Sarah Palin uses Rolling Thunder to advance her own cause...

"Gotcha motorcycle riding?"

  I really wanted to write a pro-Sarah Palin piece about her riding in the Rolling Thunder rally in Washington DC this weekend. Seriously, I did. I basically had it laid out in my mind, something like this:

Palin is invited by the organization (fact...well, sort of).
Palin works with the group to arrange a tasteful presence at this honorable function (fiction).
Palin would not make any speeches or official remarks (fact).
Palin would make sure she didn't interfere with the main goal of the ride, not be a sideshow or distraction (fail).

  I get that she was invited by someone who used to be connected to the event. I also get that that piece of information wasn't shared with the organisation. That's odd. For someone who's exerting an incredible amount of control over her public appearances, its very hard to explain. Event organizers complained they weren't aware of her riding, which may have been an internal problem, not one of the Palin camp's doing.

  Some have been critical of her riding in the front of the procession. I'm told by a long time biker that she should have rode from the rear of the pack out of respect for the actual club members. The scene, by many media reports was totally chaotic and not very well handled for a person of her star power. It seemed too impromptu to have been a full blown Palin event. I've heard criticism about her having a sharpie at the ready for autographs. I'm sure she signs autographs every place she goes. This shouldn't be a surprise to anyone.

 So, on one hand, she gets invited, agrees to attend, the organizers don't tend to the details very well, she works through it with a smile on her face, is accommodating and even visited some wounded vets. She made no speeches, she didn't force her way onto the lectern, etc. She took, some would say, as low a profile as she can. Reaction was mixed about her participating. Some hated it, some liked it. The ride went on, successfully, no big problems to it, so - who cares, eh?

  I do. It was wrong beyond belief.

  On Sunday, our Secretary of Defense Robert Gates spoke. Likewise, Mike Mullen, currently the Military Advisor to the President and Chairman Joint Chiefs of Staff, also spoke. Did you hear much about these two men this week? Nope, not too much. Does it sound right that a television personality who resigned from her position as Governor of Alaska attending this event after being invited by a former board member gain this much coverage? Not to me, it doesn't.

  I don't see how it benefited the Rolling Thunder rally for those who have served.  

  I do see how it benefited Sarah Palin. Ray Charles could see that.

  It would have been more professional of Palin's camp to reach out to the actual organizers of the event, those currently responsible and make sure there was actually an invitation. That way, both sides could've coordinated details, security, etc. about her being there. That never happened. Which was disrespectful of those who are regular participants at this event.

  It sounds to me like she got a loose invitation from a guy who used to be in the upper levels of the Rolling Thunder group. It wasn't an "official" invite. Rather than, as I suggested, contact the officials running the event and coordinating everything, she basically just showed up. Went to the front of the line, got tons of media coverage, said a few cutesy, nice things and then rode off into the sunset.

  I'm trying to get my head around the mind bending levels of howling I'd see/hear if President Obama did what she did. Fox would be shooting off fireworks. The RW talk shows tomorrow would be just white noise for all the screaming from Rush, Hannity and Mr. Beck. It would be crazy. Laura Ingraham would've just killed herself as there'd be nothing left to live for.

  Palin weasles her way into this noble event and its kid gloves all weekend long. Will there be any post event apology for any inconvenience her participation may have resulted in? Probably not. Palin engages in "gotcha" motorcycle riding and Fox goes mute.
 



Sources:

http://www.rollingthunder1.com/PressRoom.html

http://slatest.slate.com/posts/2011/05/28/sarah_palin_bus_tour_not_invited_at_rolling_thunder_bike_run.html

http://hotair.com/archives/2011/05/28/yes-palin-was-invited-to-rolling-thunder/

http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/the-fix/post/mixed-feelings-about-sarah-palin-at-rolling-thunder/2011/05/29/AGNCu9DH_blog.html