosh, gee whiz, we're really frugal, these clothes didn't cost anywhere near six figures and anyway, I didn't wear them anyway," add this:
What woman wouldn't notice the wardrobe upgrade from her standard attire, acquired -- as she declared herself -- from the Anchorage resale shop ``Out of the Closet,'' which does indeed carry designer labels, but probably not the lavish range that Saks and Bloomingdale's provides?
Now here in Southern California, ``Out of the Closet'' is a chain of ``fabulous'' thrift stores benefiting the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. ``Fabulous'' is its own word, and one that I, a frequent shopper, endorse.
The website for the Anchorage OOTC makes no mention of AIDS. Trademark lawyer alert?
The McCain campaign says that after electoral midnight on November 4, the Eliza/Sarah wardrobe will be donated to charity. Which suggests that Palin has something in common with another figure of fiction: Cinderella.
Photo of Audrey Hepburn as Eliza Doolittle is courtesy of Warner Bros.
Back peddling seems to be the soup of the day with the McCain/Palin team. They have become adept at manipulating a story to their advantage. Neither McCain nor Palin seem to know what the "issues" ae nor how to deal with them. Facts still remain though for anyone with half a brain to see. My deepest fear is that they will win the election and we will be made to suffer their haphazard way of approching a crisis. We can only be portrayed as a country who reward the inept, thereby apearing weak.
Posted by: Barbara | October 27, 2008 at 07:51 AM
Enough already! Why is everyone making such a big deal about her clothes! The RNC purchased them and they are not hers to keep. So let it go!
Posted by: Norma | October 27, 2008 at 09:05 AM
Does anyone know how much money the DNC spent on Obama and his staff's trip to Hawaii???
Posted by: Chris | October 27, 2008 at 09:07 AM
Go get 'em, pitbull with lipstick.! They say your arnt qualifyed to lead this country, but you can down a moose, so you outta be able to bomb those Iranian buggers and save Israel from the Tribulation forseen ever sense the book of Daniel. America beware -- God will Put Palin into the Prsidencey--- or else!!
Posted by: frank burns | October 27, 2008 at 09:12 AM
This is just one more in the tank for Obama writing exercise. It is so evident that the press has lost their objectivity. So you folks get today's "in the tank" award
Posted by: David Drake | October 27, 2008 at 09:27 AM
Palin has a sugardaddy.
As if we didn't all already know that.
Posted by: James | October 27, 2008 at 10:41 AM
I would like to know where and when the clothes will be donated, because I would like to get some
Posted by: Sonia Cheddie | October 27, 2008 at 11:11 AM
I think John Mccain erred in judgement in allocating 150,000$ worth of designer clothes for his "princess Palin!' In so doing he tarred the image of the frugal hockey mom who supposedly shops at a consignment shop in Alaska. Poor sarah Palin is clearly out of her league and after the election should return to her pro-America Alaska and resume her governorship. And her running mate can run back to his ranch in Arizona and realize he erred in choosing a beauty queen, who lacked substance!
Posted by: kikiquela | October 27, 2008 at 11:30 AM
I am no Palin supporter, and I think it would be a disaster if McCain won and died in office. The woman is dumber than a box of rocks.
HOWEVER - I do not see what the big deal is with her $150K wardrobe. Campaigns are supposed to do what they can to win an election, and if having Palin look nice is part of that strategy, than so be it. How is it any different than spending $150K on commercials? Campaigns are all about appearances. Not sure what the problem is with outfitting her in designer clothes.
Posted by: Dave | October 27, 2008 at 11:51 AM
Elizabeth Hasselbeck would be a better VP candidate than Sarah Palin.
Posted by: hottopics | October 27, 2008 at 12:29 PM
Will the haircuts and make-up be donated too?
Palin's make-up artist was the highest paid staff member of the McCain campaign.... No wonder they're in the shape they're in!!
Posted by: Independents for Palin | October 27, 2008 at 02:51 PM
I'm amazed Palin thinks her suddenly wearing different clothing will make anything better. She's running for Vice President of the United States of America and we're supposed to be reassured that she has no idea how much money had been spent? Clueless isn't a good quality for a vice presidential candidate.
Posted by: Jane | October 27, 2008 at 02:54 PM
This is what the Liberal Media has to try to discredit Mrs. Palin?
Obviously you cannot attack the substance of her candidacy and have gone to this petty drivel.
You have impressed me once more as to the depths you will go.
Not to worry though Mrs. Palin will take her rightful place in the White House despite you. Do your worst and she shall do her best and my money is on her.
Posted by: Stephen Emmert | October 28, 2008 at 03:00 AM
THE LATEST ON THE WARDROBE, THE WASHINGTON POST REPORTS TODAY, ON TOP OF THE $150,000 FIRST REPORTED PALIN SPENT AN TENS OF THOUSANDS OF DOLLARS ON ADDITIONAL CLOTHING, MAKE-UP, AND JEWELRY FOR HERSELF AND HER FAMILY, INCLUDING $40,000 IN LUXURY GOODS FOR HER HUSBAND TODD PALIN WHICK INCLUDED SILK BOXER SHORTS, SPRAY TANNERS, AND 13 SUITCASES TO CARRY ALL THE DESIGNER CLOTHES BACK TO ALASKA. THE ONE ITEM THAT I FIND OUTRAGES THAT PALIN BOUGHT HER 7 YEAR OLD DAUGHTER A LOUIS VUITTON BAG. HOW CAN THE GOP TAKE DONATIONS FROM THE AMERICAN CITIZENS AND JUSTIFY SPENDING $200,000 ON PALIN AND HER FAMILY. REMEMBER MCCAIN/PALIN CAMPAIGN SLOGAN "COUNTRY FIRST"
I T SEEMS IRONIC THAT GRETA VAN SUSTERN OF THE FOX NEWS ONE OF GOVERNOR SARAH PALIN'S SUPPORTERS ARE CRYING NOW SAYING HOW UNFAIR THAT PEOPLE ARE SAYING THESE THINGS ABOUT POOR POOR SARAH. GRETA VAN SUSTERN, BILL O'REILLY, SEAN HANNITY FOUND IT WAS OK OUT ON THE CAMPAIGN TRAIL WHEN SARAH PALIN WAS INCITING CROWDS AND MONGERING, CALLING OBAMA EVERYTHING FROM A COMMUNIST TO A TERRORIST.
THE FOX NEWS STATION CALLS ITSELF "FAIR AND BALANCED NEWS" THAT'S THE BIGGEST JOKE. THEY ARE TRYING TO PORTRAY GOV. PALIN HAS THE VICTIM, NOW WHEN ASKED THE SAME QUESTIONS, SHE ALL OF A SUDDEN SAYS SHE REMEMBERS TALKING ABOUT IT. FOR SOMEONE WHO SPENT 6 YEARS AT 5 DIFFERENT COLLEGES, SARAH PALIN SURE DIDN'T LEARN VERY MUCH. EVEN BILL O'REILLY DEFENDED SARAH PALIN BY SAYING THAT "WELL, SHE COULD BE TUTORED" AND THAT IT ISN'T ANY BIG DEAL THAT SARAH PALIN DIDN'T REALIZE THAT AFRICA WASN'T A COUNTRY. AS AN AMERICAN I HAVE ALWAYS HAD THE GREATEST RESPECT FOR POLITICS, BUT NOW WHENEVER I TURN ON THE NEWS IT SEEMS LIKE I'M WATCHING A SOAP OPERA FEATURING CALLED THE PITBULL WITH LIPSTICK AND THE DISHONEST MAVERICK.
Posted by: ROZ | November 10, 2008 at 11:11 AM