RSS Feed MenuAn enraged Republican donor called Republican National Committee officials “clueless” for their failure to donate or account for Gov. Sarah Palin’s campaign wardrobe. Instead, as NewMajority revealed yesterday, the former GOP vice presidential candidate’s expensive duds — totalling $180,000 — sits in purgatory at the RNC’s headquarters in Washington, D.C.
“They may want to be supportive of her,” a major GOP donor told NewMajority, “but they are so out of touch that they’re not doing anything to help her by not donating these clothes.”
“They must be clueless that they didn’t make [donating the clothes] a priority.”
During the campaign, and as recently as this week, both campaign and RNC officials promised that the clothes would be donated and fully accounted for. But since NewMajority broke the story yesterday, RNC spokesmen have been denying it to national media, repeatedly calling the story “inaccurate.” Yet in none of the stories does the RNC offer any details as to these alleged inaccuracies, preferring instead to dismiss its own promise as old news that nobody is interested in anymore. The RNC repeatedly has been asked for its own version of events, but has rebuffed all questions about the location of the clothes or any timeline for making the donation.
Frum Forum Editor David Frum said that over the months since the end of the campaign he has spoken to many donors angry about the use made of their money – but that they are reluctant to make public comment. Reaction to NewMajority’s story may explain this reluctance. Frum said: “The RNC initiated a conversation with me today. The conversation was off the record, so I won’t quote it, but I think I can characterize it as threatening.” Frum added: “I said I was eager to hear of any inaccuracies in the story. I said that their denials would be a lot more convincing if they could name even one thing in the story that was wrong.”
While the clothes remain sequestered, the question remains: Why? What’s the big secret in the bags?
shellymic // Jan 25, 2009 at 2:23 pm
I cannot, for the life of me, understand who really cares about the clothes, other than the media because that is the only “issue” they have left to pick on. If there are some high dollar donors to the RNC that supposedly have a problem with the $$$ spent on the clothes then they also need to get a life. Good grief, they wanna cry about the $$$ for clothes and say nothing about all of the rules placed on McCain by the media and B.O. (can’t bring up B.O.’s family, can’t pick on Michelle, can’t mention B.O.’s middle name, can’t talk about Rev. Wright, Rezco or Ayer’s, etc.) during the campaign. If high dollar donors or anyone else want to bellyache about something they should cry a little louder for fair treatment in the media. Who CARES about a skirt laying in a bag in some RNC office? It’s just B.S.
Anonymous // Jan 25, 2009 at 2:27 pm
Rapunzel46 you lie, the clothes were not purchased pre convention most were purchased after including the obscene stuff bought for Todd the Separatist. How do states rights seem important when you nominate a separatist for VP?
larryo // Jan 25, 2009 at 2:43 pm
shellymic – As Frum says, lots of people care. The Palin’s Clothes debacle shows just how “conservative” the RNC actually is.
And anyone who doesn’t think there are other “issues” on which the RNC can be taken to task lives in a cave. The attempts to interfere with perfectly legitimate Democratic election activities by telephone blocking, letters to the rubes claiming that Obama will ban the bible and a nationwide voter suppression conspiracy top the list.
shellymic // Jan 25, 2009 at 3:11 pm
Larryo, I get that point but this voter doesn’t think it has one thing to do with Gov. Sarah Palin. It sheds light on the people who said they’d do a job and didn’t do it, not on Gov. Palin. She’s the Governor of Alaska, not the head of the RNC. The Rep party, as it stands today, is rife with problems, none of which are attributable to Gov. Palin. She is the fix to what’s wrong with the party. That’s why so many in the nation were taken with her. She is a breath of fresh air. Nothing at all like the majority of repubs that hold offices today, and that’s what I’m looking for. She is someone I would go out and campaign for. In my life I’ve never said that about a Presidential candidate (wasn’t old enough to vote for Reagan – 37). She’s the definition of a Conservative Republican.
Anonymous // Jan 25, 2009 at 4:46 pm
shellymic
2:23 PM Get over it. You LOST!
shellymic // Jan 25, 2009 at 5:07 pm
Frederick, the country lost. “No, Let’s Not”.
Anonymous // Jan 25, 2009 at 5:08 pm
Yep Palins a fiscal conservative alright. She only left Wassilla $20 million in debt. Way to go.
Anonymous // Jan 25, 2009 at 5:10 pm
The country voted, get over it you lost.
gospelance // Jan 25, 2009 at 8:45 pm
hi Athena, If you want to have meaningful discourse–particularly in here, then you have to answer questions and define terms. I honestly don’t know what “corporate fascism” is–other than a lefty buzz term. Another thing, what is wrong with being Nationalistic? finally, why is this party “anti-American?” You’re not in here just to slam on us, are you?
disenchantedrepub // Jan 25, 2009 at 10:31 pm
Can we all stop talking about Sarah Palin now? As a life-long Republican, I was a fierce critic of Palin’s selection as the VP candidate. She was woefully ill-prepared to be a heartbeat away from the Presidency. In large part because of her selection, I reluctantly voted for Obama. I love my country too much to turn it over to someone as inexperienced and ideological as Sarah Palin. Now can we move onto talking about a Republican leader who actually will have a shot at the winning the Presidency in the next election?
