The tens of thousands of Alaskan taxpayer dollars Sarah Palin evidently spent on travel expenses for her children--and, arguably worse, her office's after-the-fact rationalizations and dubious record-altering--paint a generally unappealing portrait of the governor's idea of the prerogatives of her office. But, however they may reflect upon her, they are something her non-Alaskan supporters are unlikely to care much about.
Some GOP donors, however--and in particular any Joe the Plumbers, Tito the Builders, Phil the Bricklayers, etc., among them--may be less than thrilled to hear that the RNC has apparently spent $150,000 clothing and accessorizing La Palin since she got the v.p. nod, including $75,000 at Nieman Marcus and a hair under $50,000 at Saks.
On the plus side, John McCain's $520 Ferragamos now sound like the shoes of a pauper.
Update: Marc Ambinder presents evidence that the clothing purchases may, in fact, violate contribution law.
--Christopher Orr