Sarah Palin: an earmark unto herself

John McCain talks a lot about his zeal for cutting earmarks. But, could his running mate be an earmark unto herself?

As governor of Seward's Icebox Alaska, Sarah Palin not only billed the state to live in her own house, she also "charged the state for her children to travel with her, including to events where they were not invited, and later amended expense reports to specify that they were on official business," reports the Associated Press.

The charges included costs for hotel and commercial flights for three daughters to join Palin to watch their father in a snowmobile race, and a trip to New York, where the governor attended a five-hour conference and stayed with 17-year-old Bristol for five days and four nights in a luxury hotel.

As if treating her kids to a week at the Ritz—while they watched daddy race a snowmobile—wasn't enough, the spending blitz continues; this time, on the RNC's dime.

Politico reported yesterday that the Republican National Committee has funded Palin's haute couture since she appeared as numero dos on the Republican ticket. While it's definitely made her the sexiest vice presidential candidate that I've ever seen, it sure has sapped some cash from the RNC's campaign funds:

The Republican National Committee appears to have spent more than $150,000 to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her family since her surprise pick by John McCain in late August.

According to financial disclosure records, the accessorizing began in early September and included bills from Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York for a combined $49,425.74.

The records also document a couple of big-time shopping trips to Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis, including one $75,062.63 spree in early September.

The RNC also spent $4,716.49 on hair and makeup through September after reporting no such costs in August.

If John Edwards' $400 haircuts were excessive, and McCain's $520 leather shoes were over the top, how does $150,000 fit in? McCain prides himself on cutting wasteful spending... maybe he should take a look at the $49,425.74 outfit on the woman campaigning at his side.

Local Candidates Debate: Lesser vs Kalinowski

Tonight, the League of Women Voters is hosting a debate in the Middletown Council Chambers at City Hall between the two candidates for Connecticut's 100th Assembly District, which includes parts of Middletown and the neighboring towns of Middlefield and Durham.

Democrat Matt Lesser, a rising leader in the progressive community and former Wesleyan student, squares off against incumbent Republican Ray Kalinowski, a traditional conservative and former secret service agent in the Nixon White House. The differences between Lesser, 25, and Kalinowski, 68, extend far beyond the age gap, including substantive disagreements on education, the environment, and major social issues.

Tonight's debate at 6:45 is a great opportunity to show your support and hear straight from the candidates what their visions are for the future of the 100th District.

What: Political Debates
Who: Local candidates Matt Lesser and Ray Kalinowski
Where: Council Chambers, Middletown City Hall, 245 deKoven Drive
When: 6:45pm

Why are you voting Republican?

A bit over the top at times, but nevertheless, here are some great reasons to vote Republican in November!



The best part is from 2:00 to 2:38:

I'm voting Republican because...

Because I really enjoy being screwed by the utility companies. We need more minorities in prison. Because hybrid cars really suck. I just don't feel I deserve health insurance. Because Texas needs more billionaires.

I'm voting Republican because sometimes the Constitution is just one big, inconvenient headache. I think the whole world should be run by one big corporation. I think it'd be so much cozier! Because all other countries are inferior to us, and we should start as many wars as we need to keep it that way.

So I can stay in Iraq. So I can go to Iran!

Lifted from Caterwauled. Thanks, Ed!

You Vote What You Eat

According to micro-targeting pollsters with questionable methods, Joanna Dicke '10's food, beverage, and liquor preferences make her an Obama-supporting stereotype:

If there’s butter and white wine in your refrigerator and Fig Newtons in the cookie jar, you’re likely to vote for Hillary Clinton. Prefer olive oil, Bear Naked granola and a latte to go? You probably like Barack Obama too. And if you’re leaning toward John McCain, it’s all about kicking back with a bourbon and a stuffed crust pizza...

Apparently Obama supporters go for Bear Naked cereal, Clinton supporters prefer GoLean. and McCain supporters like FiberOne.

Republican drinks are Dr Pepper, brown liquors like bourbon or scotch, red wine and Fiji water. Democratic drinks are Pepsi-Cola, Sprite, clear liquors like gin and vodka, white wine and Evian water.

When it comes to fried chicken, he said, Democrats prefer Popeyes and Republicans Chick-fil-A.

“Anything organic or more Whole Foods-y skews more Democratic,” Mr. Dowd said. [Wow, who could've guessed]

So what now, campaign events at liquor stores and fried chicken joints? Is Colonel Sanders voting Nader?

Full NYTimes article: What's For Dinner? The Pollster Wants to Know

The Week in Now

• Ironically, Joe Newman '09's comic dissing Gawker ended up on Gawker and hence legitimized Wesleyan's place as the most annoying, pretentious, "privelledged" liberal arts college. (But really, who among us did not see this coming?)
  

• In other news, as if Bob Allen's racist wordvomit wasn't enough to leave skidmarks in the GOP's panties this month (with Daily Show coverage, of course), recently-elected president of the Young Republican National Federation, Glenn Murphy Jr. burns an unfortunate legacy for himself as that creepy dude who tries to perform unwanted sex acts on sleeping college guys. I like this article because it paints the Young Republican National Federation in my mind as an organization led by fat, closeted vampires.
  

• Got Health Insurance? Young adults between 19 and 29 make up the largest group of the uninsured. Incoming froshies and rising sophies, if you're on your parents' health insurance, you might want to have them check their policy to see how much longer it'll cover you. I have had a couple of friends this year get dropped from their parents' coverage or state coverage without notice.
  

• And a related warning to incoming frosh: the default plan Wesleyan puts you on if you're uninsured *sucks* (I know because I'm on it and it alone). Covers pretty much nothing short of getting your arms ripped off by a rampaging chimpanzee. But it's coverage, you know, still, in case you do get your arms ripped off by a rampaging chimpanzee.

• In New Haven, two computers stolen from Yale last month contained the social security numbers of over 10,000 students, faculty and staff, jeopardizing their financial records. Well, I'd say that trumps our Ambien Hackgate 2007, don't you?
  

• Lastly, this will probably affect very, very few people, but in VIDEO GAME NEWS, I just read that Beautiful Katamari will be coming out on the wii now and not on the PS3 or 360 (which just dropped its price a pitiful $20). But, Guitar Hero III is still coming out on my dinky, yet awesomely cheap PS2, so I'm good on systems I think for another year since realistically, I shouldn't be playing video games this year anyway with the, what, six billion things I need to do before I graduate.

• Edit: A commenter informs us that BK will be coming out on the 360. Because I have no 360, I did not pay attention because I'm horrible. I'm sorry :(.
  

Republican receives Chinese food honors

Apparently, former Senate Majority Leader Bill Frist (R-TN) has taken a liking to one Middletown Chinese food restaurant. So much so, that the establishment has been renamed in his honor. Wesleyan, meet Frist Wok, serving the Best Chinese Food In Town:

You'd think that, with Over 20 Years Experience, they'd know how to spell the name of their restaurant correctly. But then again, maybe my expectations are just too high.