Nearly 2,000 social conservative activists from 49 states gather for a Values Voters Summit in Washington Friday and Saturday, but movement favorites former Gov. Sarah Palin and former House Speaker Newt Gingrich will not be addressing the throng.
Beauty queen Carrie Prejean - whose defense of California's referendum against gay marriage cost her the Miss USA crown earlier this year - will be a featured speaker, but a planned 2012 presidential straw poll lost a bit of luster after conservative Texas GOP Gov. Rick Perry took his name off the mock ballot for summit participants.
Mrs. Palin, who resigned as Alaska's governor in July, and Mr. Gingrich, the former Georgia congressman, are the two biggest draws for conservatives across the country.
"The Palins are expecting the return of eldest son Track this weekend from a yearlong deployment with an Army combat brigade in Iraq," Palin spokeswoman Meghan Stapleton told The Washington Times. "Mrs. Palin also has her first major paid speaking engagement in Hong Kong" in a few days, she added.
Okay well to be honest this is not an event that she had promised to attend and then cancelled, but it is kind of bizarre that she has missed so many of these opportunities to drum up interest in her new book and give a shout out to her fans.
And besides Carrie Prejean is going to be there. Aren't she and Palin like best buds or something?
The speech to CLSA looks like it will be do or die time for Sarah Palin. If she blows this one off, I think her speaking career will crash to the earth just like her political career did. I still cannot believe that anybody offered her six figures to hear her speak.
I'm confused. I heard that Track was in Alaska a week or so ago.
ReplyDelete"I still cannot believe that anybody offered her six figures to hear her speak."
ReplyDeleteI wonder if they're planning to make their money back by betting on whether she'll turn up?
It's an assumption (probably put out by her) that she would have been considered the prettiest girl in the contest, and won. I think she's *very* ordinary.
ReplyDeleteThis is the girl crowned Miss America. You can't deny she's lovely.
http://tinyurl.com/KatieStamWins
Signed, Antipodean Blue Heaven
I admit I am a bit off-topic here, but any time I read about Prejean and Palin I cannot help but think of other wackos - particularly the religious zealots like Glenn Beck.
ReplyDeleteI wanted to share an eye-opening article I found this evening about the man who inspired Glenn Beck to be a wacko (as if he needed any help at all).
The article exposes what we all either knew or suspected - that religious zeal is behind his madness. It is the Salon website, here's the url:
http://www.salon.com/news/feature/2009/09/16/beck_skousen/
Amazing article, scary to the last comma and period. Mind you, I do not believe all Mormons believe this - the article is quite clear that is not the case. However, it is more than enough that Glenn Beck believes it. Sure gives a person pause and perspective.
I can only hope that Beck, Prejean and Palin and their ilk are passing nightmares, but sometimes I fear they are just the beginning of one. I urge anyone interested in the Beckster to read this article. It connects a lot of dots.
Glad to hear Track is returning home safely!
ReplyDeleteI can't believe folks are bidding large sums of money to sit down at the dinner table with her either, but, hey, a lot of folks have more money then sense.
I am not surprised she declined the invitation to the Value Voters Summit. But it does boggle the mind that they asked her to participate considering her long list of proven lies.
This speech in Hong Kong is different from other speeches that Sarah was supposed to make. Meg usually issued a statement prior to the event such as "that hasn't been confirmed." I'm thinking of the Republican Women in Simi Valley who sold 900 non-refundable $100. or $150. tickets. They had printed up announcements and invitatins with the name of the speaker. It's hard to believe they didn't have some kind of contract and confirmation.
ReplyDeleteThis time, it looks like she is going. The only thing that could stop Sarah is a typhoon in the South China Sea. This time, Meg has not offered up an excuse. Yet. There are still a few days before she has to leave.
Tip to Alaska reporters: Sarah is going to have to leave a day or two early to allow for jet lag. You had better start staking out the airport because we all want to see the first pictures of Sarah to appear after weeks of hiding.
And just in case, Murdoch may send his private jet, so keep a look out for that, too. At least we will know who is paying for the gig.
It doesn't matter that she lies, Anon. She hates teh gays, and that's what counts to these people.
ReplyDeleteYou just know that the Voters Summit has reached a new low when Prejean is their featured speaker.
ReplyDeleteI think she is still rubbing Vitamin E oil on those fresh facial surgery scars.
ReplyDeleteShe was also invited to the 9/12 Teabagging rally in D.C. and couldn't be bothered to attend that either.
ReplyDeletePalin will be giving a speech that Rupert Murdoch's pros write for her. She will be the parrot, so all she needs to worry about is delivery.
