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Power, pop, and probings from ABC News Senior White House Correspondent Jake Tapper

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October 28, 2008 3:34 PM

Allies of Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin are now trying to throw McCain aide Nicolle Wallace under the proverbial bus, and as they do so those in McCain’s circle are wary of the impact on Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., himself.

Since becoming McCain's running mate, there have been a host of issues where Palin publicly challenged decisions made by McCain – withdrawing from competition in Michigan, for instance, or for not attacking Sen. Barack Obama, D-Ill., for his longtime relationship with the controversial Rev. Jeremiah Wright. (See "McCannibals," from earlier this week.)

But nothing has seemed so resonant as $150,000 in clothes purchased for Palin and her family by the Republican National Committee.

Palin has taken to blaming the entire incident – as well as her introduction to the nation – on her “handlers,” presumably meaning Wallace, who was a key part of the team that handled Palin's successful announcement speech, her successful convention speech, and her interviews with Charlie Gibson, Sean Hannity and Katie Couric.

McCain allies say that Palin allies talked to Fox News commentator Fred Barnes to further throw Wallace under the bus. Barnes yesterday said, “the person who went and bought the clothes and, as I understand it put the clothes on her credit card, went to Saks and Neiman Marcus...the staffer who did that has been a coward” for not coming forward and accepting the blame for the $150,000 shopping spree. Barnes clarified that he was talking about Wallace.

But Wallace didn’t buy the clothes, put the clothes on her credit card, or go to Saks and Neiman Marcus, sources on the McCain campaign say.

And plenty of people on the McCain campaign are mystified as to how the $150,000 charges were racked up.

Moreover, McCain campaign sources say, Palin has developed quite a reputation on the campaign trail for shopping.

During this controversy, McCain insiders were appalled to read a blog account from Nevada  noting that the day before Palin held an event in Reno, “Palin's assistant stopped in at the Ann Taylor at the Summit Sierra Mall and bought the skirt suit that she wore during to her speech Tuesday at the Reno-Sparks Convention Center. ‘She bought a short, three-quarter sleeve jacket, a skirt and a couple other items,’ store manager Suzette Ludden said.”

All the while, Palin herself has given the wardrobe story more media coverage by denying that she had anything to do with it.

"It is so nice to be back here in the Sunshine State and quite warm which I love and grabbed a jacket this morning to put on not realizing how warm it would be,” she said in Florida. “My own jacket, yes…"

“This whole thing with the wardrobe you know I have tried to just ignore it because it is so ridiculous,” she continued. “Those clothes they are not my property, just like the lighting and the staging and everything else that the RNC purchased. I am not taking them with me, I'm back to wearing my own clothes from my favorite consignment shop in Anchorage, Alaska.”

At McCain HQ, senior aides rolled their eyes, unable to believe that Palin was continuing to give the story more airtime.

And some Republicans are starting to now say they should have seen this coming, since Palin has a reputation for making friends who can help her and then screwing them over.

The list is long:

* Former Wasilla Mayor John Stein says he mentored Palin during her 1994 run for City Council. Then she decided to challenge him and run for Mayor. “Things got very ugly,’ Naomi Tigner, a friend of the Steins, told Salon.com. “Sarah became very mean-spirited.” Palin allies suggested she would he “Wasilla's first Christian mayor,” even though Stein is Protestant. Palin allies also whispered that Stein and his wife – who hadn’t taken his name - were not legally wed. “We actually had to produce our marriage certificate,’ Stein said. His wife died in 2005 without ever reconciling with Palin. “I had a hand in creating Sarah, but in the end she blew me out of the water,” Stein told Salon. “Sarah's on a mission, she's an opportunist.”

* Former City Councilman Nick Carney also helped mentor Palin in her first city council run. They later had a falling out when Palin accused him of corruptly advocating that the city use his trash hauling business. “The episode might serve as a compelling, if small-bore, example of Palin's reformer instincts,” the New Republic reported.  :Except that, according to those who were present, Carney wasn't quite the crooked trash magnate Palin makes him out to be. For one thing, Carney couldn't have proposed the ordinance because he'd recused himself from the matter. The council, in fact, had asked him to appear as a kind of expert witness on the relevant rules and regulations.” Carney endorsed Stein in the 1996 mayoral race against Palin, and news reports say she subsequently as mayor refused to call on him. Carney told Salon that Palin – without council authorization -- spent more than $50,000 in city funds to redecorate her office. “I braced her about it,” he said. “I told her it was against the law to make such a large expenditure without the council taking a vote. She said, 'I'm the mayor, I can do whatever I want until the courts tell me I can't.”

