Sarah Palin: Candid on 'Fashiongate'

Copyright 2008 / The Insider
What's next for Sarah Palin? The Alaska governor and former VP hopeful tells reporter Art Harris in a new "Insider" interview!

"I don't have any idea what the next chapter in life is going to open up into," Palin says from her Anchorage office. "And I look forward to the surprises that life offers. Around every corner, there’s something new. So, I look forward to seeing what happens next. But for now, it's great to be back in the governor’s office."

And what does she think of the controversy known as "Fashiongate" -- and the frenzy of rumors that, following the last McCain/Palin hurrah in Phoenix, the GOP was dispatching lawyers from Washington, D.C. to inspect her closets for any MIA designer duds out of the reported $150,000 wardrobe it purchased? Palin told Harris she spent Thursday at home unpacking and sorting her clothes from their clothes, which had been promised to charity after the campaign.

There were recent rumors that Palin was put on notice to be ready for a "clothes audit."

"There is no clothes audit except for when the belly of the plane got all cleaned out," Palin says. “All the piles of clothes they had in there, they wanted me at my house to go through it and box things up and send it. We should have done that when we were in Arizona, because we had half a day. Yeah, I was doing that last night…

"But I heard, too, on the news, there were attorneys coming out to do such a thing [audit the clothes]. There are no attorneys coming up. There's no need for it or anything else. But that'll be nice to have that chapter closed because, as I said from day one, I have never asked for anything and I’m not keeping anything, either," Palin says.

So, how does she feel about some of the criticisms leveled at her during the campaign? "Very disappointed to tell you the truth," Palin tells Harris. "It tells me there is good reason why good people maybe choose not to get into politics because, as I say, too many false allegations based on untruths would naturally make people be hesitant to jump into the fray like this. You've got to have really, really thick skin, and you’ve got to be so determined and focused on the mission you are on."

"I'm able to do that," Palin adds, "but certainly I can understand why a lot of people wouldn't want to jump in and [be] victim to some of that garbage that goes on. It’s such a waste of time!"

Published 11/7/08 by the Insider

Comments (12)

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  • As a former Alaska resident I can hardly wait for the next run for the White House. Knowing first hand Sarah's leadership and what it brought to the state It will be with confidence that we will AGAIN vote for her and who ever she would choose to run with her as HER Vice President.
    Anonymous 10/24/09 Reply
  • What the media did to Gov. Palin during the campaign and what the McCain staff has done to her since can only be called reprehensible. I know why this was done --- the media was hypnotized by Obama and the staff felt Gov. Palin cost John McCain the election. Both were wrong and both should be held accountable. Now Obama is president (he's the president; he's NOT MY president. I didn't vote for him, I don't like him and I don't trust himm. aAnd, no, race has NOTHING to do with it. My biggest problem with Obama is his unconscionable stand on abortion and infanticide. He apparently supports both).
    My question now is this: When Gov. Palin bought clothes to look her best at the Republican Convention, people excoriated her. But now, Michelle Obama plans to spend $100K on revamping the White House. From where is that money coming???? Can you say the word TAXPAYERS??????? In a time when the economy is suffering (I was RIFed --- Reduction in Force -- last May), instead of taking an money she may get and "spreading the wealth," she's using it to change the White House. I think she really believes the press, who is comparing her to Jackie Kennedy. To quote Lloyd Bensen: "Mrs. Obama, you're no Jackie Kennedy!" I even heard the phrase "Bamalot" as the new name for the Obama White House.
    Four years of this nonsense and I may end up moving to Scotland or Iceland.
    MISSMOO 11/11/08 Reply
  • I think she should donate/auction all the clothes to charity if she really means it about not wanting the clothes.
    AshleyAolR 11/11/08 Reply
  • People keep talking about her cost for her clothes. I would like to know how much Obama's on all of their clothing. Why don't they tell us? Maybe because the democrat's hide their wardrobe amount. Get real people!
    Anonymous 11/10/08 Reply
    • Because they already stated that they pay for their own clothes. Why do people always want to compare apples to oranges when there are more serious issues at hand. I could care less about what Palin or the Obama's paid for their clothing because no matter what they do there is always someone out there to put a bad spin on it.
      Anonymous 11/10/08
  • it was alright when Palin stated many times untruths about Obama so I don't understand how she got so upset when things where said about her
    Anonymous 11/9/08 Reply
    • Because Mrs. Palin spoke the TRUTH about Obama - his disgusting views on abortion and infanticide, his statement to Joe the Plumber (it came out of Obama's own mouth) that he wants to "share the wealth" - where I come from, that's called socialism - his plans to give illegal aliens full citizenship, to pull our troops out of Iraq before the job is done, etc. etc. etc.
      And what did they say about Mrs. Palin? That she improperly had a trooper fired (she was exhonerated) and, worst of all, that Trig, a baby who has Down Syndrome and who she ELECTED NOT TO MURDER, may not be her child but may actually be Bristol's baby. There is more but these are the 2 biggies I can think of. So if Mrs. Palin is angry because of the lies told about her, she has every right to be. Journalism died during this campaign
      MISSMOO 11/11/08
  • Michelle's clothes and the money spent by Sarah are two different things. Michelle's clothes were/are not purchased using campaign funding. There are some legal/ethical issues involved with spending 180k on clothes/access.
    Anonymous 11/9/08 Reply
    • I heard up to 1.5 mil in neimen marcus
      Anonymous 11/10/08
  • how about fashiongate for MIchelle Obama? Boy what bias. All of a sudden it is who is Obama going to wear at the inaugaration ball. The dress she had on election night wasn't that hot. Who wants a Jackie Kennedy throw back that is who she dresses like.

    anonymous
    Anonymous 11/8/08 Reply
  • from a democrat feel ur pain knew ur party (rnc)would destroy you if the end result was not what they wanted this is what they do and this is why they lost the election big time stupid, sarah too good for this
    Anonymous 11/8/08 Reply
  • There ARE no lawyers going out there, or she just doesn't want to admit that there are?
    gnn1 11/8/08 Reply