ReplyDeleteAll the people at the VVS are liars, that's why they wanted a big name liar like $P to speak. Janet Parshell's film they will show Speechless Silencing the Christians, tells how students who are being forced to attend classes that require them to recite verses from the Koran. Now don't you think that would be news somewhere? Well try googling it, no where in the US is this being reported except by this "Christian". Another topic Fighting the Vast Left Wing Conspiracy, you know like Acorn, suppressing free speech, etc.
ReplyDeleteJust wait they will have a renewed passion of hate to spread, as if they didn't have enough already. They will have new ways to fight to try to regain power and make sure their cooperate friends stay in power. Blame the poor for all our woes, not the rich guys in suits. I can't believe $P will not be there this her cup of tea, spreading hate and lies and all her BFFs will be there.
I fantasize there will be a disaster like an earth quake or something that affects only that room full of haters. That would sure be good for America, but no I can't wish that then I'd be as low as they are. So pray for a change in all those black hearts.
I hope and pray enough people will start noticing how much they lie and divide and will vote more and more of these nasty people out of office. No wonder they go after the haters, the less educated or less intelligent voters, who else would buy their crap?
1000 offers to speak? really? i think NOT!
ReplyDeleteAnyone notice Meg Stapleton had to mention that Palin was getting ready for her first "Paid" speaking engagement? Odd for a politician. Why wouldn't she say she was getting ready for her first major speaking engagement outside of the country???? That would sound more like she was out trying to gain some foreign policy experience. But nope, Meg let it out of the bag....it is all about the money. lol
ReplyDeleteShe is listed on the Values Voters website on the afternoon of the 18th, scroll down between 2-5pm http://www.valuesvotersummit.org/schedule
ReplyDeleteHeard track was home a while ago... I guess Palin can't use a calander, or he's been at 'dads' place and not hers. Maybe this is her weekend to exploit Track?
ReplyDeleteAnd please. Stop the Mormon bashing. It does get old. I'm LDS, and it does get a bit tiring. Harry Reid is also LDS. Is he a nutter in your book too?
She would never have stood up next to Prejean and allowed people to compare boob jobs. She would never want to be a has been beauty queen in the shadow of a beautiful younger woman with a tighter ass than hers. She prefers to stand up next to white haired, fat, ugly, middle-aged men so that she is the rose among the thorns.
ReplyDeleteActually, the article does not state that former Gov. Palin was invited to speak, or attend.
ReplyDeleteAnd I am also glad that her son is home safe. Let's hope all the other sons and daughters return home safely as well.
Her paid speaking engagement. WHo else says that?
ReplyDeleteWhy do we need to know she is being paid, does she think it makes palin sound educated?
Millions for her book.
She lied when she quit. She has done nothing to help Alaskans. She quit for money.
Just read Palin's info & complete bio pages on the Washington Speakers site. What was I thinking doing this with my morning coffee.
ReplyDeleteSeems Washington Speakers is living up to their reputation of absolutely no credibility.
http://www.washingtonspeakers.com/speakers/speaker.cfm?SpeakerID=6467
@anon 4:40
ReplyDeleteI don't believe anyone is bashing Mormons. Just like all Christians are nut nutters...neither are Mormons. Some like Beck...do their faith a disservice however, and I think that is all anyone is saying.
Track is home...better hide the school buses.......
ReplyDeleteMiss Wasilla will only show up for big buck$. So of course she would not go to the "values" voter summit.
ReplyDeleteThe good news is...you don't get paid to speak when you are running for office, so maybe THAT will stop her?
SP became a phenomenon because of her supposed values. Her base of conservative women that she pandered to must now realize that she doesn't have a "heart" for fighting for values in a team spirit with the Voters Values Summit crowd.
ReplyDeleteCan't they see that her motives are simply to progress her bank account? What work is she doing for Alaska? For special needs children, her promises to fight for family values, her Party's idealogy and values? She's turned her back on them and they are too proud to admit it.
Remember last year at CPAC? Joe the Plumber at a local book store to sign fresh copies of his book. He sold SEVEN books!
ReplyDeleteRemember Rush bopping around the stage? I think he took too many oxy's.
Now they have Bible Boob. This ought to be a good one. Newt was there last year. I wonder why not this year? Maybe his new wife, the one who made him convert to Catholicism, is the jealous type.
I would think this would be Sarah's dream, to speak at CPAC. But this just goes to show that Levi is right. I'm sure they don't pay well if at all. After all, it is a fund raiser. Sarah wouldn't speak for free. She won't even speak for a couple of grand.
I love those Christian values of hers.
Greed.
Abuse of Power.
