The AP previews the National Rifle Association's meeting in Charlotte, NC, which begins today with a speech from Sarah Palin. "The former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican candidate for vice president is scheduled to speak Friday afternoon in Charlotte. That session will also include actor Chuck Norris, U.S. Rep. Mike Pence and Mississippi Gov. Haley Barbour… Organizers expect up to 70,000 attendees at the weekend's events, which will also include speeches from conservative commentator Glenn Back and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich." 

Politics Daily adds: "The theme for this year's NRA meeting is 'A Celebration of American Values.' While the NRA is nonpartisan, convention speakers do trend Republican, with few exceptions such as N.C. Blue Dog Democrat Rep. Heath Shuler. NRA spokeswoman Rachel Parsons said that when it comes to lawmakers, 'if you support us, we support you 100 percent.'" 

"Senate Republicans are poised to try to reignite the health care debate by launching a coordinated political messaging offensive to target Democrats and the White House for what they contend are the new law's onerous consequences," Roll Call writes, adding, "Under the slogan 'second opinion,' Republicans plan to communicate their message on multiple fronts, including on the Senate floor, in press conferences, via the Internet and through television and radio appearances." A Democratic aide responded this way: "I guess it takes Republicans a 'second opinion' to ignore all the benefits of the new law," a Democratic Senate aide said. "Their second opinion pretty much sounds like their first opinion -- just the same old rehashed obstructionism at its worst."

Bob Bennett on his defeat in Utah: "It wasn't logical, it was emotional, and the emotion trumps logic almost every time," he told Fox News. 

U.S. = Greece? John Boehner: "Unless we change course, our debt is on track to reach levels we're seeing in Greece, which is already receiving an international bailout… Quite frankly, it's just scaring the hell out of" the American people. Democrats had this hot response: "John Boehner was one of George Bush's top lieutenants when he was spending taxpayer dollars like a drunken sailor, doubling the debt and then leaving us to deal with an economic disaster," said Chris Van Hollen spokesman Doug Thornell.

Paul Krugman argues that the U.S. is no Greece.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
BOSTON -- Before Sarah Palin spoke to the crowd here, numbering in the thousands here on the Boston Common, it was being revved up with anti-Obama and anti-tax rhetoric, as well as gauzy patriotic songs.

The expansive crowd was flying "Don't Tread on Me" and colonial America -- 11 stars -- flags.

As the crowd was gathering, one man said, "We're not all crazy."

Because of the optics, many here recognize the need of being careful. But there is no shortage of provocative signs and hot rhetoric.

For example, Mark Williams, chairman of the Tea Party Express, the group that organized the event, said, "Political correctness led to 9/11. Political correctness led to Barack Hussein Obama. We have a full blown case of AIDS and we're the cure."

During the so-called "Tea Party anthem," the singer, one of the only black participants in this massive rally, asked in song, "Are you a racist, angry, violent mob?"

"No," came shouts from the crowd

"Repeal the bill," he sang. "Repeal the bill," he continued.

From NBC's Mark Murray
NEW ORLEANS -- Around the very same time that President Obama spoke at the White House to comment on Supreme Court Justice John Paul Stevens' retirement, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin took the stage here at the Southern Republican Leadership Conference to once again criticize his presidency.

Close to the outset of her remarks, she responded to Obama dismissing her recent criticism about the administration's new nuclear policy. "Last I checked, Sarah Palin's not much of an expert on nuclear issues," the president told ABC.

Palin interjected during her speech: "The president with the vast nuclear experience he acquired," she said sarcastically, pronouncing "nuclear" "nuk-cue-lar."

She also took a dig at Obama's "Yes we can" campaign theme. "Yes we can -- spread the wealth around," she said. "Yes we can -- spend money that we do not have on programs we do not" need.

Palin criticized Obama on foreign policy, too -- arguing, as conservative commentator Liz Cheney did the night before, that his administration shunned Afghanistan President Karzai (even though Karzai threatened to join the Taliban). "They treated the Afghan President Karzai poorly, and they faked surprise when he reacted in kind."

