Amusing musings from behind the scenes of the election

[Dead of Knight]

http://www.newsweek.com/id/167581

Highlights from the article:

NEWSWEEK has also learned that Palin's shopping spree at high-end department stores was more extensive than previously reported. While publicly supporting Palin, McCain's top advisers privately fumed at what they regarded as her outrageous profligacy. One senior aide said that Nicolle Wallace had told Palin to buy three suits for the convention and hire a stylist. But instead, the vice presidential nominee began buying for herself and her family—clothes and accessories from top stores such as Saks Fifth Avenue and Neiman Marcus. According to two knowledgeable sources, a vast majority of the clothes were bought by a wealthy donor, who was shocked when he got the bill. Palin also used low-level staffers to buy some of the clothes on their credit cards. The McCain campaign found out last week when the aides sought reimbursement. One aide estimated that she spent "tens of thousands" more than the reported $150,000, and that $20,000 to $40,000 went to buy clothes for her husband. Some articles of clothing have apparently been lost. An angry aide characterized the shopping spree as "Wasilla hillbillies looting Neiman Marcus from coast to coast," and said the truth will eventually come out when the Republican Party audits its books.

McCain himself rarely spoke to Palin during the campaign, and aides kept him in the dark about the details of her spending on clothes because they were sure he would be offended. Palin asked to speak along with McCain at his Arizona concession speech Tuesday night, but campaign strategist Steve Schmidt vetoed the request.

On the Sunday night before the last debate, McCain's core group of advisers—Steve Schmidt, Rick Davis, adman Fred Davis, strategist Greg Strimple, pollster Bill McInturff and strategy director Sarah Simmons—met to decide whether to tell McCain that the race was effectively over, that he no longer had a chance to win. The consensus in the room was no, not yet, not while he still had "a pulse."

On the night she officially lost the Democratic nomination, Hillary Clinton enjoyed a long and friendly phone conversation with McCain. Clinton was actually on better terms with McCain than she was with Obama. Clinton and McCain had downed shots together on Senate junkets; they regarded each other as grizzled veterans of the political wars and shared a certain disdain for Obama as flashy and callow.

At the GOP convention in St. Paul, Palin was completely unfazed by the boys' club fraternity she had just joined. One night, Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter went to her hotel room to brief her. After a minute, Palin sailed into the room wearing nothing but a towel, with another on her wet hair. She told them to chat with her laconic husband, Todd. "I'll be just a minute," she said.

The debates unnerved both candidates. When he was preparing for them during the Democratic primaries, Obama was recorded saying, "I don't consider this to be a good format for me, which makes me more cautious. I often find myself trapped by the questions and thinking to myself, 'You know, this is a stupid question, but let me … answer it.' So when Brian Williams is asking me about what's a personal thing that you've done [that's green], and I say, you know, 'Well, I planted a bunch of trees.' And he says, 'I'm talking about personal.' What I'm thinking in my head is, 'Well, the truth is, Brian, we can't solve global warming because I f---ing changed light bulbs in my house. It's because of something collective'."

 

[ihadFG]

:lol: I especially loved that last one.

 

[mykevermin]

I like the image of McCain and Clinton doing shots, but this is some People Magazine stuff right here.

 

[bmulligan]

The Palin story is a good example of whet happens when you give someone a tap on the money trough. They can't help themselves from helping themselves.

 

[mykevermin]

There's something to be said about "Wasilla hillbillies looting Neiman Marcus," though.

If they were real hillbillies, they'd be all up in Dick's Sporting Goods or Bass Pro Shops.

"LOOK, HUN! REAL UNDER ARMOUR AND CARHARTTS!"

 

[HowStern]

I get the feeling that McCain and Clinton calling Obama "flashy and callow" is comparable to the way corrupt cops feel about the new guy on the force who actually wants to do good.

Liked last one, too.

 

[depascal22]

Flashy and callow was the political correct way to say "Uppity negro".

 

[billyrox]

"The debates unnerved both candidates. When he was preparing for them during the Democratic primaries, Obama was recorded saying, "I don't consider this to be a good format for me, which makes me more cautious. I often find myself trapped by the questions and thinking to myself, 'You know, this is a stupid question, but let me … answer it.' So when Brian Williams is asking me about what's a personal thing that you've done [that's green], and I say, you know, 'Well, I planted a bunch of trees.' And he says, 'I'm talking about personal.' What I'm thinking in my head is, 'Well, the truth is, Brian, we can't solve global warming because I f---ing changed light bulbs in my house. It's because of something collective'."


obama is so damn amazing. the more i read about him, the more i like him.

 

[freakyzeeky]

That was pretty interesting to read...

 

[JolietJake]

I was reading this yesterday at school. The part about Steve Schmidt and Mark Salter talking to Palin's husband was pretty funny.

"Why is it called a snow machine and not a snowmobile?"
"Cause it's a snow machine."

Dude is just Mr. Personality.

 

[Sc4rfac3]

I'm sorry i would have loved to be a fly on the wall when palin came in with just a towel on awesome!