Rolling Thunder: Sarah Palin not invited

By Andrea Mitchell and Lauren Stephenson, NBC News

WASHINGTON — One day after Sarah Palin announced her bus tour, a group sponsoring a Memorial Day weekend event she plans to attend said they never invited her.

"She wasn't invited. We heard yesterday she came out with a press release she was coming to Rolling Thunder," Ted Shpak, national legislative director of Rolling Thunder, told "Andrea Mitchell Reports." Shpak is one of three members of Rolling Thunder's current leadership who says he had no idea Palin was coming until it was posted on her website.

On Thursday, the former governor of Alaska and potential GOP presidential candidate announced her bus tour on her political action committee's website, Sarahpac.com.  The tour is to begin in Washington, D.C., where Palin plans to participate in the Sunday motorcycle rally sponsored by Rolling Thunder Inc., a group that raises awareness of prisoners of war and those missing in action.

"She's not invited to speak. We're not endorsing her ... (but) we can't stop her from coming to ride, if she wants to ride," Shpak continued.

Organizers of Rolling Thunder say their guest speakers are Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.

Palin's representatives say they were invited to Rolling Thunder - by a former board member who is emceeing the event.

Mike DePaulo tells NBC News he had a standing offer for her to ride with them from the Pentagon across the bridge to D.C. - and that he got a call from what he called "the Palin campaign" on Wednesday to see if they could take him up on it.  He coordinated it with a friend of his, Joe Fields, of the Alaska Veterans' Advisory Council, who had worked with Palin when she was governor.

A spokeswoman for Rolling Thunder says they frequently invite celebrity guests to ride with them.  

DePaulo says he has a permit for the Palin bus to be parked on Henry Bacon Drive near the Lincoln Memorial.  He acknowledges he didnt tell current leaders of the organization that she was coming, since they were already on the road.

When asked if Palin's bus will be participating in the event, Shpak of Rolling Thunder Inc. responded, "Absolutely not."

Shpak says Palin's attendance "is a big distraction" and that his "phone has been ringing off the hook" ever since she announced her intention to attend the event.

"We're not political. This is not a political event ... Maybe she's coming because she knows we have a half a million people in town and thinking she can start her [campaign]?" stated Shpak.

"We're taking care of our issues and that's why we're here."

 

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Sarah Palin is smart enough to get rich. Being in the right spot at the right time helped her, but doesn't help everyone. She could not run a country because Congress cannot use good judgement in the crazy laws they pass, which has taken the country down over the last several years. Our stupid last few Presidents should VETO all screwed up bills that are passed, but usually do not. No one can run this country fair and proper with the two parties we have in control now. Palin would only want to keep the two wars going for many more years and cut everything possible for the lower middle class and poor income (large group) of people that make up the majority of the U.S. population.

  • 2 votes
Reply#312 - Sun May 29, 2011 2:40 PM EDT

You guys are just plain rude. Since when did you need an invite to attend a rally no matter what your name is? Sounds to me like you guys are way too into your selves, think that your s--t doesn't stink and are better than everyone else. Ya need to realize that we are all in this mess together and neither Palin or the GREAT ONE(Obama) are or have made matters any better for anyone other than themselves and their elite few! At least Palin is sticking her nose in the good old US of A's business instead of everyone else's

    Reply#313 - Sun May 29, 2011 3:10 PM EDT

    Scully, I'm sure you may think that Palin would VETO any stupid, sorry bill that Congress passed if she became President. She would be like all the last few Presidents. Sign them into Law. That is why this Country has gone down and down, while China is going up and up and up. If you think high wages are causing this problem in the U.S., then that could have been fixed that easy. The same cost of living increases in pay for everyone. (Everyone gets the same amount). Percent does not work. It only increases the gap between the rich and the poor big-time over several years. If the United States wanted to keep incomes down to keep more manufacturing factories and jobs in the U.S., lower pay and everything else being at a lower price was the answer. I think I made about $90.00 a month when I was in the Army as E-4 and married and had one child. Living in high cost San Francisco. I got by as good then as I do now. Everything was cheaper. The Federal Government did good then with many hundred military bases all over the United States and a massive interstate highway system getting ready to be install all over the United States. A whole lot of Federal money buying all that land in the country and cities and the race to the Moon, which we got there first. Lots of Federal money spent, but lots of jobs. Those many hundreds of military bases had a lot of non-military people working at them, which created many jobs and employment all around the places where the bases were located. Lots of tax going into the Federal Government. Very Smart people running our Country then. What we have now is only doing great things for the rich and nothing for the lower middle class and poor income group.

    • 1 vote
    #313.1 - Sun May 29, 2011 6:03 PM EDT

    Completely delusional and unfounded comment.

      #313.2 - Sun May 29, 2011 9:33 PM EDT
      Reply

      So Sara Palin is running again ! Now I have to make sure to go out and vote for her opponent, even if it's Bozo The Clown.

      • 1 vote
      Reply#314 - Sun May 29, 2011 4:13 PM EDT

      Bozo will win the debate, and he wears less makeup.

      • 2 votes
      #314.1 - Sun May 29, 2011 4:33 PM EDT

      Even Bozo has more experience and knowledge than obama. Id take bozo too!

        #314.2 - Sun May 29, 2011 8:14 PM EDT

        You ran your Bozo last time and lost in an electorial landslide, you want to run Bozo again, you will get the same result.

          #314.3 - Mon May 30, 2011 12:24 AM EDT

          McCain is a bozo, i agree..... and gets worse every day. Im glad you think obama is doing a good job, i guess your face is planted in front of the tv while the media ignores his record and just lets you know that obama is a great president. Those of us with half a brain and an empty wallet understand the concept of redistribution of wealth and what obama is trying to do. i suggest getting a job and start thinking for yourself and you may learn something about socialism and your boy president that is facinated by rap stars that sing of killing cops.... yeah, you got a great bozo there and he shows us every day what a complete jerk he is.