Selfishness.
Has to be THE center of attention.
Lies.
Money.
More Money, Lies and Greed.
I'm curious about 4:40am's comments. Do you know that they are living in separate houses now? Or were you joking. OT but here it is: I bought and read VF. What I heard was a young man telling the truth. A simple and stupid truth. The thrust of the article was that the family is dysfunctional and that she is a mess. The whole thing was a fake and that she is a grifter. She did not have the intelligence for dog catcher, let alone gov. So, what make her seek the position in the first place? Why should anyone believe that a woman with five children, several of them with difficult lives, can drive two hours a day and hold down a full time job and exercise and have time for the family. It was BS from the beginning. As far as the baby stuff; I found Levi believable. He only recited dates/times because the editors asked him to or he was putting the issue to rest and revisited those details with Bristol or someone. They must know what blogs are saying. So he said, that is not the story. That is not the issue. She's a mess, that's the issue. At least that's what I read. Gryphen, whatever you've got from your sources, tell us soon. I'm dying to hear, but I think Levi went on the record with this.
ReplyDelete"Now let's hope he puts a bayonet into his nephew's scumbag father"
ReplyDeleteThis is the FIRST comment over at peeeland re: Track coming home...Nice folks, huh?
Just curious about that conference in DC having attendees from 49 states. I wonder what one state isn't represented? Vermont?
ReplyDeleteAnybody know?
Ummmmm...major misstatement by the newspaper here? They said that Prejean lost her crown for opposing gay marriage or something? Um....I thought it was breach of contract -- you know, not showing up at stuff she was supposed to show up at, like Ms. Palin.
ReplyDeleteGryphen,
ReplyDeleteI would certainly appear that she is blowing this off or making a surprise visit..
From the Values Voters website schedule:
2:00 - 5:00 p.m.
AFTERNOON PLENARY SESSION - Regency Ballroom
•Stephen Baldwin, Actor; Kevin McCullough, Host, Xtreme Radio
•Rev. Dr. Ken Hutcherson, Senior Pastor, Antioch Bible Church, Kirkland, WA
•Representative Roy Blunt (R-Mo.)
•Stem Cells: Fact vs. Friction
◦Dr. David Prentice, Senior Fellow and Director for Life Sciences, Center for Human Life and Bioethics, FRC
◦Carol Franz, Adult Stem Cell Recipient
◦Barry Goudy, Adult Stem Cell Recipient
•Governor Sarah Palin (R-Alaska)*
•Star Parker, Founder and President, Coalition on Urban Renewal and Education
•Gary Bauer, President, American Values
Has anyone from Values Voters said she wasn't planning to attend? Why is she listed?
If Levi could stop the madness of Sarah Palin by disclosing more of the truth, this Alaskan would be mighty appreciative, as well as the rest of the world, also too.
ReplyDeleteIt's easier to teach an old dog new tricks than to teach Sarah anything, EVER. I wonder how her "snakeover"(makeover) is coming, talk about Mission Impossible.
Alaskan Sisu
the c4p comment above is clueless in so many ways -- clearly from someone of WWII vintage -- ain't so many bayonets in current combat http://forums.military.com/eve/forums/a/tpc/f/9351915375/m/7270091741001
ReplyDeleteAnd why would Track come "home" to double baby-duty at Lake Lucille? After this weekend's photo-op, I bet he's off on an extended hunting trip. Doe season opened Sept 15.
To Anonymous 4:14, no one is Mormon-bashing.
ReplyDeleteThe person who posted the article about Glenn Beck expressly said the following: "Mind you, I do not believe all Mormons believe this - the article is quite clear that is not the case. However, it is more than enough that Glenn Beck believes it."
However, the article states that the man who wrote the books upon which seemingly bases his worldview upon was Mormon - fringe Mormon just like Palin's ilk are fringe Christian.
Fundamentalists or fringers are relatively few in number but increasingly large in impact. In Beck's case I doubt my of his followers even know he's a Mormon. It has little to do with denomination, it has everything to do with dogma. Beck's adopted dogma is not Mormon, it is fringe lunatic. Read the article - please.
Anon @ 4:14 is right - She is scheduled to be there at the plenary session at VV between 2 and 5 pm - her name is the only one with a * after it (?)...
ReplyDeleteEverybody keeps on talking about her as a former beauty queen: She was a RUNNER-UP - NOT a beauty queen! :P
Oh, I forgot: I thought I had read in a couple places that Track had come home last week already?
ReplyDeleteThere are "nutters" in all religions.I would would be more upset with the actual nutters who garner so much negative attention,than those who are upset by them.
