The American Pundit

I’m sorry, but didn’t Michelle Obama talk about shopping at J Crew, prompting the media to paint her as a regular American housewife? And wasn’t John McCain wearing $520 loafers portrayed as an astonishing bit of rich elitism? Then why, exactly, is the First Lady wearing $540…sneakers?

While volunteering Wednesday at a D.C. food bank, the First Lady sported her usual J.Crew cardigan, a pair of utilitarian capri pants and, on her feet, a sneaky splurge: trainers that go for $540.

That’s right: These sneakers – suede, with grosgrain ribbon laces and metallic pink toe caps – are made by French design house Lanvin, one of fashion’s hottest labels. They come in denim and satin versions, and have been a brisk seller all spring…

“They’re shoes,” the First Lady’s reps sniffed when curious reporters inquired about the fancy footwear.

They are shoes. They just happen to cost more than most Americans could even dream of spending on casual footwear. That little fact was coincidentally left out.

Look, I don’t begrudge the wealthy utilizing their wealth in order to make themselves happy. If the Obamas have worked hard to become successful and wealthy, they deserve to enjoy it. That being said, the left tore John McCain apart for wearing expensive shoes — to Senator Obama’s benefit — while Mrs. Obama was portrayed as your average American woman. And as Allahpundit points out:

Haute couture at a food bank. We should chip in and buy a pair for Palin in hopes that she’ll wear them to a bake sale or something, just to watch the media scandal erupt over how such a supposedly “down to earth” woman could be so thoughtless as to flaunt her wealth in front of common hard-working people.

Lest you doubt that this was indeed an issue for a 24-hour media cycle or two last year, click the image and scroll down. CNN — bouncing off a HuffPo post, natch — devoted three minutes of airtime to it, emphasizing the contrast between McCain and the heroically modest Democratic candidate who owns but four pairs of shoes.

So expensive footwear is an outrage when worn by Republicans but just dandy when worn by Democrats? I seem to recall Palin being ripped apart like McCain for wearing expsensive clothing. Such is the double-standard of the media.