            #314.4 - Mon May 30, 2011 6:00 AM EDT
            Reply

            Thanks First thoughts for a nice article, Assoc Press did a nice article and Reuters was real nice. Molly Ball writer for Politico was a lazy liar, sad because this woman has such an awful name. She pulled old liberal

            slanders out of date and dis-proven. It's really sad when journalists scratch like cats for a moment of fame

            Just popped in to say Good Job First Thoughts because I have often been your worst critic.

            • 1 vote
            Reply#315 - Sun May 29, 2011 4:45 PM EDT

            I get a real kick out of the media trying to make every republican look bad unless its a person they think cant win an election. Instead of finding fault with their president that does not do much more than go on vacations, entertain hollywood celebrities, party, etc, they constantly find fault with every republican that may run. How about the job situation that Obama said would never get over 8%? How about gas prices that are near record levels? How about businesses leaving the country and leaving states to escape from obamas union buddies? How about his tarp fund that was nothing more than a slush fund for his unions buddies while regular workers suffered. How about his anti Americanism? How about Michelles telling us what to eat and what not to eat, with no background of anything that would give her any right to do so? The media should be all over what is going on now, yet its always Palin, or the republican candidate of the moment that has their rapt attention. This is the worst president ever, and they treat him like a rock star..... well maybe a rap star that raps about killing cops that the obamas love so well. Well, he is certainly doing what other communist leaders could not do, and thats take down the country.

            • 1 vote
            Reply#316 - Sun May 29, 2011 4:56 PM EDT

            YOU ARE SO RIGHT!

              #316.1 - Sun May 29, 2011 6:05 PM EDT

              Jeff is extreme right. Out there with the teabaggers.

                #316.2 - Mon May 30, 2011 3:29 AM EDT

                thanks.... i appreciate that... As a veteran of the viet nam war with the 1st cav, i thank the people i served with and i will remember the friends we lost during all wars.... As for you libs that hate the military, you can keep partying like you always do and carry on. You and obama have fun today.

                  #316.3 - Mon May 30, 2011 12:38 PM EDT
                  Reply

                  This is why we loved her. She is patriotic and ready to roll out with our boys. Its better than sitting in some run down Detroit rib shack eating ribs with people who don't give a damn about our country other than getting a tired old welfare check. Palin is making a comeback to show how muck she loves America and our flag. These guys are the working class fellas that have served this great land and have great pride for the red, white, and blue. Yahoo! God bless America.

                    Reply#317 - Sun May 29, 2011 5:49 PM EDT

                    I was not aware that there were ingraved invites to this event. Sarah Palin is an American who supports our troups. Why is her riding in the event a big deal. Seems like Mitchell wants to make palin into an interloper. Then of course MSNBC does slant all of their views.

                      Reply#319 - Sun May 29, 2011 6:01 PM EDT

                      "Rolling Thunder - Sarah Palin not invited". Then the article says that she was. Seems a little misleading to me.

                        Reply#320 - Sun May 29, 2011 7:14 PM EDT

                        Sarah was invited. She invited Todd and he invited her. And they both invited thier kids. So everyone was invited.

                          #320.1 - Mon May 30, 2011 10:53 PM EDT
                          Reply

                          This frustrates the living daylights out of me. ..."She apparently invited herself..." I'm sorry, the rest of us seemed to come uninvited as well. No one else needed an invitation. So if 500,000 people can come uninvited, why can't she? You people are trying to make her out to be someone who is trying to "steal the thunder" as Fox 5 news stated. She loves her country; her family loves this country. This is absurd that just because she shows up, all of a sudden to the damn Democrats it is a publicity stunt. It's not! It's kind of funny that our own Commander in Chief, Mr. B.O. himself wasn't a supporter of this. Think about what Rolling Thunder means. It means that we want all of our troops to come home. No one is forgotten. It's amazing that our law enforcement officials and our fire department members are all supporters of Rolling Thunder. What does B.O. think of this? He doesn't care....about the United States, about our troops. He cares about himself and his plans to ruin this country. You reporters need to think about what you're writing and how ridiculous it sounds. Concentrate on the meaning of Rolling Thunder, and all the supporters who came out. Think about the troops who are sacrificing for us, putting their lives on the line for us...and those who never make it home. Why don't you report about that for a change.

                            Reply#321 - Sun May 29, 2011 7:29 PM EDT

                            Hey, duncecap....

                            he was at the memorial service in Joplin.

                            • 2 votes
                            #321.1 - Sun May 29, 2011 7:35 PM EDT
                            Reply

                            It has always amazed me that there are actually people who believe that an individual who could not stand the pressure of being the governor of the smallest (population wise) state in the country and thus quite in mid-term would ever be able to take on the position of President. I do not believe that she could even serve a term as dog catcher. The best thing she could ever do for our country is to leave it forever.

                            As a veteran, I am deeply offended that she would have the gall to pretend to have been invited to participate in this event.

                            • 3 votes
                            Reply#322 - Sun May 29, 2011 8:44 PM EDT

                            vietnam era vet-3541519........As a veteran, I am deeply offended that she would have the gall to pretend to have been invited to participate in this event

                            I to like you as a Vietnam Vet am completely disgusted with Palin and her lame fake patriot husband, a member of the Alaskan independence Party/Militia...(That hates the lower 48 States and looks for the destruction of the lower 48).

                            What a disgrace to Americas War Dead and every Veteran for her to be at the front or ever near the front of the Rolling Thunder Ride..I also blame the Rolling Thunder leadership for this dishonor to our War Dead on Memorial Day weekend 2011...

