C'mon Joe, we're goin' SHOPPIN' ! !

Before and after, Palin's $150K makeover

Piper Palin, 7, with her cute $790 Louis Vuitton bag

You BETCHA I'm jumpin' on this! The Republican National Committee has shelled out in excess of $150,000 to make Sarah Palin look presentable as the Vice-Presidential candidate. Nieman-Marcus and Barney's New York are listed as two of the luxury-based retailers with whom Palin's stylists have shopped. Ummm...I dare you to go to a rink and find another hockey mom dressed in a $3500 Valentino suit. In addition to the clothing, funds were also being spent on make-up artists, hair stylists to the tune of $5000.

The L.A. Times reports "...Palin’s spokewoman is saying this is much ado about nothing, that we should be talking about more important issues. But can you imagine the outcry if it were revealed that Hilary Clinton’s rainbow of pantsuits was paid for by campaign contributions? Or if college kids’ $50 checks to the Biden/Obama campaign were putting those men in $5,000 custom suits? (Obama’s suits are by Hart Schaffner Marx out of Chicago, and cost in the $1,500 range.)"

I do realize that women are held to a very high level of scrutiny in terms of appearance when in the public eye. I'm just not sure of this is the best method for Palin to endear herself to all the gals out there who are "just like" her.