The RNC is selling a product, and the product obviously has to look good. Clothes cost a lot, especially when you can't wear the same two suits every other day like a male product politician.

But this does raise a question that we realize we don't know the answer to. Do campaigns always pay to clothe and buff their nominees?

For example, Joe Biden's not a mogul, but he seems to have a wardobe full of $150 Hermes ties. Did he buy them? Do taxpayers pay for senators' clothes? What about presidents? Does it matter if you're loaded, like Dick Cheney (is it sort of an optional thing?) Seriously. We're asking.

Politico: The Republican National Committee has spent more than $150,000 to clothe and accessorize vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin and her family since her surprise pick by John McCain in late August.

According to financial disclosure records, the accessorizing began in early September and included bills from Saks Fifth Avenue in St. Louis and New York for a combined $49,425.74.

The records also document a couple of big-time shopping trips to Neiman Marcus in Minneapolis, including one $75,062.63 spree in early September.

The RNC also spent $4,716.49 on hair and makeup through September after reporting no such costs in August.

The cash expenditures immediately raised questions among campaign finance experts about their legality under the Federal Election Commission's long-standing advisory opinions on using campaign cash to purchase items for personal use.

Politico asked the McCain campaign for comment, explicitly noting the $150,000 in expenses for department store shopping and makeup consultation that were incurred immediately after Palin’s announcement.

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