                            The only reason she invited herself to the Memorial Event was to promote her political media garbage...and the Rolling Thunder Leadership fell for it, except Ted Shpak...Disrespectful and Disgraceful for Palin and her fake patriot husband to be any near Memorial Day events just to promote her agenda....

                            • 2 votes
                            #322.1 - Sun May 29, 2011 9:35 PM EDT

                            I'm offended you feel that way.

                              #322.2 - Sun May 29, 2011 9:35 PM EDT

                              As a fellow veteran, and a former police officer, I can only say AMEN to that one. Maybe Obama is not all that great on some things. But can you honestly sit there and say you want 'that' to replace him. She couldn't govern Alaska, so she's going to govern the U.S. ? But who knows, it might be interesting to see the world's reaction, at least after they stop laughing.

                                #322.3 - Mon May 30, 2011 11:27 AM EDT

                                Well, you have a community organizer that hangs out with communists and convicted terrorists, has created Czars to get around the constitution, and filled the positions with communists and thugs, and you dont see whats wrong with that. He goes to church where they preach against America, and anti white rhetoric, but you think thats ok. He entertains rap stars that sing about killing cops, and you being a cop, can go alone with that, right? He is purposely taking this country down with his policies that he know will not work, used the tarp money to pay back his unions buddies and shoved the regular workers under the bus, and your ok with that, right? This president, im sorry to say, neither him or michelle, would i even let in my house, or get near any kids. What they stand up for is anti American, and is not appropriate for familys. Im sorry, they both are a disgrace to this country.

                                  #322.4 - Tue May 31, 2011 7:44 AM EDT
                                  Reply

                                  Why can't "Mama Grizzly" ride a motorcycle by herself? My female buddies (in their 40s and 50s) can. Everything about Palin is fake!

                                  • 4 votes
                                  Reply#323 - Sun May 29, 2011 8:51 PM EDT

                                  All I know is the Republicans are going to be great entertainment this next election. Won't win a puddle of mud but will definately be fun to watch chew each other up. Well deserved I must add. Pathetic punch of lairs and corporate thugs. Oh to those who think they are represented by these thugs who use their themes (aboration, homosexuality, keeping your "White" way, evolution and etc...), you are so easily taken or should I say puppets! They don't represent your beliefs. Fooled from the beginning you are! If anyone of you "Conservatives" are in the top two percent (that 2% for you uneducated Republicans) then you are represented by them. If you live in the other 98%, you are a suckered Republican, oh, "Conservative". Give me a break. You bunch are laughable at best!

                                  • 3 votes
                                  Reply#324 - Sun May 29, 2011 9:52 PM EDT

                                  well your racist boy president has stumbled all over the world and has entertained us for a couple years now.... I just hope your enjoying all your benifits from his socialist and anti business policies, and are reaping your rewards now.... Its great most of you dont work and can collect of us that are or are retired now, so have fun while you can..... someday your gonna run out of other peoples money.

                                    #324.1 - Tue May 31, 2011 9:47 AM EDT

                                    Actual most of us do work at least on job if not two and the republicans are already making us laugh saying lowering taxes on compinies like exxon mobil that pay an actual 9% but get money back. Then there the fact they want to tax only money made here in the US so they can claim loses here every year while still posting billions in profts. Sort like Palin. did not do her job quit when she was being investageted and has the state pay her lawyer feess and fight her not releasing her email battles. while making millions of Fox news and of course any tea party memeber

                                    • 1 vote
                                    #324.2 - Tue May 31, 2011 9:56 AM EDT

                                    Obama spending Memorial day playing golf i suppose supports your views on the military also. He is a whore slut, just like they call Palin and his thumbing his nose at our military, his anti Israel stance, and his pro muslim and pro palistianian views are enough to make any true American puke. This dude is unfit for his job, and should be put in jail if anything. Businesses, Wolften, leave this country to escape unions and unfair taxes, and i dont blame them for leaving this country. Just like his blasting the oil companies who make 5 cents on a gallon of gas, but no where do you read about the government getting 15 cents on the gallon for doing nothing. You people just keep on blasting and attacking business, and you wont have any money to give to your thugs in the ghetto and your people that wont work, because there wont be any businesses left in the country because they will leave.... just like they are doing now...... can you blame them?

                                      #324.3 - Tue May 31, 2011 11:01 AM EDT

                                      Really I saw him at arlington on tv and listen to his speech and then he return to the white and at 1500 he held the moment of silance. I think you need to stop disrespecting the office of president. If you do not like our current president vote otherwise treat the office with respect.

                                      Busineess have been leaving since reagan so was he unfit to lead?

                                      Oil compinies make 5 cents per a gallon of gas but $60 on a barrel of oil. So you do the math. They also sell themselves the barrels of oils for their refinires. I am not attacking business. I attack the greed and corruption that has brought this nation down.

                                      I do not attack small oil compinies like big dog or regional banks. I write against banks that break the lays while bush and obama was in office and illegal foreclosed on homes of the military while they were deployed. I write against Exxon and chase and BOA. Exxon actual tax rate is 9% far below the 35% they claim since they also noted it did not include the tax breaks and loopholes. Greed drives business away. I can make widget a here for $2 and sell it for $4 or make widget a in China with child labor for 10 cents and sell it for $4 which is right and moral?

                                      And where does Palin get to ride in a event for veterans rights when she cut veteran rights in her term as Gov?

                                      • 1 vote
                                      #324.4 - Tue May 31, 2011 11:15 AM EDT

                                      I would suggest you stop buying oil and ride a bike if you dont like the profits oil companies make. There are many businesses that make much more profit that Exxon or other oil companies, so why not pick on them too. Obama was not at arlington http://www.examiner.com/populist-in-national/obama-to-spend-memorial-day-chicago so get your facts straight. He played golf. You libs are all the same, and if you love the way obama runs this country with socialism, then keep him in office..... but you have to understand, one day soon, your gonna run out of other peoples money.