ReplyDeleteI think that Sarah finally realized that she has no future in politics. She lost the almost-big-one. She tried showing up at a couple of Republican dinners and events and people didn't swoon over her. When she began blowing off speeches (Meg would say that there was no confirmation), you could see that she wasn't interested in climbing the politcal ladder and putting in time with the party. Quitting her job as governor cinched it; as Levi said, it was always about the money.
ReplyDeleteI'm guessing that Murdoch is calling the shots now. In some way, this guy is able to control her better than the McCain people. And it's about the money. She has a book deal, and he needs to make money on it. She will have to promote the book, so this is the first trial run of the new improved, Murdoch-schooled Sarah. Of course it is in private, closed to the press. She could also make a mistakes. He has seen her tapes. But if she can get through it without a serious problem, she is on her way to promote the book and make money for Murdoch.
I read all of your posts tagged "Wasilla" & two from Sept or Oct 2008, specifically state it was well known Bristol was the mother of both babies, including Trig. So why can't that be said now? I'm sure there is more to the story however.
ReplyDeleteTrack 1.0 or Track 2.0?
ReplyDeleteHold it. I just went over to their site and looking at their schedule, I realised they must not think Jews are "values voters". They certainly won't get much, if any, Jewish participation in their "values" conference, since they scheduled it over Rosh Hashonah!
ReplyDeleteThe first day is tomorrow - Saturday - and tonight is Erev Rosh Hashonah.
The scheduling is either cluelessness or acknowledgement they wouldn't get much Jewish voters to their side.
Beauty Queen? That's rich. Her body was soooooo soft in that contest video. She looks nothing like a svelt runner...at all. Looks like the only running she did was her mouth.
ReplyDeleteUnless she winds up with a toe tag on her between now and the hour of her keynote speech, there is NO possibility (excluding an act of God--ie., tsunami, earthquake, typhoon) that Palin opts out of this.
ReplyDeleteFirst of all it is heavily in her enlightened self interest that she meets the entrepreneurial architects of the "New" China and representatives from China's oil industry. That should be a no-brainer. (It's a lock she won't have to field any questions about the "Bush Doctrine(s)". It's also better than odds on she will weigh in--as have many on both sides of the aisle--about the new tariffs imposed by the President on China.
Can you just see Sarahcuda? A Chinese gozillionaire who makes tires and who probably owns 2% of American real estate sidles up to Palin and says:
"Madame Ex-Governnor: What is your position on the new tariffs imposed by the American president?"
"I agree with Mr. Tan of the Chinese Rubber Industry Association and
Mr Heiwan of the China Society for American Economy Studies as well as
Efraim Levy, an analyst with Standard & Poor's Equity Research. A say a trade dispute of this magnitude could spiral out of contol very quickly, especially as a spirit of rising nationalism in China could make it very difficult for leaders there to ignore anti-American economic sentiment. More importantly, many American leaders and citizens as well understand the United States needs he White House badly needs China's help to confront climate change, nuclear standoffs with Iran and North Korea, and global economic turmoil. "
Don't think it could happen? Give anyone enough time and approximations of this kind of facsimile of understanding of complex international issues could be parroted.
Research shows that even individuals with developmental disabilities can learn to memorize complex concepts and material simply with enough repetition.
The CLSA has given Palin an absolute slam-dunk to criticize the President without mentioning him, to side with China against a decision of the President (which will be no sin in the minds of the right and numerous European Union Nations) and less subtly, to derive a wedge between President Obama and the Steelworkers Union who have lost almost 5,000 tire workers since 2004.
It is amazing what destruction can be wrought by someone who is afforded another "Fifteen minutes of fame."
Just watch the Indonesian Tsunami films.
Has anyone seen this? The "Help Terminal Man Find Palin's Plane" contest at http://www.wired.com/autopia/2009/09/terminal-man-contest/
ReplyDeleteTo my mind, this is either a) gimmick by Murdoch's publicity dept. to keep Palin's name in the news until her book comes out, or b) an attempt by others (in this case Conde Nast, publishers of Vanity Fair, The New Yorker--not exactly Palin-friendly periodicals--and Wired, magazine, sponsor of the contest--to cash in on the running joke that Palin has become. Either way, in line with previous comments on this post, I'd say SP is a minor celebrity at this point, possibly even at about the same status as Levi Johnston. She's clearly not a serious politician and/or "expert" on burning issues of the day.
Re: "I still cannot believe that anybody offered her six figures to hear her speak."
ReplyDeleteAnd yet you have no problem in accepting that nature put a structure that drips mucous right over our mouth.
Submitted for your approval: life is not only stranger than we think; it is stranger than we can imagine.
