Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin looks at a photograph of an Alaska
National Guard Helicopter that she flew in on a tour of Hurricane Ike
that was shown to her by Daniel Rutan a retired National Guard
Master Sergeant, left. Palin was at Elmendorf Air Force Base's Joint
Military Mall for a signing of her book, "Going Rogue." Palin's agent
Juanita Fuller is shown to the right. (AP Photo/ Rob Stapleton)
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has ended her nationwide book tour for "Going Rogue" or has she? Palin arrived home in Alaska on Sunday for her two final stops.
Palin said, "This book tour has been an amazing and inspirational experience for me and my family as we crisscrossed the country and met so many wonderful Americans. At nearly every stop we met someone with a connection to Alaska – usually through the military from being stationed at one of Alaska’s bases. With that in mind, we’ve decided to hold the final book signings at Alaska's Elmendorf and Eielson AFBs."
The Anchorage Daily News reports that roughly 2,000 people appeared at the Elmendorf signing. The security team itself ballooned to more than 100 people, triple the size of a normal Sunday on base.
"The crowd for this one is bigger than other ones, based on what they saw at Fort Bragg and Fort Hood," said Air Force Capt. Ashley Conner. "They knew they needed to prepare for large crowds to come out and have their book signed."The event was closed to the general public, meaning only people with a military ID or friends with access to the base could attend.
Air Force security forces say lines started forming at Elmendorf's Joint Military Mall around 5 a.m. for the noon signing. Also attending the event were Palin's parents, Chuck and Sally Heath, her brother Chuck Heath, Jr., and her daughters Piper and Willow.
"She's glad to be home," said Chuck Heath. "It was very hectic. We were gone for about two and a half weeks, and there was no time to sightsee -- it was all ‘Hello, hello' and signing, and a lot of good people."
Palin followed the Anchorage signing with her last Going Rogue stop at Eielson Air Force Base outside Fairbanks later in the day. These two signings were Palin's only stops in Alaska, but since the base didn't have time to prepare for the general public, they were only open to military personnel. Because of it, during a surprise appearance on the Eddie Burke radio show Friday, Palin vowed to hold another Alaska signing that everyone could visit.
"Yeah, military called that shot, decided that there on the Air Force bases they're only going to have military personnel, or I guess if you're a friend of military personnel, you're invited on," Palin said on the radio show. "We will have a public book signing. Some guys are trying to organize that now as we speak, and I promise we'll do that," she said.
So what's next for Palin? It is still unclear what Palin plans to do following the book tour, but the former governor has a number of paid speaking events and I'm pretty sure this isn't the last we'll hear of the number one bestselling author.
Comments
It's only the beginning. PALIN 2012!!
Palin could totally win in 2012! In like 3 southern states...nice try but no.
If the country keeps going in the direction its currently moving (higher government spending, high unemployment, and weak international leadership) then voters will be looking for an alternative. Who is the polar opposite to the current Washington elitists who are not listening to the electorate? I think she could be exactly the polar opposite. And I think that some people underestimate her intellengence and have been drinking too much Kool-Aid. She is very interesting and could indeed be a force in politics whether you like it or not. And not because the people listening to her are stupid and unsophisticated but because they do not like the direction that the country is currently headed.
RichmondRob
I think Sarah could definitely take back Virginia, Indiana, Nevada, North Carolina and win all the states McCain won in 2008. That means the election would come down to states like Ohio, Iowa and Florida, where she would make a strong showing.
If the Democrats aren't worried, they should be.
Sarah Palin is a pretty-faced Christian gal who was almost a one-time governor.
She might could be the next Glenn Beck or Ann Coulter but her days as an exectuive in government are over for now, unless she becomes another Governor or Senator first and actually finishes a term.
Sarah Palin has Christian values but she can't conduct a coherent interview or debate about government problems or political issues.
For now, this is the end for Sarah Palin unless she goes to work for the people somewhere instead of making appearances on talk shows and at book stores.
Sarah Palin can't win against Obama. Democrats and a majority of Republicans will not vote for her. Therefore, a Palin Republican nominee is a bad investment.