                                        #324.5 - Tue May 31, 2011 11:22 AM EDT

                                        really name one company besides walmart that posted a 35 billion profit the first quater. Get your facts straight

                                        http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/05/30/obama-memorial-day-speech_n_868730.html

                                        http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2011-05-29/memorial-day-photos/

                                        yopu might want to check your facts and not listen to a far right newspaper before you write. And actual watdch the news even Fox covered it. And the articule you linked was over a year old

                                        One question where you drafted to fight in Nam?

                                        And by the way I am an independent. I hate all three parties equally but I respect the offcie of the president

                                        • 1 vote
                                        #324.6 - Tue May 31, 2011 11:28 AM EDT

                                        I was drafted in 1966 and went to nam in 1967. volunteerd for the infintry during my tour, and spent the rest of my tour with the 1st cav. I also dont care about one party, but cant stand the guy in office now, because he does not like this country, and his wife as announced the same. Obama layed a weath on may 29th at arlington and played golf on memorial day, so do get your facts straight. There are no conservative papers, and only liberal press, so you will not find ANY article that says anything against obama, because they are all in the tank with him. So tell me how you say he was at arlington on memorial day, and here is your own liberal tv station saying obama did not go to arlington on memorial day.. http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-503544_162-20006346-503544.html Just why cant you face the fact that your president is a jerk and anti military, and plays golf while most of us veterans attended services that day. I was at the VA at Mountain Home Tn ....... That is how a true American spends his time on Memorial Day, respecting our military, and especially our war dead.. I would never disrespect my army buddies by dishonering this day like your president chooses to do.

                                          #324.7 - Tue May 31, 2011 11:42 AM EDT

                                          really. Most draftee I have met hate the goverment.

                                          Of course

                                          May 31, 2010 7:00 AM

                                          Obama Not the 1st President to Miss Memorial Day at Arlington

                                          You are living a year behind since this is 2011.

                                          The critics were either ignorant of the facts or they failed to mention the 2007 Veterans Day ceremony when Vice President Dick Cheney spoke while President George W. Bush observed the holiday in Texas.

                                          Vice President Dan Quayle laid the wreath at Arlington on Memorial Day, 1992. I recall covering President George H.W. Bush, a distinguished World War II vet, as he marked the holiday that year at his favorite vacation spot, Kennebunkport, Maine, where he spoke to a veterans group.

                                          of course you miss two other presidents that have done it lately but all you can do is hate. Actual there is right wing press look at fox news and any paper associate with the tea party. But again I feel sorry for you you let your hate of being drafted tumble into hatered of this country and the people that lead it. Let put it this way ask any body drafted during WW2 and see how many of them hate the goverment. Little to none. when other countries need our help and we drafted people our own people turn against us and have lead to such a potilcal divide where comprimse is a four letter word unlike presidents prior to 2000 comprmise was an everyday event

                                          • 1 vote
                                          #324.8 - Tue May 31, 2011 12:43 PM EDT

                                          I was at a memorial day service and actually i am a patriot of this country. I did not sit and listen to Rev Wright "not God bless America, but God damn America" either. Nor did i sit in his anti American anti White church for 20 yrs. I do not hang out with people that have been convicted of terrorism, nor did i elect them as a Czar to get around the constitution. I also have never made a communist into a Czar either. I have served in the military and went to war for this country, which our president has not. I have worked for the same company and am now retired for 40 yrs. I have also held several other jobs also, which is something your president has never done either. Community organizer is not a job, but nothing but one more political hack job. Obama does not like this country the way it is, and is taking it down. If this were not true, he would not keep going down the path he has chosen. He travels around the world apologizing for America, something i would never do either. He bows down before other world leaders, which again, is something i would never do. I love this country, but i HATE the racist Obama and what he is doing to this great country. Turning this country into a socialist nation is not something i want to see, nor do i think you want to see it either, but thats his agenda. You see if he gets his health care crap going, and the rest of his illegals wrapped into the democrat party, thats the final end of this country. Businesses will leave even faster than they are now, and the 50 % of the people left right now that work, will just quit, and why not???? If obama is passing out free money to not work, why should anyone work?

                                            #324.9 - Tue May 31, 2011 2:07 PM EDT

                                            Again. Business have been leaving since reagan. Nixion worked with convicted crimmals and Jackson was charged with murder. The Czar postitions were created by GW. You were drafted. I enlisted two different types of serving. Of course I have worked a total of 4 jobs since graduation and only the miltiary counts as the real job. Reagan and Bush Senior worked with world leaders and kept our friends close and our enimies closer. GW just pissed off the whole world. I work 7 day a week 365 days a year. I do not get to spend time with my family since I was high tenured out byGW troop polices on reducing debt. Of course he was turning this country in a right wing country with no regards to the people himself. Of course you are drawing SS right? that means you yourself is a socialist since SS is a socialist program how about medicad and medicare. Get over your issues and help fix the goverment from withen. A marine once told me the only way to fix a bad division was to cut out the bad ones and work from withen. You just want to cut out the whole goverment

                                            • 1 vote
                                            #324.10 - Tue May 31, 2011 2:16 PM EDT
                                            Reply

                                            Sarah Palin , is the turd that you flush and flush , but doesn't go away ......

                                            • 1 vote
                                            Reply#325 - Mon May 30, 2011 12:01 AM EDT

                                            Let's see now? Governor Cellucci left us Jane Swift and she legalized tattoos and took away dental care. Sarah Palin thought of having an abortion "Frosty the Snowman" what legacy will this sow leave us as an Alpha Analytical female. Like God is deceived: "man is just a woman with a big shot of testosterone." Actually Saria: "God is coming and she is pissed." Ruben, Ruben... Houston go for throttle-up! It's 104 degrees in chilly Alaska. Poor baby?

