I loathe and detest Obama, but I will say that when he made his little campaign (photo op) stop in Baghdad in July 2008, he didn't mention President Bush or bash anything connected with the war.
He probably had to be cautioned about that prior to his visit, but he did refrain. This was billed as a standard senator visit, but we all had to go on lockdown while he was nearby, when we never even had to do that when the President was in town, let alone other senators.
Ah, so, Hussein was allowed speech time but a soldier's mom can't so much as personalize a book to a soldier or pose for a picture.
He was campaigning as usual and got away with it because he was there supposedly as a U.S. senator. Nevertheless, it was a political appearance.
Palin should speak right outside the base gates.