I think that Palin had a good interview with O'Reilly that was fairly coherant and sound. She also held her own against Biden in the debates last year. She is not a push over and I only hope that people like yourself continue to underestimate her. Both parties better find smarter ways to solve problems or they might both get thrown out in the next elections.
@ RichmondRob:
You say "She also held her own against Biden in the debates last year." In what world? She didn't answer the questions of the debate and kept going off the rails of the formal debate to look like "a maverick" and insulted the intelligence required of the office with her "you betcha!" and wink moments. If the debate were merely a photo-op then yeah, she blew the doors off Joe but considering it was a discussion on the methods one would use in office and their thoughts on pressing national matters, she couldn't hold her own against a fruit-fly...
I absolutely support Caribou Barbie running in 2012, it'd be a sure-fire way to get four more years of someone other than a repugnican in office. Sure, the democraps aren't any prizes either but I'll take Obama & Biden over anything the repugs have come up with over the past decade.
I think that public perception was that Palin did well in the Biden debate. All politicians try to avoid answering questions. That's the game these days and certainly Biden was no different. Yes the eye winking can be critized. But so too can just about everything Joe Biden says including FDR's fireside chat on TV in 1929! (FDR was not POTUS in 1929 and no POTUS appeared on TV until the late 1930's and only on about the 1,000 TVs that existed back then.)
You paint the picture that Palin is substandard and that she has no role to play in national politics. It sounds to me like style is not the only issue you have with her so instead of arguing policies you attack her mannerisms. Its a shallow way to discuss things that will ultimately not dissuade Independent voters from giving her a reasonable chance in coming discussions/forums.
Last year's elections were based on the idea/slogan "change". We are def. seeing change, but not good change. Listen, if American (Repuclicans & Democrats) want to see real change, then let's vote on character, not based on the media labels. Obama was the biggest celebrity that ran his campaign off of slogans. And sadly we fell and now are paying the price for it. Palin is the only politican I know that has been true to herself and to America. I dont'care that she's a women or a Republican, I care that she cares for me and our nation. Palin PLEASE don't ever shut up! Palin Power 2012!
I have not yet begun to QUIT!
I actually think that Palin truly believes that resigning was in her constituancy's best interests. I buy her argument that she was getting too wrapped up in fighting off unwarranted frivilous lawsuits. I only wish that other politicians would put the people first like she did.
Who said anything about republican?
I smell their fear....
It's amazing that some of you lefturds sound so smug and all considering your Messiah's approval rating is 44% and falling daily. Actually Sarah has a higher approval rating than Obamao right now and it looks like "The One's" will keep dipping. You might have to consider running someone else in 2012 besides good ole Barry if you expect to win.
J242, you CAN'T be defending Biden can you? Remember he was talking about Katie's Restaurant in downtown Wilmington's Union Street? Well it closed 10 years earlier.
www.delawareonline.com/blogs/secondhelpings/2008/10/joe-gives-delaware-shout-outs.html
Or "“When the stock market crashed, Franklin D. Roosevelt got on the television and didn't just talk about the, you know, the princes of greed. He said, 'Look, here's what happened.'”"
Or when during a Sept. 12, 2008, speech in Columbia, Mo., Biden called for Missouri State Sen. Chuck Graham, who is wheelchair-bound, to "stand up."
"Today is the moment for me as a United States senator running for president to put aside the national politics and focus on what's happening down there," Joe Biden
"Or should we trust Barack Obama, who more than a year ago called for sending two additional combat brigades to Afghanistan?" Joe Biden
"the first mainstream African-American who is articulate and bright and clean and a nice-lookin
walrus says:
"It's only the beginning. PALIN 2012!!"
even better, Limbaugh/Palin 2012!!!
Palin will be speaking at a TEA Party event in San Antonio in January, and at the First National TEA Party convention in Nashville in February. She is also addressing the Salinas KS chamber of commerce and one in FL as well. The logging industry conference in Redding CA is also going to have her giving an address. Matter of fact, she'll give one speech in the afternoon and one in the evening. All events are sold out, maximum capacity crowds. She is also going to be campaigning for Rick Perry in TX in January or February. We will be hearing a lot about her, from her, and she will be very busy in 2010.
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