                                              Reply#326 - Mon May 30, 2011 4:49 AM EDT

                                              The ex-board member who invited her has betrayed and besmirched the memory of his fallen comrades - and sullied a great American tradition, its cause (honoring and remembering POWs/MIAs) and ROLLING THUNDER. He has no class, is not a patriot and should be formally censored by ROLLING THUNDER. He has allowed this noble event sponsored by this noble group to be pimped by Palin. Consequently, ROLLING THUNDER and its annual Memorial Day event is forever tarnished by Palin - its cause and purpose now suspect. I can no longer view the event with the reverence that I have in the past. .

                                              John McCain, who begot Palin, must be very proud. Its time for him again to stand up for America by standing up to Palin.

                                              • 1 vote
                                              Reply#327 - Mon May 30, 2011 5:59 AM EDT

                                              I guess the republicans should get a candidate that is a 300 lb black woman with no brains so that you will stop the liberal democrats constant nit picking at every candidate they think has a chance at obama. If I was a democrat, i would be ashamed at to how you liberals act. Because Sara is cute, they just cant stand her, and even she has way more experience than obama has, as he never had a job, nor ever served in the military. We should never elect any president that has not served his country. Obama was a community organizer and i guess that job means you get the money from the people that work hard and distribute it to the people in the ghetto, the people that wont work..... Now he is doing it on the national level.... great job obama..... i still cant figure out why he hates businesses and is trying to throw them out of the country with high taxes and threats of retaliation..... thats where the money comes from to give to his people that wont work, or enter the country illegally, his voting base!!

                                                Reply#328 - Mon May 30, 2011 6:13 AM EDT

                                                Wow! The indoctrinated fascist icarians are out in force dripping with their Palin hate. ( These same hate comments were used against Ronald Reagan and Margaret Thatcher by the Soviet Union's ruling communist party.)

                                                  Reply#329 - Mon May 30, 2011 7:49 AM EDT

                                                  palin and the entire republican party are anti-military. She DID NOT belong riding with Vets or even getting near them. The last administration lowered and eliminated Veteran benefits so the rich could have more money. What does that tell you? palin herself offers absolutely nothing to anyone. Throughout the last campaign all she ever said was, "John McCain has a plan." What does that mean? Like all other republicans, she only criticizes, never offering a viable solution of any kind. Unless you think giving EVERYTHING WE HAVE to the rich is a solution. All they talk about is the bush tax breaks for the rich as their number one priority. Then attack Health Care. Then, "Get the money out of education." I was under the impression our politcal appointees are elected to do everything they can possibly do for the people of these United States. To help make a better life for ALL Americans. Where has that gone? MY biggest question is this: Why does anyone at all even acknowledge palin's existence? She isn't even in the same class as common trash. Just another "big-mouth-say-nothing-pretend-politician. She's making millions off you idiots who listen to her say nothing. Your a joke.

                                                    Reply#330 - Mon May 30, 2011 8:36 AM EDT

                                                    Well you got your hope and change president.... hows it working out for ya? Gas right where you want it?? Are you lucky enough to have a job? While you libs want to keep spending until China owns us, just when does it stop? When you run out of other peoples money? How long are you going to support an entire class of people that wont work? How long are you going to supply illegals with education and health care? Do you really think you can just print money forever and let it all hang out? You people make me sick with your bashing every republican while your president is the absolute worst example ever, for a supposed leader of this country. He entertains rap stars in the white house that sing about killing cops, and you think thats ok? Thank goodness my kids are grown up because i would hate to have to explain his behavior to them. He is a disgrace to this country, is the best i can say about him.... By the way libs...... you can go party today because we know you all hate the military, but for us veterans, we will observe the day remembering those we fought and lost during our wars......

                                                      #330.1 - Mon May 30, 2011 12:34 PM EDT
                                                      Reply

                                                      Being a Vietnam Vet, I am highly offended at this women being at this event. I agree with the other vet's, this woman was a quitter. She didn't like serving her government (as we did), because it wasn't lucrative enough. All she is trying to do is keep her face in the media to continue to generate money. She did not care enough about the feelings of any of the vet's to check to make sure it was all right to be there, this should show all the people how conservatives think, they feel their thoughts and actions are always right, and if anyone else disagrees, tough stuff, and as for the "one" vet that invited her, he probably was an officer.

                                                      • 1 vote
                                                      Reply#331 - Mon May 30, 2011 10:17 AM EDT

                                                      I assume your a viet nam vet as you say you are, but i am wondering as to why you are so bitter toward her other than she is religious and a conservative, and has actually had a job, 3 things that your president is not. I served with the 1st cav in viet nam, and while i dont particularly care for Palin, I will not bash her like you libs like to do. Just why is it that everytime a republican candidate is announced, you libs start searching for something to bash the candidate with? Do you really want to see obama finish the job he has started? Taking down the country piece by piece? Do you really want to watch him entertain any more rap stars that sing about killing cops? Do you really want to watch him entertain holllywood celebrities constantly? Dont you love his preacher that preached against America, and white people? Do you really love his terrorist friends, and his communist firends he made into Czars? I just cant understand how a guy can serve his country and have any respect to this piece of sh!t frankly.

