Sarah Palin: Stylin' and GASPin'

You have got to be kidding me?  The cost of Sarah Palin’s wardrobe on the front page of the newspaper?  I know times are tough at The N&O,  and space is at a premium. Here are just a few stories I would find more interesting:

Why Barack Obama needs to raise over half a billion dollars to run a presidential campaign when that money could be put to better use being “redistributed” to help the poor, and really get this economy jumping.

An actual accounting of just how many people will benefit from Obama’s highly distorted tax plan.

An essay on socialism, so all your readers have a better idea of what they have to look forward to.

Why you have to pay $5 for an Obama yard sign but the McCain signs are free.

Your biased coverage has made your newspaper good for one thing — lining the bottom of the bag I use in my trash can. Great job!

Darice Warren
Holly Springs

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Regarding the story about the Republican National Committee spending $150,000 to outfit Gov. Sarah Palin in upscale NYC boutique finery, the RNC must have taken a page from movie immortal Alfred Hitchcock. 

For his wonderful ’50s movies, Director Hitchcock would send his leading ladies — “the cool Nordic blondes,” one critic called them — to NYC to be outfitted for the films.  Then Grace Kelly, Vera Miles, Doris Day, Tippi Hedren, Kim Novak would set the women’s fashions for the year. 

Why doesn’t the gang at the RNC go all the way and kick in another 10 or 20 grand and make Gov. Palin a blonde? After all, not only gentlemen but real Americans prefer blondes.

Roy Armstrong II
Bath

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Choosing to run the AP story about the “Ritzy Makeover” of Sarah Palin and putting it on the front page of your paper confirms, without a doubt, that journalism is dead. At least at The News & Observer. This article was ridiculous.

So, let me get this straight: It’s more important to choose an AP story that makes fun of Gov. Palin than to investigate the recent alliance Obama had with Bill Ayers or Rev. Wright? With days left before the national election, you put wardrobe costs on the front page instead of doing some actual journalism to find out about Barack Obama?

There are hundreds of articles you can choose to run — and you choose one that focuses on a wardrobe? Have you asked how much Joe Biden paid for his hair plugs?

Who cares! Is it any wonder that the media are called blindly biased? Journalism has died a painful death.

Vickie Leff
Cary

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The RNC spent $150,000 on Sarah Palin’s wardrobe? I think she beats Paris Hilton. The McCain campaign is so hypocritical. And they want America to believe that they understand the plight of all those struggling to make ends meet.

Corwyn Cease
Raleigh

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Seems unfair that Sarah Palin’s $150,000 shopping spree makes your front page Oct. 23 and is described in great detail. Yet the issue of over half of Barack Obama’s $500 million in campaign contributions being unidentified hardly gets reported. Not knowing who or where Obama’s funding is coming from would seem to be of much greater concern that the Republican VP’s wardrobe. 

J. Buckley Strandberg
Rocky Mount

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I got a chuckle out of Ruth Sheehan’s Oct. 22 column on GASP, the gals who are outraged that “any old woman” may seek public office. The mental image of dozens of angry Sarah haters descending on the funeral home, booze and checkbooks in hand, is delicious. A Southern way of describing such behavior might be “common as pig tracks.”

Juanita Frady Walker
Raleigh

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Regarding Ruth Sheehan’s column “Appalled becomes political”:

I was very surprised to read the names of the three smart women quoted. Each of these women has fine qualities, including being: phenomenal business women, excellent mothers, witty, bright, leaders in their church communities and schools.   
At one point, one of them made an attempt to run for office. All three are   extremely intelligent and capable of taking on any job, any time, anywhere.

The position of vice president is a new position for any individual lucky enough or better yet, willing, to be elected to it. Some of our past presidents and vice presidents have appeared to be “perfect on paper” but have been less than competent.

There will be a learning curve for whoever the newly elected VP is.  What would be the problem of having a mirror image of these women in our highest office?

If I held the same political views as these women, I would personally vote for any one of them if they chose to run — because I know that when presented with a new job or task, these women would be up to the challenge.  

Sarah Palin will represent and  care about many of the issues important to these exact women. When  Ella said, “any old woman” she was exactly right. Shouldn’t the leaders in our office represent “any old all of us” but be  smart and capable enough to learn and handle the challenges of the new position?

Tearing Sarah Palin down with a name like GASP isn’t the answer. How can we be appalled by any woman trying to achieve her goals and raise a family? Weren’t we all taught that you don’t have to tear someone else down in order to build yourself or your cause up?

If these women don’t support the McCain/Palin ticket, this is  certainly their right. But why not try building Obama up, instead of tearing Sarah down?

Jan Copeland
Mom and McCain/Palin supporter

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If the women in GASP (Ruth Sheehan, Oct. 22) were to list the leadership experiences and/or questionable long term acquaintances of Barack Obama and Sarah Palin, omitting names, it would be obvious that this vice presidential candidate is more qualified than the presidential candidate.

Forgetting political party, how can anyone ignore this? Is it because Palin is an intelligent woman? Sounds like sexism or cattiness to me.

I “gasp” when I realize how many U.S. citizens are voting for our precious country of America to be led by a smooth talking Pied Piper.

You know that story.

Harriette Nichols
Swansboro

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Ruth Sheehan’s column Oct. 22 on GASP provided further confirmation about Democrats.

What’s their objection to Gov. Palin? That she didn’t abort her special needs son and, if he survived an abortion, let him die? No? Could it be that she became a city council member, mayor  and state governor on her ability and not on her husband’s coattails or some affirmative action program? No?  Maybe it was her being selected to oversee the hated oil and gas industry? No? I know, it was her successful fight of corrupt politicians? No? I got it. She is a Christian believing in what the Bible teaches. No? She wants to drill in ANWAR? No? She did not go to a an Ivy League school and become a lawyer working pro-bono for ACORN registering illegal aliens to vote. No?

The answer, all the above! This lady shows more class then any from GASP! Articulate, honest, smart, understands the meaning of servant of the people, successful on her talent, and loves her God, country and family. That is what these women hate.  That is why they support a Democrat with far less experience and talent, and anti-American socialist ideas.

Dave Campbell
Raleigh