Moreover, she called to "repeal and replace" the new health-care law. And she said: "Don't retreat, reload," adding that the phrase "is not a call for violence."

Palin recycled many of the lines and jokes she's given over the last two months. "How's that hopey-changey thing working out for you?" she asked. "We are the party of HELL NO!" she later said. And Palin read off the palm of her hand, once again calling it the world's oldest teleprompter.

But she devoted most of her speech to criticizing the Obama administration's energy policy -- issue terrain on which the former Alaska governor feels most comfortable. In particular, she said that the president's recent announcement to lift restrictions on offshore drilling in some places -- but not all -- didn't go far enough. "Let's drill, baby, drill. Not stall, baby, stall." She added, "We need to give it all we've got. Drill here and drill now." 

Toward the end of her speech, Palin said, "There is nothing stopping us from achieving energy independence that a good ol'-fashioned election can't fix."

As a sign of how highly anticipated Palin's speech was, SRLC attendees lined up earlier this morning to enter the ballroom. And when the doors were finally opened -- about an hour and a half before Palin's speech -- those attendees rushed into the hall to claim seats near the front of the stage.

During her speech, one man shouted, "Run, Sarah, run." And after she finished her remarks, the audience chanted, "Sarah! Sarah! Sarah!"

Palin also was the first SRLC speaker to refer to Hurricane Katrina, which crashed into New Orleans in 2005, by noting how the city has rebuilt itself since the hurricane.

From NBC's Mark Murray
More evidence that Sarah Palin won't be running for president? Variety reports:

Discovery Communications is expected to announce that it has won the Sarah Palin tourney. The cabler had been a front-runner to land the untitled Alaska-themed series, to be produced by Mark Burnett Prods., along with A&E...

"Sarah Palin's Alaska" will center on interesting characters, traditions and attractions in the 49th state -- with the ex-VP candidate as a guide. Burnett and Palin pitched the show to all four major networks -- but given the travelogue nature of the series, cable expressed more interest in the project.

Of course, wouldn't a better name for the show be, "Pallin' around with the Palins"?

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
During the Oct. 15, 2008 presidential debate, First Read made the point that there remain many unanswered questions as to what Sarah Palin's specific policy initiatives would be for children with special needs after John McCain claimed that no one knows more about autism than Sarah Palin. 

Here's what we wrote, in part:

"Because Palin has a child with Down Syndrome, it can be safely assumed she feels a connection with parents of children with special needs. But what does McCain-Palin specifically want to do about special education? Do they agree with IDEA? Do they want to expand rights for special-education students to private schools? Do they want to increase funding? Do they want more access, by way of funding, to special-ed advocates?

In public appearances, Palin has voiced support and advocacy for special needs children: "To the families of special-needs children all across this country, I have a message: For years, you sought to make America a more welcoming place for your sons and daughters," she said on Oct. 24, 2008. "I pledge to you that if we are elected, you will have a friend and advocate in the White House."

Today, The Daily Beast has a piece on how special needs advocates are wary of Palin, whom they view as either out of step with their policy priorities or having unclear policy positions on what she would do to help the disabled.

From the piece:

"From crusading against Rahm Emanuel's use of the term 'retarded' to criticizing the Fox cartoon Family Guy for depicting a character with Down syndrome whose mother is 'governor of Alaska,' Sarah Palin has positioned herself in recent weeks as a national spokesperson on disability issues. Yet leading disability-rights organizations in Alaska, Washington, D.C., and across the country tell The Daily Beast they view Palin's increasing outspokenness on the issue with skepticism, noting that on most of their policy priorities—from health-care reform to increased federal funding for community services—Palin is either out of step with many national disability-advocacy groups or has yet to articulate a clear position. ... [O]n the policy level, Palin has a mixed and murky record on disability organizations' priorities. ...