                                                        #331.1 - Mon May 30, 2011 2:41 PM EDT

                                                        she quit her job she swore to fullfill, You speak about serving the first calvary then you denounce the president with no actual proof to what you say with resorting to fox news. the statements you make go back to 30s when another democrat was in office. or when JFK and nixion were in office how about clinton or reagan. Do you love the fact palins husband is part of a group that wants a nation called alaska. Of course I find it funny the traitor that gavge wikileaks was army and now we find army people can not even respect an office. no wonder the navy keeps beating u at football. no leadership since powell left

                                                        • 1 vote
                                                        #331.2 - Mon May 30, 2011 3:06 PM EDT

                                                        Sara may have quit her job, but at least she did not sit in a racist church and listen to anti American and anti White rhetoric for 20 yrs. I can see obama learned a lot while in there as it shows in the running of his office. Powell is just another lacky of obamas and i have zero respect for him either. I just cant figure out why this country votes a guy in because of his skin color because if they went by past history, job experience, military career, or anything similar, do you reallly think they would elect a white guy with those credentials? ha ha...... I think not.... he got elected for one reason, and one reason only.... he is black.

                                                          #331.3 - Mon May 30, 2011 4:40 PM EDT

                                                          no her husband is part of a group that wants an indepent Alaskan country. Powel was the best guy at what he did so was the general he appoint to win the war in the middle east part one. Of course did you serve under either one or do you just hate men that make the country their duty not politics(powel is still a republican)

                                                          • 1 vote
                                                          #331.4 - Mon May 30, 2011 4:46 PM EDT

                                                          Powell may call himself a republican, but he is far from it. I served under Westmorland, but it did not matter. Viet Nam was a political war that defines the way we fight wars today. That is the reason we should never go to war now, unless we fight it the way we fought WW2. If your going to go to war, you kick the living crap out of the enemy, you torture to get your information, and to scare the enemy so bad, they never want to meet your outfit in the battlefield again. You dont do this politically correct crap of stopping on Martin Luther Kings b-day, Christmas holiday, New years break, etc. You kick the living sh!t out of them day and night and you clean house, period. That way, you get the job done quicker, and you lose less men. Viet Nam was a joke in that there were so many rules and regulations, and you cant shoot here, and you cant shoot there, and you cant bomb this target, or that target.... bunch of crap. Today, if i was in charge of the military and we were attacked by these rag heads, i would make an announcement to the world. You attack us one time, and you lose Mecca. You attack us again, you will lose a muslim city of our choice one at a time until you stop your attacks on innocent people. That may get their attention. I do not care about collatoral damage, its part of war. They made the choice to attack, they pay the price in women and children. Thats the way they fight, thats the way they get it back..... That is why we dont belong in Afghanistan, Libya, Iraq, or any other muslim sh!t country. Im tired of supporting 10 yr wars and losing thousands of men because of politicians being politically correct.

                                                            #331.5 - Mon May 30, 2011 9:01 PM EDT

                                                            So basicly fight like the Nazis? Leave america Ideals at the door. We did use any torture to win gulf war one with clear and completeable objectives. See it is extreme right people like you keep this war going. We have to find middle ground like we did during the civil war war of 1812, war of independce. I am tired of finding people that actual served in the military forget what we fought to protect and it is not the right to forget the constition.

                                                            Powell is more republican than most republicans. He is pro military vets, antiwaste

                                                            • 1 vote
                                                            #331.6 - Tue May 31, 2011 8:38 AM EDT
                                                            Reply

                                                            Here's how I see it- correct me if I'm wrong, it's a daily occurence. She wasn't specificlly invited. There is a general open invitation, so that constitutes being invited. Given that she has political ambitions, it was probably inappropriate for her to make a heralded show up, but she was definitely within her rights. Now I see a lot of lefts and rights hurling vile epithets at each other. What does that tell you about this country? I suspect most of you are too cowardly to address your fellow man in person the way you do electronically, especially the obvious bunch of regulars who seem to have nothing to do all day but but read stupid articles on msn and hurl insults at your brothers and sisters-get out of your little computer dens and go talk to people, see if there's a world outside your little heads. Having said that, the lefts will not support sp period, the rights will stick up for her like a little sister, but only very few will vote for her. There are a lot of very intelligent repubs out there who prefer her to bho, but given that there are still a lot of better choices out there to choose from, the republicans will never nominate her. History tell me that the repubs are very polite and civil to each other until the race gets tight and then they get very nasty and no holds are barred. Sarah will never be president, so forget her. Now given a choice between between hc and sp? Have mercy! Could we write in pippa? can of worms, g'day, folks!

                                                              Reply#332 - Mon May 30, 2011 10:27 AM EDT

                                                              Herman Cain for 2012 GOP presidential candidate!

                                                                Reply#333 - Mon May 30, 2011 10:31 AM EDT

                                                                The official network of the DNC, MSNBC, puts a headline on a story which is contradicted in the text of the story.

                                                                "Lean forward and spin left" MSNBC = credibility sunk.

                                                                  Reply#334 - Mon May 30, 2011 10:32 AM EDT

                                                                  Bob, there was never any credibility with this entertainment organization.

                                                                    #334.1 - Mon May 30, 2011 10:39 AM EDT

                                                                    Hey guys, this is what we are dealing with here...... For instance, Detroit is basically known as a democrat run city..... Do you know that half the population of Detroit is functually illiterate? Half cant read and write? The democrat answer to this....... yup, need to spend more money on education.... thats the answer. Now I will bet you since half of Detroit is illiterate, I will bet you anything they voted for obama also....... you know why???? of course..... they come to town and promise them people free money from his slush tarp fund to pass out to people that of course dont work.... Now is this what we want to continue in this country? Frankly, I think you need to pass an intelligence test in order to vote, and maybe we wont be stuck with anything more like what we got now.... An anti-American Community Organizer that is out of his league. You bash Palin, but anything is better than what we have now.

                                                                      #334.2 - Mon May 30, 2011 3:01 PM EDT

                                                                      Texas and FL are republican strong holds and how many people down there can pass a basic history test or read or write. Oh by the way the tarp was put in place by GW.

