Change is Afoot in the Republican Party

On Monday evening, Cindy McCain and Laura Bush solicited hurricane donations at the Republican National Convention wearing vastly different footwear. Mrs. Bush opted for comfortable, unexciting slingbacks (at left) while Mrs. McCain went with considerably higher, coquettish black peep-toe pumps—hot!—and an imposing mustard-yellow dress that Salon called a "rain slicker."

Verdict: Cindy's been keeping up her tan better.

Republican footwear became an issue when Sarah Palin wore snappy red heels bearing uncanny resemblance to Dorothy's ruby red slippers to the announcement of her vice-presidential candidacy (lucky for the GOP, shoe bloggers unearthed them for $149 on Zappos.com).

Meanwhile, candidate McCain has been called out on his preference for $520 Ferragamos. And on the Democratic side, Michelle Obama was named to Vanity Fair's International Best-Dressed List—which, in the upside-down world of politics, just might be the ultimate faux pas.

No word on the price of Mrs. McCain's pumps.