"Indeed, though the Democratic Party has historically been more enthusiastic about funding health-care and education programs that serve disabled people, the key pieces of legislation addressing disability rights, such as the Americans with Disabilities Act of 1990 and the Individuals with Disabilities Education Act (IDEA) of 1975, passed with bipartisan support. Bob Dole, Orin Hatch, Sam Brownback, and Cathy McMorris Rodgers are among the Republican politicians who have prioritized disability policy issues.

"So far, Palin has not demonstrated the same depth of interest. Adam Pockriss, a spokesperson for Autism Speaks, wrote in an email to The Daily Beast that since the 2009 Westchester fundraising walk, 'Sarah Palin hasn't had any further involvement with Autism Speaks; nor has she taken a position on any autism-related policy items, to our knowledge.'"

Palin has drawn crowds of parents of children with disabilities to some of her events, but even as she professed to be their greatest advocates during the 2008 campaign questions were being asked as to what she would do when it comes to funding. At the end of the day, that's where a legislator can have the greatest impact.

And Palin was on record in wanting to reject stimulus funds to her state -- millions of which included special education funding.

Politico writes: "For the media, Palin is great at the box office. Among modern American political figures, she is second only to Barack Obama in generating clicks (for Web sites like this one) and ratings (for the cable news networks hungering around the clock for fresh material.) For Palin, she gets the exposure she needs to maintain her public profile and stir up chatter about a potential presidential candidacy -- both of which help her continue to rake in millions of dollars in speaking fees. She also gets a villain, with which to further energize her supporters…"

More: "The problem is that this relationship -- what in Hollywood they call 'Frenemies'--treats Palin as if she were the central figure in the politics of 2012. No realistic appraisal of Palin's current strengths and weaknesses or the history of Republican politics suggests this is necessarily true. A new poll out Thursday should make we in the media take a look in the mirror and ask: Should we really be giving so much attention to somebody who faces so many hurdles to becoming president or even the GOP nominee in 2012?"

If she runs, however, National Journal's Ron Brownstein says she might have pull with "beer-track" voters. "One lesson from Nashville is that if Palin ever takes the leap from celebrity to presidential candidate, the populist guns that conservatives have aimed against Democrats for decades could be loudly brandished inside the Republican tent."

Meanwhile, McCain leapt to Palin's defense for scrawling notes on the palm of her hand. "I guess it's OK to use a teleprompter but not OK to write something on your hand," McCain said during an appearance on Fox News.

Remember, McCain is in a potentially tough primary battle with conservative former congressman J.D. Hayworth. McCain is no Tea Party favorite, but Palin will seek to give him a boost when she campaigns for her former presidential running mate next month.

The Washington Post says Sarah Palin's "potential as a presidential hopeful takes a severe hit" in a new Post/ABC poll. "Fifty-five percent of Americans have unfavorable views of her, while the percentage holding favorable views has dipped to 37, a new low in Post-ABC polling. There is a growing sense that the former Alaska governor is not qualified to serve as president, with more than seven in 10 Americans now saying she is unqualified, up from 60 percent in a November survey. Even among Republicans, a majority now say Palin lacks the qualifications necessary for the White House."

That said, Time's Joe Klein writes, "The Obama presidency certainly hasn't ushered in an era of comity and prosperity. In the end, though, Palin is offering the opposite of hope and change: despair and stasis. The despair is histrionic and purposefully distorted; the stasis proved disastrous during the Bush Administration. But is Sarah Palin the favorite to win the Republican presidential nomination and therefore someone to be taken absolutely seriously? You betcha."

A day after the RNC fired off an email criticizing DNC Chairman Tim Kaine ("the DNC Dud," it called him), the DNC is now blasting RNC Chairman Michael Steele. In an email to supporters, Kaine says, "'A million dollars is not a lot of money.' That's what RNC Chairman Michael Steele thinks, anyway. To most Americans, that's crazy talk. But it's no surprise coming from the head of a party that prefers favors for Wall Street to jobs on Main Street."