Now here's something that must really seem as incredible to you as string theory: there are REALLY people who don't share your contempt for and revulsion of Sarah Palin.
I know on this blog sightings of them are about as frequent as seeing Bigfoot but as otherworldly as it seems, such people do exist.
Anonymous @ 5:26
ReplyDelete"I'd say SP is a minor celebrity at this point.".
"Minor celebrities " aren't the object of such obsessive concern--that's what makes them minor.
And major publishers like Harper or Random House are run by some of the most brilliant, prescient people on the planet. They don't throw $7,000,000 book deals at people on the same rung of the latter as Levi Johnston.
They aren't contracted to speak before one of the world's most influential, wealthy, and internationally powerful bodies as the CLSA.
If you could step back for a moment and remove the gauze from your eyes, you would see the woman, not merely as your loathing for her compels you to, but as others might.
This might come as a complete surprise to you but there are people behind who preside over trustee meetings at some of the best universities in the worlds, who run world-reknown research institutes, or who have founded law firms with offices from Dallas to Beijing who don't consider President Obama a "serious" Commander in Chief and/or
an "expert on burning issues of the day."
It astonishes me that anyone with a lick of sense could sit back and watch how this woman has parlayed a job as a sportscaster at a small station to a woman who will follow Bill Clinton and Allen Greenspan as
the keynote speaker at an event of tremendous international importance, and dismiss her as the punchline to a joke.
There are only two rules of any conflict:
1. Never underestimate the opposition.
2. There are no exceptions to rule #1.
century-old oaken doors, who
To: L.A. in S.F. and all the other people who find Levi believable:
ReplyDeleteHaven't you noticed how he dances around the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth? Tells disparaging stories about Sarah, even things we don't want to hear, but necessary to insure we believe what he is telling Vanity Fair.
There are so many inconsistencies in his past T.V. interviews, the magazine interviews, I can't list them all.
Sarah will condone everything he says (got to sell those mag's), except...Levi has to reaffirm that Sarah gave birth to Trig and Bristol birthed Tripp on Dec. 27, 2008. Both issues are a fraud but are important to Sarah to maintain her deception.
What better back-up than someone you paraded around the campaign as your future son-in-law, confirming your lies about giving birth to a son birthed by your daughter, and knowingly at odds with each other?
Read between the lines...
Ginger
Anon 6:04PM/century-old oaken doors, who: Anon 5:26 here.
ReplyDeleteFair enough. I've removed the gauze from my eyes, retrieved the lick of sense that temporarily eluded me, and put aside my loathing of Sarah Palin. So I'll concede your point: There may be some powerful forces unknown to any of us that are fueling Palin's rise to the heights of power. I do think, however, that you meant to say "ladder" not "latter," "world renowned" not "world renown," and "in the world" not "in the worlds." Also, a recently quoted source indicated that Palin received a $2mil advance on her book, to paid in increments of 1/3 or 1/2 until the publisher (HarperCollins) determines that the book will turn a profit. But who knows, maybe she'll exceed that $7mil figure. Since she's a major celebrity, the sky's limit.
She'll be talking about the finer points of ethics...
ReplyDeleteHONG KONG (AP) - A former banker at one of Asia's top stock brokerages and an ex-fund manager have been jailed in Hong Kong for insider trading that reaped illegal profits of more than half a million dollars, regulators said.
Allen Lam, former investment banking director at broker CLSA, was sentenced Monday to six months in prison and ordered to pay fines of $69,000 Hong Kong dollars ($9,000), the territory's Securities and Futures Commission said in a statement.
Lam was accused of using his position at CLSA, JCDecaux's financial adviser in the acquisition, to access confidential information and tip off Fong.
No, but seriously. Do you know what the CLSA Investors Forum _is_?
She's not being invited for her expertise. She's the entertainment; it isn't about presentation topic and content. She's the comic relief for a bunch of very focused global investors there to make some serious deals.
CLSA is well-known for its production of high-profile forums for the international money industry. "CLSA’s award-winning forums provide a high-level knowledge exchange between global investors and leading Asian corporations." CLSA is 65% owned by French bank Crédit Agricole SA.
Do you really think Sarah has anything substantive to offer to international financiers at this level? She is not addressing the unwashed American masses at an anti-abortion rally.
I can only hope that she's been sequestered for the last month with some serious academic tutors, not so she can say something serious, but just simply to get her through the event.
She's the table dance. She probably shouldn't bring Todd - he'll be invited for a night out with the Japanese guys and there will be _big_ trouble.
Another hallmark moment of global embarassment for Alaskans. Yeesh.