                                                                      And if an intelligence test was required we would never have to worry about tea party or another rick scott or palin

                                                                      • 1 vote
                                                                      #334.3 - Mon May 30, 2011 3:08 PM EDT
                                                                      Reply

                                                                      Invited, uninvited...who cares? The fact remains that she announced she would be attending this event as the beginning of her national bus tour. Had her motives not been disingenuous, she would have separated the 2 events and quietly been in the back. It was pure publicity. Can we please just ignore her so she'll go away?

                                                                      • 4 votes
                                                                      Reply#335 - Mon May 30, 2011 10:55 AM EDT

                                                                      beaneater - by posting on here, you are not ignoring her. Be afraid, be very afraid.

                                                                        #335.1 - Mon May 30, 2011 1:04 PM EDT

                                                                        We probably could ignore her if you left wing loonies would just shut up and leave her alone.

                                                                        • 3 votes
                                                                        #335.2 - Mon May 30, 2011 6:01 PM EDT

                                                                        The name calling is childish and of no value.

                                                                        If only ignoring her was as easy as it is to ignore posters. :-)

                                                                        • 4 votes
                                                                        #335.3 - Mon May 30, 2011 7:02 PM EDT

                                                                        I think that I should share some of my thoughts with you about our nation today, its condition and its relationship with the antagonists of western civilization particularly in the middle east.I believe that you and I live in the finest nation with the finest government (civil servant class) that has ever been designed by collective human thought. We are a young nation with its own unique problems but we have the resources, human and otherwise, to solve all of them in time. The two key behaviors that the American people must permit one another at this time in our history are civility and patience. Sooner or later these behaviors always lend themselves to understanding and convention.

                                                                        In my estimation there are a number of reasons for the unfortunate decline in the overall quality of life in our country over the last 50 years. The conflict in Vietnam deeply divided and unsettled the American people. We were simply on the wrong side of a nationalist uprising regardless of the involvement by the communists. If Chiang Kai Shek had been a little less of a nationalist, if Ho Chi Minh had been a little less of a communist, if the wealthy and the powerful in the western world had been a little less inclined and eager to meddle in the internal affairs of another nation the entire fiasco in Vietnam likely would never have come about.

                                                                        Conflict and conformity both will always inflict hardship on the growth and prosperity of a nation such as ours. Conflict destroys lives and when people are taught only to conform (as in our collective workplaces today) they do not create. They procreate but they do not create. At best conformity lends itself to apathy among a people. They become cogs in what seems a mindless purposeless machine. Input and output and from output input again. Conventional wisdom, you see, is not always the best wisdom.

                                                                        Speaking from a domestic point of view Ronald Reagan was one of the most destructive forces to arrive on the scene in this country since the wealthy anarchists of the 1920s and the 1930s. Reagan assumed that because men and women in this country had become captains of industry they must be all knowing, all wise and capable of collective leadership in fulfilling the needs of our entire nation. This was an erroneous assumption on his part as history has shown us now that his notion of trickle down economics has not worked. It has not worked principally because it was never a reflection of the way that the American people have been led to believe over the generations. The American people have been tacitly lead (taught) to believe that if a person has more they should want more and it should be the other person who gives and not them. This is the way of wealth in this country even today. Furthermore the wealthy families in this country have shown time and again that they can hardly agree on the time of day. The only two things they do agree on are the taking of profit and the control of the thoughts and actions of their own minions. So much for this idea of collective leadership by the wealthy families of this nation. Collectively they want to rule but they are incapable of leading collectively.

                                                                        It is a curiosity at this time in our history that so many of the republican mouth-pieces for the wealthy families seem to be desperately trying to legislate religious morality for our entire diverse nation of people. Morality belongs to the individual and each person develops their own sense of what is good and bad for them from the time they are born. No two persons are alike because the past of no two persons is the same. In most cultures somewhere along the line of a persons moral development religious values and convention become embedded. This is a good thing and usually leads to general convention in a society but for any one person or group to try to legislate religious morality to an entire diverse nation such as ours is foolishness at the outset. Personally I believe that the root of this argument is the maintenance of the status quo by maintaining division in the sentiments of the people and avoiding the real issues of the day. In short it is a profit making distraction for some among us on the grandest of scales.

                                                                        Again, speaking from a domestic point of view George Bush Jr. was truly the bane of our nation. He did his best to bring Reagans deranged fantasy to life. He deregulated virtually everything and this put us all on the road to national suicide if we do not turn away soon enough. The very same thing happened in Vietnam in the 1940s and 1950s. A small handful of wealthy families were raping the Vietnamese people until the people decided they had had enough. The fantasy of the wealthy man all too often is the establishment of a "merchant class paradise" where the only laws that matter are those of a would be wealthy ruling class. The translation of this is feudalism for you and I. Feudalism demands the maintenance of private mercenary armies, associated peasantries and eternal conflict. The descent into feudalism always signals the death of any modern nation. Just looking at the Republican party itself today I do not see them as a separate party. Because the democratic ideal in this country is the ideological “mother tongue” I see the Republican party as an excrescence of the Democratic party. I see the constituents of this party as the self-serving anarchists among us. Still they are forced by popular will to accept the Democratic ideal even though I am sure that many of them would rather reject the concept altogether. Even a child understands the concept of Democracy: One man, one vote. One woman , one vote and our Republic is meant to reflect this idea even though historically it has not always done so thanks for the most part to the self-serving anarchists who have always been among us.