A DNC official tells First Read, "We see it as a defining moment as Americans look at the choice between the parties and which will fight for them. When the head of the GOP bemoans that a million dollars isn't a lot of money it reveals how dangerously out of touch Republicans are with everyday families. It crystallizes, in a very real way, the argument we've been making that Republicans are on the side of the banks, the special interests and well heeled rather than middle class families."

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Sarah Palin's speech Saturday night sounded like a pretty good preview of what a candidate Palin might sound like -- in 2010 and possibly, 2012.

She sought to channel some of the anger in the country -- at banks, at Wall Street, at spending, and for those that disagree with this administration's approach, at President Obama.

It all "makes us less free and should tick us all off," said Palin, who spoke for 42 minutes and then took nine pre-screened, pre-selected questions.

It was hit after hit on the Obama administration on the stimulus, unemployment, debt, health-care reform, and foreign policy.

"How's that hopey, changey thing working out for you," Palin said.

Though Palin said people "don't need an office or a title" to make a difference, she didn't dissuade the possibility of running for higher office. (Palin is herself without an office or a title currently. She resigned as Alaska governor in the middle of her term last year.)

There are "two words that scare liberals," organizer Judson Phillips said to Palin during the question-and-answer session -- "President Palin."

That was greeted with chants from the crowd of "Run, Sarah, Run."

Phillips stopped short of asking directly if she would run for president. He instead asked what her priorities would be if she were president.

"If I were in that position," she began, and then laid out three priorities: (1) Energy (an all of the above approach); (2) reduce spending; and (3) no promises of false bipartisanship.

The no promises of bipartisanship and her overt invoking of religion were perhaps the two most eyebrow-raising moments.

When asked to lay out the priorities for a potentially GOP-controlled Congress after 2010, Palin said, (1) spending; (2) energy projects (oil, gas coal); and (3) not being "afraid to go back to our roots as a God-fearing nation" and "start seeking some divine intervention" and to "proclaim your alliance with our creator."

She noted she would hit the campaign trail this year in Republican primary politics -- and that her endorsements would probably upset some. She's stumping with Rick Perry today in Texas. Perry has a gubernatorial primary against Bush-Cheney endorsed Sen. Kay Bailey Hutchison. Palin will also campaign next month for her former running mate John McCain, who faces a primary from the conservative J.D. Hayworth. There was no love lost at this convention for McCain, by the way.

She laid out a three-point litmus test for candidates to endorse: (1) Ask if they believe if they're taxed enough; (2) that they'd be committed to doing something about it; and (3) that they believe in limited government.

She also invoked some of the anti-intellectualism (anti-"elite") that has come to be a part of her rhetoric and the Tea Party movement's, generally. Palin said that a resume isn't what's important in a candidate, that she'd rather see average, everyday people run for office who may or not have ever been involved in politics.

One thing is for certain, with a schedule that is quickly filling up in the next few months, we are going to hear a lot more politics from Palin as Election Day 2010 nears. Saturday night's speech was the kickoff.

VIDEO: Live from Nashville, NBC's Domenico Montanaro discusses Sarah Palin's speech Saturday night at the Tea Party Nation Convention.

Here's a brief clip:

Visit msnbc.com for breaking news, world news, and news about the economy

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- Sarah Palin is expected to take the stage here tonight at 9, and speak for about 30 to 45 minutes. She will then take about 15 minutes of pre-screened, pre-selected questions.

Organizers say they aren't sure if Palin has seen the questions in advance.

Andrew Breitbart, who runs a conservative Web site, will introduce Palin. Rep. Marsha Blackburn, a Tennessean, was originally scheduled to introduce her before she pulled out of the conference in response to the for-profit nature of the convention.

There are some questions as to whether Palin is or wants to be a leader of the Tea Party movement. In some respects, this seems a false question. People here don't consider Palin the leader, because they don't want the movement to have one. It started as grassroots, they want it to continue as grassroots, they said. There is a problem, however, that can present. When it comes to political organization, it becomes difficult for a grassroots movement to focus its efforts like a laser beam.

