Palin thought Africa was a country

Palin thought Africa was a country - aides | US Presidential Election | News.com.au

Palin thought Africa was a country - aides

By Robert Lusetich

The Australian

November 07, 2008 10:22am


JOHN McCain's aides have unceremoniously tipped the bucket on Sarah Palin, portraying her and her family as Alaskan "hillbillies" and revealing she thought Africa was a country.
Recriminations are inevitable after an electoral failure this grand, but even so, Senator McCain's senior staff - looking to deflect blame - went for the jugular, telling journalists in off-the-record briefings that Ms Palin, whom they had already characterised as a rogue diva, spent more than the reported $US150,000 ($216,000) on clothes, shoes and jewellery for herself and her family.

Ms Palin had been told by McCain spokeswoman Nicolle Wallace to buy three suits and hire a stylist for her debut at the Republican convention at an expected cost of about $US20,000.

Instead, the self-described blue-collar "hockey mom" went on a profligate shopping spree at exclusive department stores, including bills of $US75,062 at Neiman Marcus and $US49,425 at Saks Fifth Avenue, The Australian reports.

"Wasilla hillbillies looting Neiman Marcus from coast to coast," was how a McCain aide characterised the spending spree to Newsweek magazine.
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More shopping was later done and paid for on the personal credit cards of Ms Palin's campaign staff, who have now sought reimbursement, touching off more controversy as it's believed some of the items have been lost. The Republican Party's auditors will investigate, according to a McCain aide.

Ms Palin's spending reportedly also included up to $US40,000 in new clothes for her husband, Todd Palin, the fisherman and oil-field worker who is Alaska's self-styled "First Dude".

Fox News reporter Carl Cameron disclosed yesterday that McCain insiders told him during the campaign that Ms Palin could not name any of the three countries that form the North American Free Trade Agreement - the US, Mexico and Canada - and did not know that Africa was a continent and not a country.

Cameron said he was told he could only report it after the election by his source.

The merciless attack on Ms Palin - who aides said was also given to frequent "temper tantrums" -- comes in retaliation for what Senator McCain's staff considered a treasonous act by Ms Palin's team in the final weeks of the campaign.

McCain aides believe Ms Palin decided to look after her own political image - she has her eyes set on the 2012 presidential campaign -- by leaking to the media that she had been "mishandled" by McCain's campaign - particularly Ms Wallace and chief strategist Steve Schmidt - in the disastrous interview she did with newsreader Katie Couric. The media in turn lapped up the story of a campaign unravelling, distracting Senator McCain's campaign.

Meanwhile, Seth Meyers, the head writer for Saturday Night Live, said he anticipated Ms Palin would not stray far from the national conversation. For comedians, he said, "she is a gift that will keep on giving".