The Real Problem With A $150,000 Clothing Budget

The McCain campaign has done its best to portray Governor Palin’s connection to mainstream America.

A few headlines from this afternoon:

  • Group files complaint over Palin clothes
  • Salvation Army: We’ll take Palin’s clothes
  • McCain has terse response on Palin shopping spree

There’s some mainstream media traction with the revelation the McCain campaign spent $150,000 on clothes for Sara Palin and family. It seems like a lot of money to me, but that’s not my problem with it. After all, I get a clothing allowance–though a tiny percentage of hers.

I’d like to keep this non-partisan, but I can’t find an easy analog from the Democrats. This is not a $400 haircut and I’ll tell you why. John Edwards is a wealthy man.

The McCain campaign has done its best to portray Governor Palin’s connection to mainstream America. It is among their most repeated bullet points. She is the “hockey mom from Wasilla.” And yet, when they wish to physically portray her, they want to show affluence a hockey mom can’t afford.

Is the real fear a true portrayal of a hockey mom’s clothing budget just isn’t as appealing? Are we being sold sizzle or steak?

Whatever the bottom line, this is a temporary annoyance for the Republicans, but it keeps them off their game while already weak.