That said, most here acknowledge Palin is A leader of the movement. If the definition of a leader is someone people follow, clearly she's a leader of the tea party movement. This is her base.

There's also a question of whether or not the press covers her too much, because as we asked in First Thoughts on Friday – is she a politician or a political celebrity? She has great potential, and any politician would love to have such a fervent base. But she hasn't expanded her base at all since running as the Republican vice-presidential nominee with John McCain. The questions about her then were whether or not she could win over independents. Despite her financial success, whether she can win over independents is still a question. She hasn't moved the ball in the past year with them at all. Polls still show more independents have an unfavorable opinion of her than have a favorable one.

That's fine for being a millionaire, but it's not a likely winning national formula.

Palin doesn't feel she needs to take questions from the dreaded mainstream media. She still hasn't appeared on shows like Meet the Press to answer the serious questions and engage in a meaningful back and forth. Instead, she continues to preach to the choir. She has been named a Fox News contributor. And will be on Fox News Sunday tomorrow.

While that doesn't matter to her base of supporters, including many here, it does matter to many independents and others, who believe politicians should have to answer tough questions, that they should be intellectually tested and challenged. If they don't prove they can run the gauntlet, that may be interpreted by some voters as weakness.

From NBC's Domenico Montanaro
NASHVILLE, Tenn. -- If it was raging anger and provocative signs you came to see, you would be disappointed.

The Tea Party Nation Convention here in Nashville, Tenn. (at this sprawling million-square-foot hotel that is more like a really nice, gigantic airport terminal) has been a fairly subdued event.

There has been the red meat, though. One speaker, Steve Milloy, who writes for JunkScience.com, claimed, "Political extremism masquerading as environmentalism is a greater threat than Islamic extremism."

Mark Skoda of the Memphis Tea Party, who has been handling media requests for the past week or so for the event, made a firebrand speech. "We are silent no more," he said to thunderous applause. He criticized those who call Tea Partiers racists. (This reporter saw and interviewed just one African American, a Southern preacher -- friendly with controversial former Southern Baptist preacher Rick Scarborough. Scarborough, now head of a group called Vision America, led the convention in prayer yesterday and headed a breakout session today on why Christians need to be more politically active. He's also author of "Liberalism is Killing Kids" and "Enough is Enough: A practical guide to political action; Plus: Why Christians Must Engage.")

"The discourse on the left goes down into the cellar because their arguments can't be sustained," Skoda said.

Skoda didn't save his critique for the left though, he also hammered Republican National Committee Chairman Michael Steele. "We don't want a third party," Skoda said, adding that he thinks Steele would love to take credit for the movement. "He thinks he's so brilliant. … It's not true; it's false."

After invoking the Bill of Rights and that "we don't need another" wild cheers of "constitution" broke out as well as "USA, USA."

He lauded Republican Sen. Scott Brown's victory in Massachusetts, saying, "One senate vote stopped this socialist agenda. What we need now is another 40 Scott Browns" -- though it's unclear what Brown's voting record will actually be, representing liberal Massachusetts and up for re-election in two years.

Skoda urged the members to not focus on national politics, but making change at the local level: "Do your job in your state."

The person who took the stage following him, proclaimed, "When's the last time you heard a speech like that -- and without a TelePrompTer."

That was greeted with great guffaws from the crowd.

Lots of color
Sure, some wore outfits that craved attention -- like one dressed in full Revolutionary War get up. He claimed to be Ben Franklin. He was difficult to get out of character until one woman, playing along, said she shared his birthday.

"What," he replied.

"Ben Franklin," she said. "You're Ben Franklin, right."

"Oh," the man said getting back into character. "Yes, I am."

Another man dressed in a shirt and hat with pictures of Sarah Palin on them. Another walked around with giant tea bags draped from his shoulders that read, "The revolution is brewing." One vendor sold tea bag jewelry -- necklaces and lapel pins. He even trademarked it, he said. He claimed that he is the only person in the country that is allowed to sell jewelry depicting a tea bag.

There was another who dressed in a leather veteran's vest with medals festooned on it. He also wore a Vietnam Veteran hat.