* State Senate President Lyda Green from Wasilla, is a fellow conservative and was an ally of Palin’s throughout the 1990s. “If you had looked at our résumés, as far as being pro-life, pro-N.R.A., pro-family, pro-parental control, saving taxpayer dollars, keeping government out of our lives, we would have been identical,” Green told the New Yorker.  “She traces the chill in their relationship to her decision not to endorse Palin in her 2006 gubernatorial primary. (She stayed neutral.)…

“The animosity became public last January, when Palin turned up on an Anchorage shock-jock radio program, ‘The Bob and Mark Show.’ Bob Lester said that he knew Palin believed Green was ‘a bitch’ and ‘a cancer.’ Palin laughed at the comments. ‘Sarah can be heard in the background tittering, hee-heeing,’ Green said, ‘never saying, ‘That’s not appropriate, let’s not talk like that, let’s change the subject,’ or anything.’ Green was devastated. ‘I worked through it,’ she said. ‘The difficult thing about it was when my children read about it online. They were dumbfounded, because they had known Sarah. I had breast cancer in ’97 and had a radical mastectomy. Sarah certainly knew I had breast cancer, because she sent me flowers when I was ill.’”

* Former Gov. Frank Murkowski made Palin the chair of a state commission overseeing oil and gas drilling. Four years later she challenged him – and beat him – for governor.

* Prominent Alaska conservative talk radio host Dan Fagan was a longtime friend. But he found himself on the outs after he criticized her for raising taxes on oil companies. “He found himself branded a ‘hater,’” the New York Times reported. “It is part of a pattern, Mr. Fagan said, in which Ms. Palin characterizes critics as ‘bad people who are anti-Alaska.’”

**

Now, I don’t know what happened with all of these former allies. Certainly Murkowski was much-criticized. And certainly Palin views all these publications as left-leaning and hostile to her views.

But that said, all I can tell you is that some McCain allies are now quite suspect of Palin and worried that Sen. McCain is going to become just the latest Palin ally whom she uses – and then discards -- in her rapid ascendance to power.

-- jpt

October 28, 2008 | Permalink | Share | User Comments (316)

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Sounds more like you can't stand ambition in a woman. There are definitely two sides to every story and you have only given one side.

Pity, because my first impression of you today was that you were a good reporter for your questions to the White House press secretary.

Posted by: Smilla | Feb 6, 2009 4:09:59 AM

Sarah's increased taxes on oil companies are socialistic. Where is she getting off?

Posted by: frank burns | Jan 28, 2009 5:58:04 AM

So, I guess she's waiting until 2012 to throw him under the bus? Probably a wise move politically.

Posted by: bob | Dec 1, 2008 7:24:31 PM

Bye Bye Sarah Palin.

Your message of hate, fear, intollerance, bigotry and divisiveness did not play well with American voters.

Bye. Bye.

Posted by: Independent | Nov 7, 2008 9:05:01 AM

The choice of Palin was a mistake. McCain needed to choose an actual conservative and not a religious fanatic/liar.

Posted by: economic conservative | Nov 6, 2008 2:59:06 PM

Anti-feminism is the new racism. Criticism leveled at both Hillary and Sarah Palin would never be aimed at men. Furthermore, this Nicole Wallace's behavior only adds fuel to the fire for those who emphasize those stereotypical female traits that make them unfit to lead.

Regarding Sarah Palin:
I do not recall that she actually went on television and made any of the following shockingly dumb misstatements of fact:

Obama: "I have visited 57 states and still have 2 I have not been to."

Biden: Roosevelt was President in 1929 and Americans watched him on television -- I guess his famous fireside chats were televised too!

Regarding the shopping story, if she sent someone to Ann Taylor running up a $150,000 tab would be real difficult -- so whoever floated this one does not know what he/she is talking about. Moreover, all anyone, who is try to be fair, has to do is look at all the extensive footage of her before the campaign. There is NO I repeat NO evidence that she has ever been a clothes horse. In fact, sometimes she was at work in the governor's office in a warm-up jacket.

SHOCKER! A politician has political enemies.

Posted by: tommyb | Nov 6, 2008 8:57:21 AM

AGH!!! who got the last laugh?
Palin is headed back to Alaska with some pricey clothes hidden in her suitcase (amazing how some clothes were lost, huh?)

Why do Republicans always respond to a critique by questioning what someone else did? Just answer the question and then move on to your attack. We can take it but avoidance makes you look scared. Do you think we don't notice that you are trying to distract us?