senorlechero // Jan 25, 2009 at 11:09 pm
OMG….how can someone claim that due to Palin’s ill preparedness to be “a heartbeat away” they voted for Obama? You love your country too much to “turn it over to someone as inexperienced and ideological as Sarah Paliln” so you turned it over to someone as inexperienced and ideological as Barak Obama. Real smart. That’ll help help folks understand where you are coming from
disenchantedrepub // Jan 25, 2009 at 11:55 pm
Sarah Palin’s media performances during the campaign revealed how little she knows about foreign policy and world affairs. For all of Obama’s shortcomings, he is at the very least well informed about issues and articulate and thoughtful when addressing the complexities of those issues. Palin’s “Putin raising his head above Alaska airspace” responses during the Couric interview caused me to shudder. She showed no knowledge nor thoughtfulness on some of the most pressing foreign policy issues of the day. I thank God every day that she is not VP. She would ruin this country with her ignorance about world affairs and her blind and misguided ideology.
OneOpinion // Jan 26, 2009 at 4:35 am
Re Sarah Palin’s “media performances” — as noted by post at 11:55 p.m. — are you so blind as to not see the difference between the way that the media handled Sarah Palin vs. BO? And, what about the editing process? After you watch and listen — stop and THINK. Don’t just swallow everything the media spews forth.
ON TOPIC: Re Sarah Palin’s wardrobe: What a silly topic! IF the RNC felt that the clothing was in order for the campaign, then WHY ask for it back? Would anyone have asked for the clothing back if Sarah and McCain had won the election? I think not. Anyway, WHO wants it now? If it was not “wrong” during the campaign, then it should not be wrong for her to keep it now — not that she would even WANT to keep it!!!
To me, it seems like just one more time when the media (full to overflowing with liberals who hate all things Republican) found ONE thing that they could criticize — and instead of taking up for ourselves, the Republicans turn on themselves like mad dogs. Enough already.
HHomer // Jan 26, 2009 at 5:37 am
It’s not enough that Sarah Palin loves Jesus and guns, we need someone who loves Jesus, guns AND knows what newspapers they read. For me, her inability to answer that simplest of questions demonstrated her unfitness for high office.
suey // Jan 26, 2009 at 8:01 am
Bbbbut she is so cute when she winks in that cheeky you betcha, beauty pageant kinda way. How could those naughty voters not fall in love with her? I guess an empty mind behind a pretty face just does not hack it.
disenchantedrepub // Jan 26, 2009 at 10:14 am
For tse of you w keep blaming the media on Sarah Palin’s performance, accusing reporters of “gotcha” journalism to take her down, do you really think asking what newspapers she reads is a tough question? Or expecting her to have some knowledge of foreign policy other than saying Russia is near Alaska? She is an embarrment to the Republican party. Why make excuses for her abysmal performance during the campaign? I say again, thank God she is not a heartbeat away from the Presidency. I’m a lifelong Republican and I can tell you that when I watched her during her interviews and reciting talking points during the VP debate, I felt ashamed to be a conservative. She has done much damage to the GOP brand. BTW, I’m so thankful for this new site because here you can express w you really feel. At places like Redstate if you raise concerns about Sarah Palin you are immediately insulted and banned. Guess Moe and Eric at Redstate don’t like free speech much.
disenchantedrepub // Jan 26, 2009 at 10:16 am
And BTW, as a long-time major donor to the RNC, I’m furious that so much money was spent on Palin’s clothes.
OneOpinion // Jan 26, 2009 at 2:19 pm
Sarah Palin is a breath of fresh air in a stale political landscape. Yes…she “fumbled” on a few questions. SO WHAT! Do you know any extrodinarily smart people on a personal level? If not, then you might need to be informed that SOMETIMES those that have a very high IQ do not come across as glib as the general population. Sarah Palin would do a MUCH better job than even McCain would have done as President. If the members of this site are truly interested in having a GOP candidate elected “next time” — then the focus should be on WHO IS BEST suited to lead America. Not, who do we think can be elected. The focus is all off when you try to GUESS who can be elected. Sarah Palin energized many people who would have probably stayed home on election night simply because they are sick to death of “business as usual” — but also did not want to vote for the most far left liberal US senator — as judged by his peers. To the people who have “given” large gifts to the RNC and are now unhappy about how the money is being spent — try getting in a position to help spend the moeny next time. Quit your griping; it does more harm than good. Also, GIFTS are not “gifts” until you let go of them. Just thoughts — not meant to stir anger.
YoungGOP // Jan 27, 2009 at 2:48 pm
At the same time, when a mistake has been made it needs to be rectified. The money was poorly spent. For a leader who claimed to be “an average person” a new wardrobe is counterproductive. Some may argue that she had a poor roll-out (which may be true) but it is undeniable that she had little to no foreign policy experience. That, along with her poor interview performances made her a bad choice as the VP nominee.
I have no doubt in the Governor’s ability to serve as a Governor or even a future senator, but until she proves herself on the public stage in a competent manner she has no business in presidential politics. That, in my opinion, would start by making sure those clothes were properly donated in the manner both promised by her, the campaign, and the GOP.
BabyBoomerQueen // Apr 2, 2009 at 10:50 am
What a waste…not to mention the over indulgence, in the first place. Even if they auctioned the clothes and gave the money to soup kitchens, women’s crisis centers or Habitat for Humanity.Sharon~The Baby Boomer Advisor Club~