‘If people only knew how frugal we are’

“That whole thing is just, bad!” she said. “Oh, if people only knew how frugal we are. It’s kind of painful to be criticised for something when all the facts are not out there and are not reported,” said Palin, saying the clothes are not worth $150,000 and will be given back, auctioned off or sent to charity.

Suddenly, thrust into the national spotlight as John McCain’s running mate in August, her selection surprised and annoyed many in the media, who knew a week in advance of Barack Obama’s V-P selection but had no clue about Palin, the 44-year-old mother of five.

Palin immediately energised the GOP base and drew huge crowds of enthusiastic supporters. She has also found herself under the microscope, accused of being inexperienced, a drag on the ticket and, most recently, the recipient of racks of expensive clothes. There have not been matching stories about the costs or colors of the male candidates’ suits and shoes, nor how they are wearing their hair today.

She called disabilities issues “a joyful challenge”. Todd showed off photos of many people with Down syndrome who have come to her campaign events. “These children are not a problem, they are a priority,” said Palin.

“I think Hillary Clinton was held to a different standard in her primary race. Do you remember the conversations that took place about her… her wardrobe and her hairstyles, all of that? That’s a bit of that double standard.”

“I’m not going to complain about it, I’m not going to whine about it, I’m going to plow through that, because we are embarking on something greater than that, than allowing that double standard to adversely affect us,” she said.

In her speech on Friday, Palin will lay out the campaign’s plans to fully fund the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act, boost funding for special-needs children from birth to age three and allow parents to choose whether federal money for their child is used in a public, private, religious or secular school without navigating a cumbersome administrative process.