Letting Sarah Speak – Updated

Marion Algier – Ask Marion

It was just four years ago that John McCain surprised the electorate with his selection of then Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate, the first woman ever to be selected as a Republican VP nomination or part of the GOP ticket and only the second woman in all of U.S. history chosen to run for the #2 position in either party; Democrat Geraldine Ferraro, was the first woman on a presidential ticket in 1984.

The 2008 GOP Convention was the first time most Americans were introduced to Sarah Palin and she rocked the house the night of her convention speech and quickly changed the face of the McCain campaign. Palin soon overshadowed McCain on the campaign trail and within days the McCain/Palin ticket had surged into the lead. And for those who either don’t or choose not to remember that they were ahead in the polls after Palin joined the ticket, Greta Van Susteren just recently pulled out those old polls.

Palin took the 2008 presidential race by storm beginning with her speech accepting the GOP vice-presidential nomination in St. Paul, Minnesota with a performance that electrified the party faithful and received almost universal praise from previously skeptical pundits as well, a fact the has been conveniently forgotten or spun over the past four years. Many people fell in love with Sarah Palin instantly after hearing her speak that first time and she rallied the party like she does every time she speaks and instantly became a tea party favorite, excited at the prospect of a fresh, inspiring, Reaganesque candidate that was a female to boot.

Tens of thousands regularly turned out for Palin’s 2008 appearances. It was at her first rally in Cali in October 2008 that this writer first saw Sarah Palin speak to a crowd of 23,000 in Carson, CA. I have been a supporter ever since and so are most who hear her speak live and actually listen!

So why isn’t Sarah Palin speaking at the 2012 Republican Convention on Tampa?

Why aren’t any of these people speaking? UPDATE (Aug. 17): It appears that Ron Paul and Newt Gingrich will now be speaking at the GOP Convention; announced since the so-called final speakers list was released after which the poster and campaign below were launched.

Why?

After realizing Sarah Palin’s popularity with the grassroots elements of the Republican party and with average everyday Americans from all parties in 2008 and since, even after their attempts to demonize her, plus Sarah’s overall charisma, it scared the left as well as many within the Republican establishment who quickly developed a case of the phenomenon known as Palin Derangement Syndrome which was promoted by the those who suffer from it and those they control like the leftist mainstream media. ‘They’ were and are afraid that Sarah will speak her mind (Going Rogue), are afraid that they can’t control her and even more are afraid that she could win as the #1 spot on the GOP ticket or perhaps even on an independent ticket in the future. Nobody puts this much effort into someone that has no power or couldn’t upset their apple cart!

Plus, it seems fairly obvious that the RNC and the Romney-Ryan campaign’s strategy is to highlight voices that will excite party loyalists in the campaign hall while excluding those that could possibly turn-off independent voters watching on television at home, possibly giving some credence to the rumor that Palin was asked to speak during the day… when fewer people would see her. (As Rush Limbaugh has often said, “Wow what power we have given the independents!”) That is a strategy that could backfire! Everyone of the people in the photo above should be speaking at the Convention and Sarah Palin should definitely be speaking and speaking in prime time!

Kevin Fobbs has started a campaign to: Let Sarah Speak and the Tea Party launched a campaign to let Allen West, Rick Perry, Newt Gingrich, Michele Bachmann, Herman Cain, Donald Trump and Sarah Palin to speak. Join them. Call and email the RNC, Republican National Committee Chairman Reince Priebus who had said earlier that he hoped Sarah would have a speaking role, and the Romney Campaign. Also, sign this petition or start your own.

It is not too late to change things or add speakers. On August 17th the word was that Ron Paul and his delegates had been embraced by the RNC and it appears that both Newt Gingrich and Ron Paul will now be speaking (or were given the invite) at the GOP Convention; still no specifics available on Ron Paul though. On the 21st the RNC struck a deal with Ron Paul delegates and Sher Valenzuela (Who… When you could have Palin or Bachmann?) landed a prime speaking slot. And on the 22nd it was announced that Ann Romney will Keynote the First Night of the GOP convention. Also, Donald Trump Is Now To Play a ‘Surprise’ Role At Republican Convention. So there is still time and room for Sarah Palin and the others listed above!

This is not in anyway an anti-Romney-Ryan movement! They are the comeback team that America needs right now. But the GOP needs to create a bigger tent!

Update on Maggie’s Notebook (08.22.12):

Snippet:

Mark Levin interviewed RNC chairman Reince Priebus and asked if Sarah Palin was offered a speaking position, in prime time, at the Republican National Convention beginning next week in Tampa, Florida. Priebus says (snippet): (see video below)

PRIEBUS: Governor Palin was definitely invited to speak at the Convention, and it wasn’t like in the afternoon or anything like that. She was invited to speak one of the evenings. I don’t know if it got to the point of what time and date, and which particular period of time, but she was invited to speak and it just turned out that in her schedule, I think she was planning on staying up in Alaska anyway, and it didn’t work out….

LEVINE: But a prime time spot?

PRIEBUS: I don’t what you mean by prime time, but I can tell you between 8pm and…

LEVINE: You know, when everyone is watching TV

PRIEBUS: Yeah, between 8pm and 11 at night, I think that’s a prime time spot. Yeah. It wasn’t at 7 o’clock or 4 in the afternoon. I can promise you that. It was a time when all the delegates would be in the hall and everyone would be there attentive and ready for the evening of major speakers. Yeah.

Something here doesn’t pass the smell test. I can’t imagine that Sarah would rather be in Alaska during the time of the Republican National Convention, if she had an opportunity to further her small government, integrity-driven government agenda. In fact, I can’t imagine she would not want be at the Convention, but I don’t think a 10pm or 11 pm speaking slot can be considered desirable or an appropriate offer, if that was the offer.

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As highlighted by Ask Marion and by Constitution Daily Palin has rented a hotel space in Tampa during the Convention time, so maybe she is not staying in Alaska. I can’t imagine that she will, but then I can’t imagine that she wasn’t offered one of the best spots on RNC speaking roster.

Stay tuned…

Palin Not Speaking at GOP Convention in Tampa… Huge Disappointment to Many – Mistake or Smart by Romney Campaign?

Palin Derangement Syndrome Continues

Romney-Ryan: America’s New Dream Team and a Clear Choice

Vice President Joe Biden will be in Tampa as the GOP Convention Opens, another sign of how desperate the Obama campaign is. It has always been tradition that the opposite party stay out of the limelight while the other party has their convention. I guess this move leaves it wide open for the Romney and Ryan to campaign during the Dem’s Convention. Greg Gutfeld of The Five commented that perhaps the Dems are sending Biden to the GOP Convention on purpose and telling him that it is theirs, hoping he will think he has already attended the DNC Convention and misses it thereby cutting the chance of more Biden gaffes.

The Blaze: Three Notable Snubs From the GOP Convention

FOX News announces GOP convention coverage schedule

Official website of the 2012 Republican National Convention

One GOP Convention Session to be Themed “We Built That”

This article/campaign is absolutely not an anti-Romney-Ryan piece… They are the right team for the times, certainly compared to the alternative, but they would be helping themselves and the party in letting Sarah Palin speak!