# Are Gov. Palin's glasses fake? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [November 5, 2008, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gov-palins-glasses-fake/471179 "2008-11-05T00:41:08Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 8\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gov-palins-glasses-fake/471179/1 "2008-11-05T00:41:08Z")
I was talking with a friend today, and she asked me if I had heard anything about Gov. Palin’s glasses being fake, that is, not real prescription lenses and not necessary to correct any defects in her vision. The premise is that she wears them to make herself look more intelligent. > [@Sarah Palin](#): > > “I’ve been taken aback by the nasty criticism about my appearance,” she says. “I wish they’d stick with the issues instead of discussing my black go-go boots. A reporter once asked me about it during the campaign, and **I assured him I was trying to be as frumpy as I could by wearing my hair on top of my head and these schoolmarm glasses** , but he said, ‘No, that’s not what I mean.’ I guess I was naive, but when I hear people talk about it I just want to escort them back to the Neanderthal cave while we get down to business.” [cite](http://www.style.com/vogue/feature/090108VFEA/?mbid=rss_feature) So, what say you, Dopers? Does Gov. Palin really have a prescription need for corrective lenses, or are they a prop to make her seem smarter? ---
**Author:** ![Woolma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Woolma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Woolma)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gov-palins-glasses-fake/471179/2 "2008-11-05T00:44:13Z")
noo i dont think that they are fake… but it makes her even more cute - that might be 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gov-palins-glasses-fake/471179/3 "2008-11-05T00:48:07Z")
I don’t think they’re fake. Moreover, I wouldn’t give a shit if they were. People have been known to decorate themselves, occasionally. ---
**Author:** ![TWDuke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/e495f1/32.png) [@TWDuke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TWDuke)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:54am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gov-palins-glasses-fake/471179/4 "2008-11-05T00:54:51Z")
The bolded quote could mean: 1. I choose to wear glasses even though I have perfect vision. 2. I choose to wear this style of glasses rather than a sexier style. 3. I choose to wear glasses rather than wear contact lenses or have surgery. I think (1) is the least likely explanation. That doesn’t mean that the idea that women with glasses look smarter didn’t figure into her choice, but it’s no big deal if it did. ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 12:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gov-palins-glasses-fake/471179/5 "2008-11-05T00:56:04Z")
I dunno. They could be–but she’s of an age where reading glasses are needed. My SIL (not a normal person) wore vanity glasses for about 2 years for the very reason you state. It helped until she opened her mouth. Hmmm… You might be on to something! ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 1:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gov-palins-glasses-fake/471179/6 "2008-11-05T01:00:45Z")
I did some checking about this, and I found a lot of people who point out that there doesn’t seem to be an refraction or distortion because of her glasses. I looked at quite a few pics online, and I have to agree that I could not see anything to indicate distortion, refraction or other optic effects. I know that Gov. Palin was supposed to release her medical records last week, but all I’ve seen so far is a letter from her physician saying that she is in good health. ([cite](http://www.latimes.com/media/acrobat/2008-11/43179602.pdf)) Nothing in there about the glasses. The debate rages on! The fate of our country hangs in the balance! ---
**Author:** ![Jack\_Batty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jack_batty/32/3201_2.png) [@Jack\_Batty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jack_Batty)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gov-palins-glasses-fake/471179/7 "2008-11-05T01:02:57Z")
I bet she pads her bra too. ---
**Author:** ![Snowboarder\_Bo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/snowboarder_bo/32/229_2.png) [@Snowboarder\_Bo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Snowboarder_Bo)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2008, 1:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/are-gov-palins-glasses-fake/471179/8 "2008-11-05T01:14:57Z")
> [@Jack\_Batty](#): > > I bet she pads her bra too. I’ll take that bet, but I want to be present for the discovery phase of the proceedings. 😃