# GOP Spends $150K To Dress Up Their Caribou Barbie Doll **URL:** \ **Category:** The BBQ Pit\ **Created:** [October 22, 2008, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048 "2008-10-22T13:40:40Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Dangerosa](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/22d042/32.png) [@Dangerosa](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dangerosa)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 9:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/101 "2008-10-22T21:08:48Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Anyway, I totally hear what people are saying about how this expenditure contradicts the values that the McCain/Palin campaign espouses. I don’t disagree. I’m only arguing that the expenditure was (probably) reasonable. I’m not saying that it doesn’t read as hypocritical. I wouldn’t say “reasonable” myself - I get it. I know where it went. I find the idea of the RNC buying her clothing perfectly justifyable. I find it understandable instead of “how in the hell could you spend that much on clothes!” But I think it would have to be about half that much before it seemed a “reasonable” amount to me. Palin could wear the same outfit twice (and she probably does, but they’ve also likely overbought). She could have (or rather, her shoppers, because I don’t believe most of this was bought by her) bought some really cute jackets that would have been wonderfully appropriate at Nieman’s for $300 rather than $1300. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 9:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/102 "2008-10-22T21:30:02Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Are you joking? > > I shop at Filene’s Basement and places like that, but the stock in those kinds of places is totally catch-as-catch-can. Sometimes, the racks are full of great stuff, and sometimes you have to conclude that the buyer was on drugs or something. That’s kind of the point–you give something (service, selection, amenities) in order to get a lower price. I mean, what’s Palin going to do–spend hours rooting around looking for the skirt that matches the jacket in her size? And let’s face it–most stuff ends up there because it didn’t sell at full retail. Often because there’s something not-quite-right about it. You just have to do some work to find the good stuff. And for someone in Palin’s position, that’s just too inefficient right now. I will admit that I’ve never closely perused the clothing racks at FB. They wouldn’t have anything to fit me anyway, and I think most designer stuff is ugly as sin (especially the purses!) so I just head directly to the umbrella rack. But, on my way to the umbrella rack, I do pass by clothing racks and many things I see are decent. I can see how the inventory might be hit or miss though. But she’s not going to spend hours rooting around anyway, her handlers, McCain’s people, are doing that for her. > [@Green\_Bean](#): > > And what’s with the idea that the average schlub would never be able enter the hallowed lobby of Neiman Marcus? Gimme a break. That’s like saying that an Iowa farmer has probably never heard of arugula. Anybody can shop in Neiman’s or Saks. It don’t cost a thing to get in the door, and they have sales just like anywhere else. And their selections overlap with less highfalutin stores and the prices are often exactly the same. So yeah, I buy my makeup at Neiman’s. Costs exactly the same as at Nordstrom’s, and I get Neiman’s service. I buy my bras at Nordstroms. They cost exactly the same as they do at the shithole known as Macy’s, and I get Nordstrom’s service. It’s true that I’m probably projecting. I walk down Michigan Ave. all the time and pass by these places, and just assume that they have invisible alarms that will go off if I dared to walk in the door. **BEEP BEEP DOESN’T BELONG HERE BEEP BEEP DOESN’T BELONG HERE BEEP BEEP BEEEEEEEEP!!!** I once walked into Marshall Fields and felt like the cops were going to swoop down on me any moment for being out of place. > [@Green\_Bean](#): > > A [Clinique lipstick](http://www.neimanmarcus.com/store/catalog/templates/P9.jhtml?itemId=cat9050747&parentId=cat4880735&masterId=cat4880732&cmCat=)costs 14 bucks! Sheesh. :eek: See, that’s why I don’t belong. That’s an outrageous price for something as stupid as lipstick. There again though, I’m projecting because I don’t wear any makeup at all, and if there were a situation where I would need to, I still have makeup that I bought 20some years ago (in a fit of “maybe I should start wearing makeup” Buy a bunch. “Nah, wearing makeup sucks”) that does me just fine. > [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Do you think she would be too intimidated to walk in the door or something? Sheesh. I certainly am, but maybe that’s just me. ---
**Author:** ![RTFirefly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/c77e96/32.png) [@RTFirefly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RTFirefly)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/103 "2008-10-22T21:40:59Z")
> [@Merkwurdigliebe](#): > > See the problem is this, it is kind of a stupid narrative, but it’s not like McCain doesn’t deserve it. He’s been trying to play these bullshit gotcha politics and trying to win news cycles all goddamn year. It only seems fair that a few come back to bite him in the ass. > > McCain keeps on tripping over his own dick and it’s funny to watch. Exactly. According to Marc Ambinder, [Republicans ARE upset](http://marcambinder.theatlantic.com/archives/2008/10/republicans_disgusted_by_rnc_s.php). And this line from the McCain campaign was priceless: > [@](#): > > With all of the important issues facing the country right now, it’s remarkable that we’re spending time talking about pantsuits and blouses. Yep, because how can you avoid the McCain campaign’s laserlike focus on “the important issues facing the country right now,” like Bill Ayers, or whether Obama’s a celebrity? At least McCain’s shut up for awhile about how he used to be a POW. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/104 "2008-10-22T21:45:01Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > Are you joking? > > I shop at Filene’s Basement and places like that, but the stock in those kinds of places is totally catch-as-catch-can. Sometimes, the racks are full of great stuff, and sometimes you have to conclude that the buyer was on drugs or something. That’s kind of the point–you give something (service, selection, amenities) in order to get a lower price. I mean, what’s Palin going to do–spend hours rooting around looking for the skirt that matches the jacket in her size? And let’s face it–most stuff ends up there because it didn’t sell at full retail. Often because there’s something not-quite-right about it. You just have to do some work to find the good stuff. And for someone in Palin’s position, that’s just too inefficient right now. I don’t know, but I’d be willing to bet that the campaigns have tailors on staff in order to fix something that goes wrong with an outfit at the last minute (it’d look pretty weird to see someone go into the building of an event wearing one outfit, and then appear on stage wearing something else, I’m fairly certain that it takes a certain _skill_ to patch something up and _not_ make it look like its held together by bobby pins). You’d also want to have a staff tailor so that the cut of the various outfits was consistent. Seems to me that such a tailor would have a lot of “idle” time, punctuated by periods of extreme busy-ness. Having said tailors work on “off-the-rack” outfits could possibly smooth that out. $150K would also buy a shitload of buttons/bumperstickers/yardsigns, and McCain has less than $90 million to spend, while Obama has raised almost **double** that in one month. Sure, its not a lot of money in comparison to what the campaign is spending, but when you consider that the campaign is _seriously_ handicapped by a lack of funds, one has to ask if that was the wisest allocation of the money that they could make. ---
**Author:** ![spoike](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/da6949/32.png) [@spoike](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/spoike)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/105 "2008-10-22T22:31:12Z")
I’m going to be gracious and assume that Piper is holding her mother’s purse in [this photo from Gawker](http://gawker.com/5067135/little-piper-palins-790-designer-handbag) (if you don’t like that site, the photo is everywhere). Otherwise I would have to assume that a seven year old girl has a [$790 Louis Vuitton Montorgueil PM handbag](http://louisvuitton.com/web/flash/index.jsp;jsessionid=AADKBAMFNJRWUCRBXUDVAFYKEG4RAUPU?buy=1&langue=en_US&direct1=home_entry_us), and that just can’t be correct. Even if the purse does belong to her mother, and even if you believe that Ms. Palin (and her family) needed the $150000 to look professional on the campaign trail, do you really believe she needed an $800 purse, given the image she is trying to project? ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/106 "2008-10-22T22:31:16Z")
To underscore the difference, there’s a [cute video on this page](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/22/the-obamas-discuss-dressi_n_137009.html), with a totally shallow but amusing interview with the Obama family about fashion. Michelle points out that the pants Barack is wearing are 10 years old, and that she’s wearing a $30.00 Gap dress. ---
**Author:** ![Lamia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Lamia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lamia)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 11:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/107 "2008-10-22T23:25:34Z")
> [@Green\_Bean](#): > > And what’s with the idea that the average schlub would never be able enter the hallowed lobby of Neiman Marcus? Gimme a break. That’s like saying that an Iowa farmer has probably never heard of arugula. Anybody can shop in Neiman’s or Saks. It don’t cost a thing to get in the door, and they have sales just like anywhere else. It’s true that these stores don’t charge admission, but for me it would cost me something just to get in the door because I don’t live in a town with a Neiman’s or a Saks and I never have. Looking at their website now, there wasn’t a Saks in the entire state I lived in for the past few years (I note they don’t have any locations in Alaska, either), and the closest one to where I live now is about two hours away. So for me visiting a Saks would cost, at minimum, the gas for a four hour drive. Neiman Markus is the same story, except that their single location in my state is even further away. For many “Main Street” Americans, these are stores that they’ve never even seen in real life. ---
