So, how's Sarah Palin paying for this grand tour anyway?
At the Statue of Liberty today, ABC News asked the former Alaska governor how much her tour has cost so far and how she's paying for it.
"How am I paying for it? SarahPAC," she said, adding that she's traveling in "our own personal motor home that we've had in Alaska."
Palin didn't answer when asked how long she's owned the bus that's adorned with the Constitution and a larger-than-life version of her signature. When asked, twice, how much her "One Nation Tour" has cost four days into the trip, she got visibly irritated.
"Check SarahPAC.com," she said. "I don't know why in the world you would ask a question like that. I'm just thinking about America and our foundations and our freedoms and our opportunities. Why would you ask something..."
So here's what seems to be happening...
While the signs -- the bus tour, the movie, etc. -- are pointing to a presidential run, there's really no evidence at all that she plans on running. In fact, political insiders think she won't run and whatever evidence there is actually suggests she has no intention of running. As she has done before, she is tantalizing us, and mostly the media and her supporters, with the possibility of a run. And, as usual, we're playing right along.
What does this have to do with who's paying for her bus tour? Well, by her own admission, her PAC is paying for it. Which is to say, her supporters are paying for it, those who have donated to SarahPAC:
SarahPAC.com does not currently offer any information about how much money has been spent on the tour. It does, however, feature a big green "Donate" button, inviting visitors to help fund Palin's trip across the nation.
Adverisements on sites like Drudgereport.com also encourage Palin fans to donate.
But why are they donating? Are they donating just to support the bus tour, one that includes a pizza dinner with Donald Trump? Or are they donating because they think she's running for president and that the bus tour is one of the first steps in what may be an unconventional rollout? I'd guess the latter, which means that Palin is basically duping her supporters into stuffing her coffers, into financing her egomaniacal quest for the spotlight, which had begun to fade for her, and for a life of luxury (in case you were wondering, she's not living on the bus), both on the tour and generally. It's one thing for Fox News to pay her loads of money to be whatever it is she is for that network. It's quite another for her to deceive her supporters, many of whom no doubt don't have much money to begin with, into adding to her wealth. (And getting "visibly irritated" when asked about the bus tour. Why get defensive? What is she hiding?)
It would be one thing if she were running. In that case, her supporters, her donors, would have every reason to get involved and help finance her campaign. But while I think there's a very small chance she runs, which is more than I would have said even just a couple of weeks ago, I remain (almost) certain she won't. Maybe some of her donors are just happy to have her back in public again, back in the glare of 24/7 media attention/obsession, but I wonder how many of them realize they're just subsidizing her own money-making efforts -- for what else is this ridiculous bus tour but an effort to recover her star and to profit even more off her stardom?
Let them suck. Every dollar donated to this ego trip is a dollar that won't be available to donate to a real Republican politician.
ReplyDeleteSarah Palin is going to run for Senator of Arizona when McCain leaves (sooner rather then later) which will plump up her resume to run for President at a later time. (That is why she moved to Arizona...to establish residency.)There is a well heeled individual backing her and he will be whispering in her ear. Palin will be a high profile sock puppet.
ReplyDeleteNOTE: All the panty puppy reporters running behind her "bus" should earn their money as reporters and do some investigating....instead of following Palin on her "Let freedom ring bus tour" they should follow the money. This is where the Pulitzer lies.
palin is not intelligent, but a smart con artist. she is not a christian like she wants her groopies to think she is. she breaks every 10 commandments even kills for sport,and seems to enjoy it. soon her looks will fade and so will she.
ReplyDeleteThe funny thing is that her donors don't in fact feel duped.
ReplyDeleteThey eat up everything she does, including using her SarahPAC to pay for a free vacation for her family and greta van Susteren.
They have no problem with this bus tour. However, can someone remind me what Edwards just got indicted for?
This little tour will end about the same time the 2012 race begins. Fox will need a go-to person for casually-offered political slander of dems. Funny, how that works out.
ReplyDelete"Sarah Palin is going to run for Senator of Arizona when McCain leaves (sooner rather then later) which will plump up her resume to run for President at a later time."
ReplyDeleteA brilliant assessment. I'll bet you are right on the money. And McCain, the doddering fool, will endorse her on his way out...
Palin is a bad dream that will never go away. She is having fun keeping
ReplyDeleteherself in the public eye.
so sad
I believe earlier someone asked her how long the tour was going to last and she motioned toward Todd saying "Well, with the high price of gas, blah, blah." As if it was coming out of her and Todd's pockets. I thought that was a real insult to the millions of people who actually have to worry about the price of gas in their daily commutes to work. None of whom drive a monster bus I'm sure. And now the truth comes out that SarahPac pays for everything.
ReplyDeleteJust so you all know: Sarah is now just Rush and Sean and Steyn and Laura Ingraham and .....nothing more.
ReplyDeleteCome on folks, she's been auditioning for Beck's spot at 5PM, duh...
She doesn't really have what it takes to fill Beck's shoes. As much as I despise Beck, he clearly has the energy and enthusiasm to do what he does. Palin is lazy. Maybe she'll end up with a daytime show, some sort of right-wing version of Rachael Ray.
ReplyDeleteAnd, yeah, it's ridiculous for the Palins to be talking about the price of gas. Their populism is so phony.
It'd be interesting, to say the least, were she to run for Senate from Arizona. But, again, she's extraordinarily lazy and seems only interested in promoting her brand and making as much money as possible. I doubt she really wants to do the heavy lifting required of legislators. (Can you imagine her sitting on committees going through the minutiae of policy?)
Well... duh. I find it beyond hilarious that anyone imagines she'd actually run. There's o way in hell, this is pure snake oil sales from her, per usual.
ReplyDeleteI hear that Sarah has been nominated for the " P.T.BARNUM ONE EVERY MINUTE" award this year......Can anyone verify that?
ReplyDeleteSarah Palin - too stupid to talk.
ReplyDelete