Op-Ed: Makeup Artist Highest Paid in McCain Campaign, Earning $22,800 in 2 Weeks

There are only 11 days left in the U.S. presidential race and you might think most campaign funding was already been spent on advertising, consultants, etc. So would it surprise you to find out Sarah Palin’s makeup artist is paid more than anyone else?

The Republican party (GOP) spent nearly $150,000 for Palin’s clothing and accessories for her and her family. Palin's expensive taste has put her in the face of heavy criticism from within the GOP, as well as from media. Now, there is another story that seems equally damaging to McCain’s campaign. Amy Strozzi, the traveling makeup artist for Governor Sarah Palin, was the highest paid member in McCain’s campaign according to a new report filed by GOP with the Federal Election Commission on Thursday night. Strozzi earned more than chief foreign policy adviser Randy Scheunemann, and more than senior communications staff member Nicolle Wallace, both important members of McCain’s team. Strozzi is an expert makeup artist and was recently was nominated for an Emmy award for her work in the television show “So You Think You Can Dance.” She was paid $22,800 for the first two weeks of October alone according to the GOP records. Tiffani White, another makeup artist who worked for the TV show American Idol was paid $8,672.55 for McCain's makeup work in September. In my opinion, this is the first time I've heard of a “hockey mom” or a “Joe Sixpack” spending $11,400 a week for makeup and $150,000 for clothing and accessories. Maybe the definition is different in Alaska.