Palin isn't qualified and American voters saw this. She ruined McCain's chances but it was his fault for selecting her. We know she wasn't the most qualified - McCain got what he deserved.

I doubt Palin has much of a future. Lots of VP candidates go away and are rarely heard from. I think she will be clammering for attention for a long time but I'm not sure how successful she will be.

The media loved her. They babied her and the slightest criticism met with venom from Republicans because precious Sarah needed coddling not criticism. Now we know why they kept her in hiding.

She humilated the Republicans (quite an accomplishment for a group who considered Geroge W to be their intellectual leader.)

I think even George W knows Africa is a continent. Come on Palin. Get a 7th grade history book, will ya?

Posted by: Jennifer | Nov 5, 2008 11:42:33 PM

I think the most astute observers would agree that Palin is not so much an idiot as she is an opportunist. She is the proverbial 'wet lips loose hips' smokescreen that has doomed any chance of a Republican win. I agree with most McCain supporters who believe that she has "energized" the campaign's base--but that's the problem. The Base is not going to win the election. Her selection singularly catapulted me into caring about this election and for that, I thank you Gov. Palin.

I am offended by this selection and the suggestion it makes that Americans are so simple-minded that they will buy into whatever polarizing, extremist nonsense is told to them-again, appears to have worked on the Base, but not the voting bloc that will determine the outcome of this race.

What I would like answered is the following: Why can't Republicans be critical of their own Party or the actions taken in this current campaign? Why are you ousted and lampooned if you criticize Palin's thorough lack of history, foreign/domestic policy and world affairs? You can't continue to sum it all up with excuse after excuse against the "drive by media," the "gotcha questions," etc. At some point, will there be no one on that side who will have the courage to, as McCain puts it, "stand up!," and take accountability for the Party's attempt to pull a fast one on the American voting public? If she becomes the face of the NEW, polarizing, extremist, fervently religious Republican Party that dismisses incompetence as made up lies, bashes intelligence, hypocritically rips apart opponents and questions the Patriotism of those who may have a differing opinion, the Democrats will be in for a very long run.

If anyone responds, these are my guidelines, 1) Do not throw this back on me or my views, I simply want thoughtful answers, 2) I don't care about what Obama is or is not doing or what the media is or is not doing, I want an answer about what WE are doing, 3) In case you have forgotten, "why can't Republicans be critical of their own party or the actions taken in the current campaign." Your answer should start with, "The Republican Party cannot be critical of Palin or the Party because __________."

Thank you,

A Registered Republican

Posted by: Vanessa | Oct 31, 2008 1:29:46 PM

PLEASE!!! Somebody give ME $150,000.00 worth of clothing. I will return the clothes and then pay off my mortgage.

Palin is purely disgusting for even considering wearing the clothes.

Posted by: Tom | Oct 31, 2008 12:59:28 PM

It's truly a beautiful, beautiful thing to watch Palin at work. She's a classic kiss-up, kick-down kind of bureaucrat. A petty, vindictive politician without any scruples, intelligence or decency; just an eye out of the main chance. And the demagoguery! Simply delicious.

But the best part is to watch her unfettered ambition tear the Republican party apart at the seams. I won't be around to watch history eviscerate her throughly, but I will get to watch Republicans split into two parties, with neither one ever rising from the political dust heap again. Go Sarah!

Posted by: Brian | Oct 30, 2008 10:37:17 AM

I am shocked...SHOCKED!!!!!! that Sarah Palin has some political enemies. Who knew there were people in politics who don't like the ones who beat them. I can't believe what I am reading. Surely, taking on her own party and trying to rid it of corruption would have endured those she was trying to toss. They didn't like being exposed? SHUT. YOUR. MOUTH. They don't like Gov Palin now? Say it ain't so, Joe!

Does anyone really believe Palin spent $150K herself on clothes or it was her decision? She doesn't even make that much in a year. How would she have afforded it?

I know that some believe she is a walking idiot and are just waiting around for her to fall on her face...but she appears to be an astute politician. Stupid people can't successfully take on their own party and win. I don't think she had anything to do with the clothes, but the jokes are being made about her. I don't blame her for being mad.