**Author:** ![Squink](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5e925/32.png) [@Squink](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Squink)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/108 "2008-10-22T23:26:16Z")
> [@spoike](#): > > I’m going to be gracious and assume that Piper is holding her mother’s purse in [this photo from Gawker](http://gawker.com/5067135/little-piper-palins-790-designer-handbag) Sarah’s teaching her daughter those oh-so-important small town values, is she? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![MsWhatsit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/eb8c5e/32.png) [@MsWhatsit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MsWhatsit)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/109 "2008-10-22T23:29:11Z")
I can’t believe I’m actually getting involved in this thread, but I feel compelled to point out that the comments on that Gawker photo indicate that the bag is probably fake. ---
**Author:** ![RickJay](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/bb73d2/32.png) [@RickJay](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RickJay)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 11:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/110 "2008-10-22T23:30:06Z")
I’m sorry, but I don’t understand the problem. She’s running to be Vice President of the United States. Of course they want her in the best fashions and the best accessories. Appearance matters; $150K is small potatoes as compared to the GOP’s entire campaign budget to address such an important thing. More people are looking at Sarah Palin than at any number of ads that cost a lot more than $150K. What a stupid thing to complain about. It’s the GOP’s money. ---
**Author:** ![Equipoise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/equipoise/32/151_2.png) [@Equipoise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Equipoise)\ **Post date:** [October 22, 2008, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/111 "2008-10-22T23:34:02Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > What a stupid thing to complain about. It’s the GOP’s money. Who’s actually complaining other than actual Republicans? (See **RTFirefly’s** link in post #103) I think most liberals are absolutely delighted about this. Go Sarah! ---
**Author:** ![Drain\_Bead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/e47774/32.png) [@Drain\_Bead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drain_Bead)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/112 "2008-10-23T00:04:44Z")
> [@Equipoise](#): > > To underscore the difference, there’s a [cute video on this page](http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/10/22/the-obamas-discuss-dressi_n_137009.html), with a totally shallow but amusing interview with the Obama family about fashion. Michelle points out that the pants Barack is wearing are 10 years old, and that she’s wearing a $30.00 Gap dress. A total aside here, but I cannot believe that Malia Obama is only ten years old. She looks fourteen and sounds that age or older. It’ll be neat to watch her grow up. As for the $150,000 clothes bill–I think they probably could have bargain-hunted and saved money, but they probably didn’t really have time to scour the sales, you know? This doesn’t really bother me at all, and I’m a flaming liberal elitist. ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 12:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/113 "2008-10-23T00:12:40Z")
According to this [NYT story](http://thecaucus.blogs.nytimes.com/2008/10/22/gop-consultant-reimbursed-for-palin-shopping-spree/?partner=rssyahoo&emc=rss), if Sarah keeps the clothes, she will have to pay income tax on it. > [@](#): > > Federal Election Commission records show that Mr. Larson was reimbursed by the Republican National Committee in September for more than $130,000 in purchases at Saks Fifth Avenue, Neiman Marcus, Macy’s, Barney’s New York, and Atelier New York, a men’s clothing store. > > The spending spree, first reported by [Politico.com](http://Politico.com), was apparently to outfit Ms. Palin and her family. Should she decide to keep the clothing, its value would have to be taxed as income. I.R.S. rules allow for employees to deduct the cost of uniforms worn for work — as long as the clothing has no use other than one’s job. > But if the same clothing can also be worn day-to-day, the cost cannot be deducted from income. And if paid for by someone else, as in this case, the value of the clothing must be reported as taxable income, Robert S. McIntyre, director of Citizens for Tax Justice, a nonpartisan tax policy research group, said on Wednesday. > > “If the clothes were only used for work, it would not be taxable income,” Mr. McIntyre said. “But if you can use them to go to lunch with your husband, it would.” One more choice quote: > [@](#): > > The Republican National Committee confirmed the reimbursements to Mr. Larson, but said that the clothing bought for Ms. Palin and her family would **eventually** be given to charity. Bolding mine. ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 12:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/114 "2008-10-23T00:14:12Z")
