Okay - a little bit of levity on this historic day. Here's a story that will get you smiling: Newsweek reports that Sarah Palin's infamous spending sprees on clothing (something she blamed on the campaign), were MUCH WORSE than previously anticipated. Yes, that's right, much worse than $150,000:
NEWSWEEK has also learned that Palin's shopping spree at high-end department stores was more extensive than previously reported. While publicly supporting Palin, McCain's top advisers privately fumed at what they regarded as her outrageous profligacy.
How outrageous was this profligacy? Well, take a look at this:
One senior aide said that Nicolle Wallace had told Palin to buy three suits for the convention and hire a stylist. But instead, the vice presidential nominee began buying for herself and her family—clothes and accessories from top stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus.
Just as in her days in Alaska, when she charged the taxpayers for her time spent at home, or countless other remarkable boondoggles, Diva Palin can't resist grabbing while the gettin's good. But she didn't just use her own expense account to buy clothes, but she had some of her underlings charge it on their cards too!
According to two knowledgeable sources, a vast majority of the clothes were bought by a wealthy donor, who was shocked when he got the bill. Palin also used low-level staffers to buy some of the clothes on their credit cards. The McCain campaign found out last week when the aides sought reimbursement.
But here's my favorite part. Ready for it?:
One aide estimated that she spent "tens of thousands" more than the reported $150,000, and that $20,000 to $40,000 went to buy clothes for her husband. Some articles of clothing have apparently been lost. An angry aide characterized the shopping spree as "Wasilla hillbillies looting Neiman Marcus from coast to coast," and said the truth will eventually come out when the Republican Party audits its books.
Okay, where to begin? First of all - $20-$40,000 for her husband's clothes? Men, are you with me here? What the hell would you spend that much on for clothing? Certainly nothing that was essential in the two months between her nomination and the election. She had to know that, so clearly she was loading up while she could.
And some "have apparently been lost?" Please. They've been lost deep into Palin's closet.
According to the Newsweek story, the aides kept McCain in the dark about this so as not to enrage him. Palin, the hardcore ladder-climber, made a request to the campaign to speak alongside McCain's concession speech last night (!?!). Understand this: Sarah Palin wanted to speak as part of John McCain's concession speech. Steve Schmidt (wisely) vetoed the request.
I know, we beat them and have bigger fish to fry. But I'm not above gloating, and this story is too much fun.
CROSS-POSTED AT STRATEGY '08