"I just dressed this way to get attention," the man said, halfway through a scotch at an "Irish pub" 200 feet from the ballroom where Palin will be speaking, down a casino-style carpeted hotel hallway. "I'm really a retired millionaire."

He admitted to just wanting to get on TV or at least get his message out. And there were cameras from all over interviewing him all day. It was certainly believable that he wasn't wanting for money. He threw a $20 bill down for his scotch, but when the bartender told him it was $22, he put down another $20 and said, "Makes no difference to me."

Taking out the $20, it was impossible not to notice the roll of $100s. He talked in detail of the Mercedes he drove here; the Rolls Royce he bought in Florida that he won't drive on rainy days like today, and that he's a major donor to the National Republican Senatorial Committee. "Just sold my last business for $3.3 million," he said, laughing, seemingly taking great delight in his get up and the gag he was pulling.

But most of the people who weren't pining for microphone, kept a low profile, expressed frustration with government -- on both sides of the aisle -- and were excited for Palin to speak.

Some traveled long distances. There was at least one man from Florida, who said he'd forgotten about the time difference and got here an hour early -- before anyone was set up yet. There was another couple who said they traveled all the way from Hawaii.

No one here wanted to focus on the controversy surrounding the convention -- the $550 price tag, the for-profit designation. It wasn't about that for them. Former Congressman Tom Tancredo, who made a cameo, here defended the convention's "for profit" status as being part of the American way.

"I'm not against making a profit," he said with a big smile.

No love for McCain
Tancredo, as well as the organizers at their news conference, trashed former presidential nominee John McCain -- as did many Tea Partiers here. Tancredo, a hardliner on immigration, vowed to do whatever he could -- if he could do anything -- for J.D. Hayworth, McCain's conservative primary opponent this year. Skoda said a McCain win would have been "a disaster" for the country.

Sarah Palin speaks tomorrow at the Tea Party Nation Convention in Nashville. Here was part of her Wednesday op-ed in USA Today about why she's speaking, despite some of the controversy surrounding it: "As with all grassroots efforts, the nature of this movement means that sometimes the debates are loud and the organization is messier than that of a polished, controlled machine. Legitimate disagreements take place about tone and tactics. That's OK, because this movement is about bigger things than politics or organizers."

Congresswomen Michele Bachmann and Marsha Blackburn pulled out of the convention, and apparently Palin considered it. "I thought long and hard about my participation in this weekend's event. At the end of the day, my decision came down to this: It's important to keep faith with people who put a little bit of their faith in you. Everyone attending this event is a soldier in the cause. Some of them will be driving hundreds of miles to Nashville. I made a commitment to them to be there, and I am going to honor it."

And: "The nature of the Tea Party movement means there may never be a 'perfectly orchestrated' event: Democracy in action doesn't come with a manual. But we must not get caught up in the politics or the controversies that some hope will distract from the heart of the movement."

Former Bush White House communications director Nicolle Wallace, who also worked on the McCain campaign, is publishing a novel entitled "Eighteen Acres," which follows a fictional female U.S. president.

From NBC's Andrea Mitchell
White House Chief of Staff Rahm Emanuel will meet today with Special Olympics head Tim Shriver at the White House to discuss Emanuel's acknowledged use of the word "retarded." The chief of staff invited Shriver last week -- after Shriver wrote him to complain about the remark, a slur on special needs people.

It was reported that Emanuel told a liberal strategy session last August that liberals who were planning attack ads on conservative Democrats over health care were "F...ing retarded."  

The remark drew wider circulation after Sarah Palin, mother of a Down Syndrome child, called for Emanuel's firing on Facebook yesterday writing: "Rahm's slur on all God's children with cognitive and developmental disabilities -- and the people who love them -- is unacceptable, and it's heartbreaking." 

This is the second time the Obama White house has had to apologize to Shriver and the Special Olympics. Last year, President Obama, on the "Tonight Show," compared his bowling prowess to Special Olympics.