A new Argentina

From this week's headlines:

"GOP spends $150,000 for Palin's wardrobe"

And hair and makeup as well.

A hundred and fifty thou. Really. Golly, just how ugly is this woman anyway?

Truth be told, I don't know if I have strong feelings--or much energy--to get too worked up about this news item. I mean, yes, $150,000 on clothes, makeup, and the like is obscene and ridiculous.

As my Canadian friend Smidgen, a native of British Columbia ("I can see Alaska from my house in Vancouver"), put it, "Does this woman really need to wear this kind of clothing tramping around Alaska, of all places?" Well, Manolo Blahnik mukluks are pricey, apparently. Still, surely, Cindy McCain could lend her a few things until Sarah's allowance kicks in and she can buy some nice schmata (on discount, of course) on her own.

I can't claim, however, that I was particularly surprised by this turn of events. You want Suzanne Sugarbaker as Veep? All big-ass Holiness hair, moose-shooting, and mouth-misfiring? Then you're gonna have to expect some requests for something other than what's on sale in the Land's End catalog.

I don't like to brag too much, but I picked up on this early on--really, it all started with that image of La Diva Palin, arm extended, waving to the masses (thank you, once again, Wikipedia) at the Republican National Convention. Since then, I've had this text from the original cast recording of Evita stuck in my head:

I am only a simple woman who lives to serve Perón in his noble crusade to rescue his people! I was once as you are now! And I promise you this: We will take the riches from the oligarchs only for you--for all of you! And one day you will inherit these treasures! Descamisados! When they fire those cannons, when the crowds sing of glory, it is not just for Perón, but for all of us! All of us!

I am gay; I know my showtunes, folks.

Oh, my dear, dear shirtless ones. What hath Evita Palin wrought--other than a big line of credit at Nordstrom's?

A new Argentina--alas, the old one has gone sadly wrong.

Well, maybe at least she's pretty on the inside. All I can say is that at least my $100 donation to the Obama campaign isn't going for a beauty bailout of Joe Biden.