                                                                        Capitalism and commerce in general at this point in history are good things as long as they are regulated for the good of all the people. Personally I would prefer Nationalism over Feudalism because I refuse to be someone elses peasant. For nearly a century now all too many of our wealthy ruling class in this country have done their best to dismantle our unions (believing it is their God given right to ignore the health and well being of their employees), destroy our middle class and of late neglect our educational systems as much as possible. These tactics are not new ones but very old in their origin. They are all based around the idea of feudalism. Too many of these families reason thusly: “Why should we defer to the worker in our employment when we enjoy God given good fortune and should not be compelled to share this with anyone else even with respect to the health and longevity of the workers in our workplace?” Many of these persons and families feel that unions are in defiance of their authority with this line of reasoning. “Why do we need a middle class to protect us from the peasantry we have been cultivating and abusing all along the way when we now have the worlds largest and most heavily armed police and armed forces to protect us from any uprising on the part of the peasantry in this country?.” This line of reasoning on the part of many of our wealthy families stems from guilt and fear over the sure knowledge that they have taken liberty with the poor and working of this country often beyond any reasonable boundary. “Why do we need a progressive educational system with integrity in this nation when an educated peasantry would be a danger to us?” This last line of thought lies at the very root of feudalism: ignorance of the masses.

                                                                        All of these lines of query and reasoning lie at the very heart of the feudal mentality and this is a mentality that the American people must overcome if we are to survive and progress as a nation. For the last 30 years we have seen that the wealth of this nation have had the best of both worlds. They have pursued a program of less and less pay for the American worker and investment in low paying sweat shops in other nations with whatever profits they generate here. This has been not only a betrayal of the American people but the peoples of other nations as well. This will all lead to a severe decline in the quality of life in our country for the people as a whole and will only keep the peoples of other nations in despair. The term “wealthy ruling class” is not without meaning especially in these times. Especially it is a clear statement of many of these families intentions. These are people who have wedged themselves between the American citizen and their government. This is a most unfortunate circumstance which should be remedied as soon as possible. I am not concerned with the products of human conception such as “private property”. I am concerned with the human condition. Most of all with the condition of my own citizens.

                                                                        I am a Nationalist. I am most closely an FDR Democrat. I believe in the collective voice of the citizen. I do not subscribe to the paradigm of left wing or right wing seeing this as only another means of dividing the people. Why divide and conquer when you can divide and control? I believe only in fair and just order to a society and that anything less is only dissarray and anarchy. I am one who believes in limited but effective government.This seperates me from the anarchist on Wall Street who in reality believes in no national government at all. I believe in a strong but compact and specialized military and intelligence community. I believe that in these times we need more of an intelligence community and less of an armed forces. I believe in strong unions in this country though I question the need for unions in the government workplace (because I assume the basic goodness of government to begin with). Unions should and must exist in the private sector of this country to guard against the excesses and opportunistic inclinations and behavior of the merchant class as a whole. I believe in strong and healthy religious institutions in this country. These institutions do a great service to the collective spirit of the American people. I believe that too many of our representatives today lie in bed with our captains of industry and too many of our wealthy armaments families presently lie in bed with any number of our generals and this must all end as soon as possible. President Eisenhower himself warned us about these things decades ago. We do not need communism in this country because unlike the Russia and China of old our religious institutions are not wrapped around the finger of our government. Our religious institutions serve the people more than they serve the government. The sum of all of this then is that I believe in a dynamic society whose internal institutions have integrity and are balanced for the good of all of its citizens.

                                                                        The reemergence of Islam and its extremist elements on the world scene today will likely continue to be a problem for the civilized world for some good time to come (perhaps as much as 50 to 100 years into the future). Surely between Judeo-Christianity and Islam there is a conflict of culture which has already shown itself as persistent. Lately we are witnessing the birth of nations in the cradle of Islam though.We are witnessing millions of young Muslims demanding societies based on Democratic ideals and this is a wonderful thing. We must be vigilant though. We must guard ourselves internally, hold to our own beliefs and maintain an iron clad intelligence gathering capacity around the middle-east particularly. These things can be done cost effectively with very little military intervention. I believe in more eyes and ears and fewer boots on the ground. We need to tend to our own internal affairs as a nation. I myself am a Democratic Republican in the strictest sense. I believe in the ideal of Democracy first and then the Republic I believe that a Republic can be as any people would have it so long as the ideal of Democracy is held as its precursor. I am Judeo-Christian because these modern times demand it and really the times always have. One without the other in these times would be weakened and without context knowing that too many of the opponents of western civilization perceive the Jew and the Christian as one and the same anyway. Now more than at any other time in history the Jew and the Christian must stand together as one. Most of all though I say these things because the great dynamics between Judaism and Christianity are what have given us the wonderful effects of western civilization that we have today. To be sure the Oriental mind, the Persian, Arab and many, many others have contributed along the way but for the most part it has been the Jew and the Christian who have brought everything together and given us the wonderful western civilization we understand today. There is hope but more than this we must have determination in our efforts. We must be vigilant, without promiscuity in our thoughts and willing to work together side by side at all times to see to the needs of our collective future in western civilization.

                                                                        These are some of my thoughts today about our nation, its people and the problems we face.Thank you for considering them.

                                                                        ---Yoda

                                                                          #335.4 - Tue May 31, 2011 12:59 PM EDT
                                                                          Reply

                                                                          It is a shame the left cannot discuss anything relatd to Palin without a personal and childish attack. This clearly shows a lack of intelligence and an organized one at that. As a former Democrat I am glad I was chasd from the party. These posts are pathetic and rather sad.

                                                                           

                                                                          • 3 votes
                                                                          Reply#336 - Mon May 30, 2011 11:04 AM EDT

                                                                          I guess you succumbed to the power of the dark side...sad, very sad indeed...

                                                                          I advise small doses of dumb FUX NEWS because once you start watching too much of it, the damage appears to be irreversible and not even Jesus can save you...

                                                                          • 2 votes
                                                                          #336.1 - Mon May 30, 2011 11:41 AM EDT
                                                                          Reply

                                                                          989 comments? How many would there be if it was Tim Pawlenty instead of Sarah Palin?

                                                                            Reply#337 - Mon May 30, 2011 1:03 PM EDT
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