Is Sarah Palin Biting the Hand that Dressed Her?
For all of you who are comparing Sarah Palin to Eliza Doolittle, the original before-and-after Miss Makeover, you would do well to remember the original ending to George Bernard Shaw's play, ``Pygmalion,'' and not the sappy-happy-ending Broadway and Hollywood spin-off versions.
In the original, Eliza gives her her ''creator,'' Henry Higgins, the metaphorical ''lady-like'' middle finger and walks out on him to marry someone else.
If the reports are correct and McCain's Eliza, Palin, is biting the hand that dressed her, defying the McCain campaign's dictats to establish her own national ''maverick'' brand, then she is hewing a lot closer to the original Eliza.
More perplexingly, she's denying the RNC reports that $150,000 was splashed out for the Palin Family makeover. As she told the Chicago Tribune, the clothes were ''loaned to us during the convention. And I don't think it was anywhere near ... What did they say... $150 grand? It wasn't anywhere near that."
Um, did she see the bills? Certainly she at least checked the labels? Valentino, Cole Haan, Tahari, Kate Spade? This wardrobe that she also said stayed in the plane? [Like the rain in Spain]? Did she hear her running mate's explanation that ''she needed clothes''?
Maybe she really doesn't know how much was spent on her Pygmalion presentation. This could be plausible because I don't think she herself was cruising the aisles at Saks, Neiman's or Bloomingdale's. The RNC may have hired a personal shopper who took Palin's sizes and preferences and shopped a six-figure frenzy.
Here's the clincher, as far as I'm concerned -- two of them, in fact: one slightly in her favor that at the very least, she didn't do this shopping herself, one significantly against.
In her favor: check out those red Kate Spade croc print red pumps. See the gap at the back? They are too big for her. No woman doing her own shopping would walk out of the store with such a poor fit on her feet, and in such expensive shoes [$297].
But all that protesting overmuch about gosh, gee whiz, we're really frugal, these clothes didn't cost anywhere near six figures and anyway, I didn't wear them anyway, also:
What woman wouldn't notice the wardrobe upgrade from her standard attire, a run-of-the-mill couture acquired in part -- as she declared herself -- from the Anchorage resale shop ``Out of the Closet.'' It does indeed carry designer labels, but not the lavish and au courant range that Saks and Bloomingdale's provide.
And here in Southern California, ``Out of the Closet'' is a chain of ``fabulous'' thrift stores benefiting the AIDS Healthcare Foundation. ``Fabulous'' is its own word, and one that I, a frequent shopper, endorse.
The website for the Anchorage OOTC makes no mention of AIDS, a charitable interest which is one of OOTC's strongest selling points here. Trademark lawyer alert?
The McCain campaign says that after electoral midnight on November 4, the Eliza/Sarah wardrobe will be donated to charity. Which suggests that Palin has something in common with another figure of fiction: Cinderella.
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McCain told Tom Brokaw on Meet the Press Sunday, "these (Palins) aren't wealthy people, they scrimp..." Well, compared to his life with an heiress for a wife, I guess they don't seem wealthy...but it's scary that McCain thinks the Palin's lifestyle - six figure annual income, multiple vehicles, personal plane, vacation home, etc. - is typical of Americans who aren't wealthy. That explains a lot...
Rather than 'donate' the clothing worn by Ms Palin, why not auction it. Some of her crazies would pay double the value to 'own' a piece of her. Then with the proceeds, they can pay back the RNC and donate the rest of the cash to a worthy cause (and not a self-serving one!).
Where cCan I sign up for the charity that gives out Valentino, Kate Spade and Cole Haan?
Just how does the RNC think they are going to create unity if they somehow pull this big one off? HINT: It can't be done. They have driven us all apart.
This is the warm up tour. She will continue to look into the camera and lie as a candidate, before she does it for a living as a Fox News anchor. Hey, it worked for Rove.
I knew when she was asked if she would be ready [if needed] to step into the presidency, that without as much as a breathe she said "YES". Could anyone be less humble? Can you trust anyone that delusional.She is going to go down as a vice presidential footnote something akin to Thomas Eagleton .
