Fine, she needs to look presidential (she certainly doesn't sound it). But a $3000 dollar handbag for a 6-year-old? Rest assured, many of us in America see through Palin. She is the window dressing on a crumbling house of failed policies. If she is the future of the Rep.'s, this Independent votes D!

Tyler, Gilbert AZ, USA

I think she looks great, especially after having so many kids.

Dr. A. J. Davies, Broxbourne, UK

who cares, she's now an international figure on camera so needs nice clohtes. Obama used tax payers dollars to fly his whole family to hawaii this year. There is always a differnt standard when it comes to Palin compared to Obama. the media is just too biased this time round.

Louise, Orlando,

How very different from our own Cherie Blair!!

Tom, Huddersfield, UK

You have to question the values & educational of Alaskans to have elected her. Alaskans are paying for the entire Palin family to travel to events that only the Governor should be traveling to. How many working class people take their kids to work and have the employer pick-up the cost? Zero

WGlennon, London, United Kingdom

who says it costs $150k? Michelle Obama manages to look incredible in a $200 dress,

shana, san francisco, United States

It is a fact of our society that looks mean a lot. Why stop at the cost of maintaining Palin's look? The entire cost of the campaign could probably fund an entire 3rd world country's supply of food for a year. This is not a criticism of the Republicans but a criticism of the shallow world we live in

Sharon, London,

So much for 'Joe the Plumber' - I suspect no normal plumber could afford to spend one tenth of that in one year let alone 10 weeks or so.

Mind you I am glad to see that the Republicans are spreading American hard paid taxes around and creating wealth for some very elite clothing companies. Go go.

Simon Ward, Riyadh, KSA

It's all beginning to unravel isn't it? They can fool Joe Six-Pack some of the time... But they can't fool him all of the time! Joe is wide awake now - and knows that those tax breaks for the excessively wealthy won't trickle down to him! They end up in Belize and in designer yatchts and outfits!!

Jimmy, Letchworth Garden City, UK

Are the Americans voting in a beauty contest or a presidential election, I realise it matters little, as the US is ruled by powerful forces that never have recourse to the elective process .
But then what country does.

Eddy, Bury St.Edmunds,

They knew they had to dress her up, because what comes out of her mouth leaves a lot to be desired. This high price for clothes is far from the Joe Six packs and Hockey Moms image she's trying to portray. That's sad that they thought they had to correct her image that much.

Elizabeth, Detroit, USA

37500$ per week is not a remotely justifiable amount of other people's money to spend on clothing. She could have been dressed to near perfection for a third or even less of that.
Spending 3000$ on a handbag for a six year old is just further proof that this was plain rampant spending.

Bart Vandendriessche, Lanaken,

Yes, because all hockey mom's buy their clothes from Louis Vuitton...

Farrukh, Woking,

There is a ludicrous expectation for women to look perfect on the campaign trail and the costs of doing such are far in excess of those incurred by men.

Male presidential candidates can look good in jeans and a shirt if they're in Scranton. No such luck for women. I'm surprised it didn't cost more.

John Swaine, Malta, Malta

Blame TV and the media for that. As well as the American people. Hollywood and our own bloated expectations of Image and what one should look like, talk like and eat. We have a double standard and expect our heroes and leaders to be perfect...at least how they look. Good looking helps.

Dona, Edinburgh,