Posted on 05/29/2011 9:33:19 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Almost any politician in America follows tried and true patterns when dealing with the media. They alert the media of an upcoming event, the media shows up, photos are taken, cameras roll. Sometimes questions follow. And then the media goes home. But not Sarah Palin.
Palin alerted the media of the first stop on her northeastern road trip: Rolling Thunder. But after some event organizers expressed displeasure at her attendance on Friday, her staff refused to comment about the appearance, and some reporters wondered if she’d even go. No time was given – the event lasted from 7am to 5pm. No venue was given – Rolling Thunder’s course goes for more than five miles from Arlington cemetery around the National Mall. The annual charity for prisoners of war and missing in action draws a quarter of a million bikes and an estimated 900,000 participants – good luck finding the Palin family.
Amazingly, some media did (bravo, AP’s Phil Elliott), though the former Alaska governor and vice presidential nominee mostly refused to answer questions. She signed jackets and hats, shook hands and admired tattoos. She rode on the back of her middle daughter, Willow’s Harley. Husband Todd rode with their youngest daughter Piper and their eldest daughter Bristol rode separately, according to media reports. Palin had “rolling justice” written in smeared ink on one hand and a George W. Bush sticker on her bike reading, “Miss me?” “There’s no better way to see D.C. than on the back of a Harley! My family may be used to snowmachines more so than motorcycles,” Palin wrote on her political action committee’s website. “But whether you’re riding the open road or the frozen tundra, you’re celebrating a free spirit. What could be more American than that?”(continued)
(Excerpt) Read more at swampland.time.com ...
ABC News, KTAR 92.3 FM , Phoenix, AZ at approximately 4:00 p.m. reported today that Sarah Palin “turned up, uninvited” to Rolling Thunder.
This lady has much better manners than to go anywhere uninvited. Bad reporting ABC.
WILLOW HAS A HARLEY? WILLOW CAN RIDE A HARLEY?
HOT DAYUM. Those reporters at TIME sure are accurate... and .... factual!
SHAME ON TIME AND THE LAMESTREAM!!!!
“So, let me get this straight. It was basically a photo-op for Sarah then right?”
No.
How long do you want to play troll?
:)
“The question might be ..if it was any other candidate on the ride would you say the same thing?”
Why do you think I have some criticism of her going on the ride?
I think I’ve very clearly stated my point. Feel free to reread it.
Palin manages to carry it off.
Imagine Al Gore, Michael Dukakis, Mitt Romney, or John Kerry riding a motorcycle in public. Or maybe a moped when they’re feeling wild and crazy.
Or imagine Zero’s handlers puzzling over how to get a teleprompter on the bikes handlebars.
Actually the woman driving the bike was NOT willow, it was a friend of the Palins. The AP gets it wrong again.
Given that Obama was on approximately the same time, I think you've got your answer as to what type of coverage this event would have received minus Palin.
Yeah... far better that we should ponder whether she just did it for more air time for herself...
Let's not let her endless, repeated and sincere praise and compassion for our men and women in uniform get in the way of an unfair, baseless question about her thousand-times-proven sterling integrity and Christian moral character.
I know you posed the question as a reverse-given, but what the media predictably decided to do with the fact that Sarah and her family were a part of the day's fundraising and awareness raising festivities has nothing to do with why Sarah was there, and you know it as well as I do.
So why even spew the Librat bile? If it was just to be "controversial," great, you succeeded. Just don't complain when it generates the desired controversy on a thread that you knew would be frequented by Palin supporters when you chose your words.
A little consistency and logical progression might aid your credibility. On the off chance you care.
;-\
Minus Palin, I have a feeling they would actually have to explain what Rolling Thunder was.
Minus Palin, I don’t know if the WH would have scheduled the Obama Joplin memorial in the same slot, when they had high level advisors to Obama appearing.
Minus Palin in the wild, the newsdesks would have gone away, and been happy to have long coverage of a live event they could take from a pool camera.
I don’t blame Palin for any of this, nor am I suggesting her appearance was a mistake (for those getting their panties in a bunch) but what I am questioning is the idea that she played Pippi Longstocking and pulled one over on the media in a manner that worked to get her messager out...or that benefitted the Rolling Thunder cause.
More photos of the Palins in DC from SarahPAC.
http://sarahpac.com/posts/national-monuments-washington-dc-5-slash-29-slash-11
“far better that we should ponder whether she just did it for more air time for herself...”
I did not ponder this. My point was the opposite.
Flying that rumor today just shows you the gut level fear these people have of Sarah. She completely interrupts their higher brain functions.
They never even stopped to think that maybe, just maybe, a 17 year old, 100 pound teenage girl probably wasn't piloting an 800 pound monster motorcycle through the streets of DC with the 45th President of The United States on the back!
Sorry I see plenty of criticism done in a very backhanded manner. For example: POST #30 (Wish you could delete that little bit of PDS I bet.)
Here is a clue for you. Absolutely nothing Sarah did today can be critized in any way, shape, or form! She was invited and respectfully attended this event. She met some people, and shook hands, and went for a ride. that's it! She did not make a grand speech or call photographers or hold a press conference to garner max publicity for herself. Only a mentally diseased leftist could possibly conjure up negativity about this event today which by the way, you did.
WOO-HOO!
Dynasty!!!!!
Finding #48 a worthy husband is going to be quite the undertaking! She'll find her own...LOL.
“For example: POST #30 (Wish you could delete that little bit of PDS I bet.)”
Hmm. No, I think Sarah picked Rolling Thunder for a reason. It’s a shame you have to resort to knee jerk defenses and feel Palin is beyond discussion unless it’s high-fiving yourself in an echo chamber.
Anyway, I’ll side with Sarah here.... media games weren’t what today was about, and it’s sad if that didn’t get across for some of her more devoted fans...but check this out:
“MISSION STATEMENT
Rolling Thunder, Inc.’s major function is to publicize the POW-MIA issue. To educate the public of the fact that many American prisoners of war were left behind after all past wars. To help correct the past and to protect the future veterans from being left behind should they become Prisoners Of War/Missing In Action. We are committed to helping American veterans from all wars. Rolling Thunder, Inc. is a non-profit organization and everyone donates his or her time because they believe in the POW/MIA issue.” http://www.rollingthunder1.com/about.html
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.