The Christian Science Monitor reported that Sarah Palin will headline the first Tea Party Convention.
Almost 1-1/2 years since she shook up American politics with her acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is set to headline another landmark political event: the first-ever Tea Party Convention next month in Nashville, Tenn.
On its face, the gig would seem a step down for Ms. Palin, one of conservative America’s most popular and polarizing figures (not to mention major thorn in the side of the Obama White House).
But with an NBC/Wall Street Journal poll ranking a generic “Tea Party” as more popular than either Democrats or Republicans, and Palin herself rivaling the charming Mr. Obama in poll popularity, many experts see the Tea Party event as a potential milestone for a mounting, even transformational, force in US politics. ….
I have to say I’m torn. On the one hand, I’ve gone to a few Tea Parties, and was moved to know that so many of my fellow Central New Yorkers are as fed up as I am with the political class. On the other hand, all this talk of a third party, in my opinion, is counter productive. All a third party will do is ensure democratic victories for years to come. I’m hoping the GOP will learn something from the Tea Party movement and behave accordingly. Some signs indicate they have, but we certainly don’t want to let them go back to business as usual.
My second concern is the news that Palin could be getting paid in the neighborhood of $75,000 to speak at the event. I understand she has to make a living, and I don’t begrudge anyone getting paid whatever another party is willing to pay them. (Unless it’s the government using taxpayer funds to pay cronies, but that’s another issue.) I just don’t know. I like Palin. A lot. But if true, this just seems fake. Who knows? She’ll probably deliver a fantastic speech and I’ll be one of the first to post the video. Just maybe a bit less enthusiastically.
Via memeorandum
Atlantic Wire linked – Thanks!
Update 1/12/10: Sarah Palin explained the fee to Bill O’Reilly. Watch it here. It looks like the fee will go to political campaigns she thinks will help to move America in the right direction.
Palin is a great business woman,she knows where the money is and how to make money for herself.Her great business flare and independence is exactly what our Chinese-dependent horrible economy needs . She understands that oil is the main resource we can use to get our power back.
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Sometime last summer Palin’s spokesperson, Meg Stapleton, said that Palin doesn’t take fees for speaking at either charitable fund-raising or political fund-raising events. Maybe this isn’t considered political or fundraising, but I can’t see that angle. Or maybe the fee is for her PAC, or maybe the speaking fee is conjecture, I don’t know.
I agree with the column that a speaking fee taints the excitement a bit, but if all the other speakers are getting fees, then Palin deserves hers.
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Palin understands what she really is…a relative short term wonder, a flash in the pan (or teapot). She knows there really isn’t any future for her in politics so making money now is the smartest thing she can do. Her importance will fade over the next few years as the pros (the ones with real money and power) make a comeback.
So Sarah, make as much as you can, as fast as you can, all of it from the dopes who believe in you, it’s your birthright.
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They are paying her $100,000.00 to show. Palin ONLY does the shimmy to the tune of KA-CHING $$$$$$$$$$$$
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Has it occurred to you that if “this just seems fake”, perhaps it’s because . . . it is? Look, far be it from me – a good, solid, mainstream Democrat – to give you folks political advice. I mean, I can’t imagine a better scenario for the Democratc Party than for the GOP to jump off the cliff with Sister Sarah in 2012. But does it ever occur to you folks, all bedazzled by her fabulousness, and her “fantastic” speeches (huh?), that she is taking you for the ride of the century? Wow – talk about delusional.
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[...] I recently wrote about Sarah Palin’s fee to speak at the National Tea Party Convention. I had mixed feelings about it. She just told Bill O’Reilly that she will not gain financially from the fee for speaking at the Tea Party Convention. She said she will donate the money to political campaigns that will be good for this country. [...]
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