Posted by: Texas Chick | Oct 30, 2008 9:32:37 AM

Nicolle Wallace - although she is not batting for my team, seems like a McCain loyalist. From what I have read, she has just been doing her job. I cannot agree with her being complicit in McCain's decision to unleash the Pit Bull Queen of Bullaska on unsuspecting Americans, but then I do not know what it is like to get caught up in a campaign and be loyal to your candidate. That said, Sarah Palin's record coulf have been dug up by McCain's team if they had really been prescient enough to do their research. Shows you what a mini-skirt and a few winks will do to a man - and I say that as a woman who wants all people to succeed according to their merits and abilities. The news media had to vet her for the American people because McC did not. There was planty to find, and this record of throwing her mentors under the proverbial bus was there for the readin'. But they id not bother to do the readin'. That is why I blame McCain and his closest advisors most of all. Palin is who she is - you eaither really like her or you really don't. They should have judged her by her ENTIRE record and not picked her based on how good all those shameful accusations about Obama look and sound coming out of her lipsticked mouth. I don't feel sorry for any of them. And I hope Alaskans were watching this election closely. Alaska: your governor is not wanted here. Please retrieve her NOW!

Posted by: Grainne Hussein in Maine | Oct 29, 2008 7:06:14 PM

To all you self-righteous righties who joined the conversation. WELCOME!! I am both happy for you and sad. Happy that you have cracked open the cranium if only for a minute to retrieve information from outside the dome, ...and sad... for your presence here almost certainly indicates your resignation to the fact that all your hopes of having another 4 years of bush are doomed. My heart bleeds...

Posted by: zing | Oct 29, 2008 6:47:56 PM

I care less about Sarah Palin's shopping habits and the small-town politicos she burned in Wasilla than I do her total ignorance on foreign and domestic policy issues and her utter lack of substance on anything of importance to American voters.

There's a double standard in American public life and if Sarah Palin or Michelle Obama showed up at a public event looking like schlub there would be no end to it. Whether the "public life" wardrobe costs $150,000, I don't know. I've never been a candidate for vice president.

But what bothers me about Sarah Palin is her hypocrisy as a legislator. She decries Obama's "socialism" yet residents of her own state benefit from the socialist practice of public ownership of natural resources. No wonder she wants to drill in ANWR, has anyone looked at how much money oil revenues contribute to Alaska? And on top of that Alaska is number one in the country for sucking money out of Washington. Talk about your welfare queens. They're so flush with oil revenue, let them build their own damn roads and bridges to nowhere.

Palin brags about cutting wasteful government spending but as governor cut just 2% from the state's budget. And charging rape victims for their own rape kits -- which is collecting evidence for a prosecution-- is atrocious.

Sarah Palin is an empty suit. Whether she bought that suit at Ann Taylor, Valentino couture, or Wal Mart is irrelevant.

Posted by: Southern Beale | Oct 29, 2008 5:21:30 PM

Hey Jake:
Why don't you report the fact that Senator Obama threw HIS political mentor, Alice Palmer, under the bus?
One added bonus, this story is actually verifiable and not simply pulled together from faux-left leaning rumor mongering smear blogs

Oh, I guess describing Senator Obama as a ruthless, under-qualified, overly ambitious, arrogant politician with corrupt tendencies doesn't fit with the current MSM narrative. Much easier to label Govenor Palin as such. It works well with the whole "All About Eve" stereotype you're pushing here.

Sorry Jake. But if it applies to Palin it applies equally to Obama.

VOTE NADER 2008

Posted by: Renee Langley | Oct 29, 2008 4:50:38 PM

When history looks back on this election two things will stand out:

1) The mainstream media’s flagrant Obama shilling.

2) The institutionalized misogyny of the Democratic Party.

Posted by: Riehl Hunter | Oct 29, 2008 4:37:27 PM

What a nasty piece of work she is. I love how all this is coming to light now since she wasn't properly vetted. What the hell was McCain thinking when he picked her? Oh are the chickens coming home to roost. Repubs are going to be in the wilderness for the next two decades. PAX DEMOCRATICA !! This is just too good!

Posted by: dmacd | Oct 29, 2008 4:12:13 PM

Again we see the hyprocrisy of the loonie left. Obama throws his sick grandmother under the train and the loonie left cheer. But have a strong selfconfident woman stand up for herself and they all run screaming in terror.

Posted by: Welsh | Oct 29, 2008 1:16:57 PM

Lynn, Lisa E., Bob...

"It is somebody else's fault!"

Ahhh! How sweet the sound of right wingers refusing 'personal responsibility'! Enjoy the next eight years!

Posted by: Joel | Oct 29, 2008 11:37:21 AM

Oh my, which analogy to go with...?

The monster they created now turning on them?
The dog (pitbull) biting its master?

How about just the sweet irony of watching this horrible party implode after raping the country for the last 8 years. Most of the rats are jumping ship, but some are backed into a corner and are showing their teeth. (Bingo!)

Posted by: Alex | Oct 29, 2008 11:15:54 AM

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