> [@RickJay](#): > > What a stupid thing to complain about. It’s the GOP’s money. Depends upon how you want to define that. McCain, after all, is running his campaign using _government_ provided money ([$84.1 million worth of taxpayers money, to be exact)](http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-10-20-McCain-Monday_N.htm), so I’d say its reasonable to assume that at least a portion of the money he’s using came from the general public’s wallet. (Admittedly, its a lot lesss than NASA’s budget, but by fucking Og, why should they be the lone whipping boy of the electorate about “wasted government money”?) ---
**Author:** ![pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a9a28c/32.png) [@pseudotriton\_ruber\_ruber](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pseudotriton_ruber_ruber)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/115 "2008-10-23T00:20:08Z")
> [@](#): > > the clothing bought for Ms. Palin and her family would eventually be given to charity Yeah, this got me too. She’ll need clothes to wear as VP, won’t she? Why would want to give up all this expensive, custom tailored stuff on Nov. 5? She can wear it until it tatters, frays, gets stained, etc. and THEN donate it to charity. Around 2016, if the press remembers this issue, the answer will be “Hey, it’s not ‘eventually’ yet!” meaning “It’s not absolute rags just yet.” ---
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/116 "2008-10-23T00:23:07Z")
I got dibs on the buzzword for this newest scandal: Shoppergate And I just Googled for this tern, and got no results, so it’s MINE! ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 12:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/117 "2008-10-23T00:23:10Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > Depends upon how you want to define that. McCain, after all, is running his campaign using _government_ provided money ([$84.1 million worth of taxpayers money, to be exact)](http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-10-20-McCain-Monday_N.htm), so I’d say its reasonable to assume that at least a portion of the money he’s using came from the general public’s wallet. (Admittedly, its a lot lesss than NASA’s budget, but by fucking Og, why should they be the lone whipping boy of the electorate about “wasted government money”?) The money is given to the campaign to do with it what they want. If they choose to outfit Gov. Palin rather than running one more commercial on St. Louis TV, that’s their business. I don’t think it’s right to say that how they choose to spend the money should be approved. 'Cause my answer might be, “Don’t spend the principal!” 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Tuckerfan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/eada6e/32.png) [@Tuckerfan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tuckerfan)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/118 "2008-10-23T00:26:53Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > The money is given to the campaign to do with it what they want. If they choose to outfit Gov. Palin rather than running one more commercial on St. Louis TV, that’s their business. I don’t think it’s right to say that how they choose to spend the money should be approved. But we **do**. Politicians are limited as to how they can spend campaign funds, and quite a number of them, IIRC have gotten in big trouble for not using it correctly. (Hookers and blow are certainly prohibited, even if you live in Nevada, I’m sure.) ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/119 "2008-10-23T00:30:28Z")
> [@Tuckerfan](#): > > But we **do**. Yeah, you’re right; I’m wrong. But we’re both off on a tangent, as it was the RNC that paid for the clothes, not the campaign. I wonder what their donors think of this? ---
**Author:** ![eleanorigby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/ee7513/32.png) [@eleanorigby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eleanorigby)\ **Post date:** [October 23, 2008, 12:39am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048/120 "2008-10-23T00:39:11Z")
> [@spoike](#): > > … it is a traditional Inuit dress. She was wearing it to project the image of a ‘real’ Alaskan. > > You may hate it, but there is an actual reason she was wearing it, and I don’t think it reflects poorly on her judgement. In fact, I would guess the people she was trying to impress were impressed. I would have rolled my eyes at the obvious nature of the gesture, but I’m cynical like that. > > I hope to God this is the last time I ever have to (sort of) defend that woman. It makes me feel unclean. Sorry to do that to you–I missed that bit. Traditional Inuit dress is Barbie pink? Who knew they had access to those dyes up there? 😉 I think some women have a dress sense and others don’t. I don’t see much wrong with Palin’s (now that that outfit is explained), but I don’t see the need for that much money. I used to shop at Marshall Field etc and I have many nice things (make that had–they’re all out of fashion now) in my closet, but no way did I spend that much money on stuff like that. Frankly, I think she’s on the make to get whatever she can out of whatever “perks” she thinks she can finagle. If I were a Rep, I’d be ticked off that she’s wasting my donation to that extent. A few nice suits? You betcha. But not 150K’s worth. That’s messed up. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/gop-spends-150k-to-dress-up-their-caribou-barbie-doll/469048.md?page=7)