So, it turns out that Republican Vice Presidential nominee Sarah Palin looks sharp, in part, because of $150,000 worth of clothing purchased by the Republican National Committee. Actually, I’m kind of jealous. As a self-professed clothes horse, I could do a lot with that kind of allowance. But this isn’t about me, it’s about another lost opportunity for the Republicans.
With 12 days remaining, Republican Presidential nominee John McCain and Palin need to take advantage of every news cycle. They can’t afford a day of going “off message.” McCain may have been blasting Democratic Presidential nominee Obama for inconsistency yesterday, but the press was talking about Palin’s wardrobe.
That’s what I mean about a lost opportunity. Not only were the Republicans unable to penetrate the polity with their message, but the message that did go out portrayed a campaign with values far removed from “Joe the Plumber” or anyone else whose annual income doesn’t come near the $150,000 clothing splurge.
This latest development underscores “the gang that couldn’t shoot straight” approach of the Republican campaign. And they’re running out of time. It’s not too late for the Republicans to get their act together, but to do so they must pick a message and hammer away without distractions brought about by their own sloppy management.
Historically, Republicans have been far more disciplined than Democrats, who have a well-deserved reputation for shooting each other in circular firing squads. But instead of waiting for the Democrats to self-destruct, the Republicans need to load their own weapons with real political ammunition, shoot straight, and start hitting their mark. Otherwise, they’ll be looking at four years of target practice.
