The media has really outdone themselves with this one. They roundly thumped Ann Romney for wearing a $990 shirt - but when Michelle Obama wears something almost seven times as expensive, she’s lauded for saving a struggling economy. It doesn't really make a whole lot of sense, does it?
The Washington Post had said:
Does Ann Romney wear her $990 designer shirt while driving one of her two Cadillacs?The very wealthy Mitt and Ann Romney have often been painted as out of touch with average Americans. Ann’s pricey shirt will not help her husband change those perceptions, no matter how many Laundromat photo ops are on the campaign’s daily itinerary. On Tuesday Ann wore a colorful silk T-shirt with a large bird print by Reed Krakoff during an interview with her and her husband on CBS’s “This Morning.” Fashion blogs quickly tracked down the “The Reed Audubon Silk Shirt” and noted the whopping price tag.
But now with Michelle Obama they are saying:
Michelle Obama has been criticized for not dressing up enough for Queen Elizabeth II, so she stepped up her game Friday night at an Olympics reception for heads of state at Buckingham Palace. The first lady wore a very fancy J. Mendel capsleeve jacket — “white viscose techno crepe tailored jacket with overlapped side panels and silver embroidery” from the 2013 Resort collection, according to a press release from the company. It’s not in stores yet, but high-end retailer Moda Operandi listed the jacket at a princely $6,800. The White House declined to comment.
Where is the outrage? Where are the comments calling the Obama's out of touch and out of step with the American people? Are they tone deaf? Or is it suddenly OK for them to do it since they are on the other side of the aisle?
How about the media's attack on Sarah Palin?
"I tend to remember a little story that would be turned into a major disaster for the campaign when Sarah Palin had really expensive clothing," Stu said.
The guys recounted the attacks on the Palin when numbers came out for what she spent on clothing for the entire campaign. Meanwhile, the media doesn't criticize the First Lady for spending more on a jacket than some people spend on their first car.
And make no mistake, this criticism isn't about what Michelle Obama does with her own money. The issue is the stunning hypocrisy from the media who refuse to apply consistent standards to the Romney's that they do to the Obama's.