Sarah Palin is not a match for either Eliza. In the first place she's already married and from all indications her husband Todd calls a lot of the shots (even in the governor's office). Her attempts to distance herself from McCain exposes that she is ready to jump ship shortly after being willing to compromise everything to become his VP. Until his awful campaign John McCain was respected by many Americans and will still be respected after the election (regardless of who wins). For the rest of his life, America will honor McCain and he'll go honorably when his time is up. However, Palin is a different story. She allowed her emerging character to be corrupted; her family to be exploited and worst of all she betrayed John McCain, an American idol. Henry Higgins met his goal of transforming Eliza into a lady. Despite expensive clothes; careful scripting and noble introductions, what did McCain and the RNC accomplish with Palin? I agree that Sarah also has something in common with Cinderella but in this case, there will be no fairytale ending. Palin will most likely be remembered as the woman who ruined McCain's best chance for the presidency.
McCain picked her and allowed her to do the dirty work of the campaign. I blame McCain. I agree with you that most American (not I) will see McCain as relatively unsullied.
Also, Sarah Palin's base do not think her sh@meful and probably never will.
Another insightful, erudite post from one of my favorite thinker/ writers. :)
I also noticed that gap behind her heel a few days ago, but I wrote it off to her possibly playing with her shoes , when she stood behind the podium during the debate.
But if they were really that loose, it probably took her former basketball skills to avoid pulling a Gerald Ford and keeling over.
I am very curious to see what happens to this wardrobe after November 4th.
I was thinking the gap proves she didnt actually shop for the stuff. BUTTTTT it doesn't address the ILLEGAL nature of purchasing clothing with campaign finance money.
Well, I hope she does end up like Eliza Doolittle. Eliza Doolittle did not end up as a duchess. She opened a classy, high-end greengrocery with Freddy Eynsford-Hill. If literature sets a precedent, she will end up behind a counter in Alaska selling quality moose meat, and I say it serves her right.
Alaska, like Texas, will not have another plausible presidential candidate in our lifetimes.
Sarah Palin is ... unforgettable. Unforgivable.
What was John McCain thinking?
Maybe she has figured out that her biggest problem will be the IRS.
Whoops, I meant that reply to go somewhere else.
"More perplexingly, she's denying the RNC reports that $150,000 was splashed out...." Palin's response of denial is actually quite in character for her. After all, she was "so glad that the ethics investigation found no evidence of abuse of power or ethical wrongdoing" in the Troopergate investigation. Denials, shadings of the truth, outright mendacity......Palin's basic modus operandi. Be perplexed no more.....Excellent post, by the way.
She hasn't yet figured out that it's possible for people to check all these things. Remember when she said that they keep her from reading the news so it wouldn't depress her? While I seriously doubt she would even look at a price tag if she were told to "Buy whatever you need," I also doubt she had a clue how much the wardrobe cost, or that it had been public knowledge for more than a day when she denied the value. That's why she has been caught lying so often—because she still hasn't figured out that people can factcheck whatever she tells us.
I am wondering if an insider or two is trying to take her down.. Or allow her to take herself DOWNnnnnn
Love 'em and leave 'em.
McCain isn't PURE enough for Sister Palin.
She's met personally with the KoolAide Makers
http://www.citizenlink.org/clspecialalert/A000008476.cfm
They say "She's HOT!"...in a pure kinda Jesus loves ya kinda way.....of course.
"And they dressed the virgin in the finest of garments and anointed her for the ritual"
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kj-on3kfWuE
Valentino for the Virgin.
"Ask and you shall receive..."
Hey, it's in the bible...it's Kosher.
and let's NOT forget the make-up artist and cosmetics....now that's a whole lot of lipstick.....
...on a pit bull! ;)
no, pits don't wear makeup. they have dignity,brains & class, yeah but then again, she has nothing to loose..........
Didn't the $150K go for clothing for her ENTIRE FAMILY!!! Did apersonal shopper shop for the whole family? And why did the RNC send them out to be "reimaged" for the campaign trail? They didn't look good in their Alaskan apparel???
This whole new whale of a tale reminds be of a different tale, Pinocchio.
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