Posted on 05/30/2013 9:22:36 PM PDT by Bratch
A very persistent Republic High School senior with an odd fascination for Sarah Palin managed to convince the sassy caribou-skinning gal from Wasilla to bring her show or what little is left of it to the tiny Eastern Washington town of Republic.
If you havent heard, Palin, whose boundless anti-intellectualism can still leave one breathless, will deliver the commencement address to the schools graduating class of 26 on Saturday afternoon. Each graduate has been given 20 tickets to distribute, which should guarantee that the 700-person capacity gym will be pleasantly stuffed.
Still, to a large extent, Palins visit has drawn a rather ho-hum reaction from the 1,073 folks who populate this old gold mining town in Ferry County.
I havent heard much about it all, or anyone really talking about it says Alice Barnes, bartender at Madonnas, a bar and grill on Main Street.
I dont think theres that much going on, other than her going to talk at the school. Weve been left completely out of the loop of this, sniffs Jim Milner, director of the towns chamber of commerce. Weve been working on our annual Prospector Days celebration next weekend. That will be a lot bigger deal than this.
Palins star-power is barely a glimmer these a days. Weve had no requests from anyone in the national media, notes Republic High principal Shawn Anderson, whos coordinating the event. Indeed, its been a long, strange journey for the one-time governor Alaska who John McCain recklessly plucked out of obscurity to jump-start his moribund campaign in 2008.
Since losing the election, Palin has frittered about: Up and quitting her post as governor, buying a lavish $1.7 million home in Scottsdale, writing a memoir Going Rogue: An American Life, working three years as a paid contributor to FOX, forming her own SarahPAC, and endorsing such mustard gas oozing conservatives as Christine (I am not a witch ) ODonnell.
Occasionally, shell speak for a handsome fee, of course at various right-wing shindigs where nary a prying reporter is allowed to ask those darn Gotcha questions such as What newspapers do you read? At a recent meeting of the Conservative Political Action Committee, Palin demonstrated that cheery vulgarity weve grown to love her for, Todds got the rifle, Ive got the rack.
And now, Palin, the poor darling with presumably with nothing much better to do, other than taking in a some playoff basketball -- she sat courtside at Sundays Heat-Pacers game is on to Republic, eager to capture the hearts and minds of 26 graduates.
How did this all come to be?
Seems this 17-year-old kid named Tyler Weyer, the class president, has long held this fixation about Palin. So when the school year began, and fellow seniors began to ponder potential commencement speakers, Weyer, recalls principal Anderson, said, Hey, what about Sarah Palin? And everyone liked the idea.
Weyer, who plans to attend Wenatchee Community College next fall and transfer to WSU to study political science, typed up a invitation, had it put on school letterhead, and sent it to Palins parents.
Hes a real politician at heart, says Anderson, and hes a conservative. Palin is kind of his idol.
In early April, when nothing had come of the letter to Palins parents, Weyer organized a class picture, with everyone wearing their class sweatshirts and posed behind a banner that read: We Want You! Governor Palin! They posted the photo on Facebook.
As the Spokesman Review reports, As word of the Class of 13s efforts spread, people began lobbying Palin directly, via Facebook and other ways. Weyer said that Palin has some relatives living in the Republic area, which might have helped bring their efforts some attention, and Palin herself was born not far away in Sandpoint, where her parents have a long history.
Whatever it was, something finally broke through. As Weyer put it, the right word got to the right people...
On April 18, Weyer and school officials had the phone call with Palins representative and learned that Palin would be coming to graduation.
It was worth a million dollars to see the look on (Weyers) face, Anderson said.
Anderson tells Seattle Weekly that Palins schedulers have been keeping her travel plans fairly confidential.
Shell probably fly into Spokane and then driver here (a two-and-a-half hour drive). I know shes not going to stay overnight. I am hoping, though, that shell have a little time to address all the (113 Republic High School) students before the speech, but I dont know.
Asked if this was the biggest thing hes ever seen during his ten years in Republic, Anderson replies, No, probably the biggest thing was when the Tigers won the state championship in 2003-2004. We were state champs in the 2B Division.
Later, Anderson adds wistfully, Do you remember who spoke at your high school graduation? No, I dont remember either. I just hope this is something theyll remember for the rest of their lives.
Certainly, it will be forever cemented in the memory bank of Tyler Weyer, a life-long resident of this wooded hamlet. As for Sarah Palin, surely there will be the realization that it has come to this -- and wasnt it a long way down.
“Is this the guy?
Hey, what’s for dinner?”
A sack of sh*t
LOL, the Seattle Weekly...
It’s where failed Daily Collegian staffers go to die.
I think it is the guy, but I could be wrong. If it is the other guy well this guy was the one that came up on my search in yahoo.
There’s only one other political figure who consistently has more stories written about them than Sarah Palin since 2008 and he’s sitting in the executive mansion.
To add, this author, with his snotty, elitist condescention, is so laughably lame, he almost comes across as a parody. But that’s how these guys are... sneering, catty little metrosexual wimps. This piece just oozes. I’m sure his tiny handful of lisping readers are all nodding in approval, all blissfully unaware of what laughably pathetic dregs they all are. Just like the crazed PDS bloggers who sit around concocting ludicrous lies and smears towards that “nasty ole Palin” character, like children around a campfire.
Same here drag, but what is worse tho is that some of our own fellow FReepers(?) continue to slam her! I will never understand that!! As far I as I am concerned, Sarah Palin is a wonderful gift from the BIG MAN upstairs to us all! I am making the drive up, over and through the mountains to get to Republic Wa. early Sat. morn. in hopes of somehow getting a ticket to hear her speak. If no ticky, well it was worth the long scenic mountain drive! God bless Sarah and Todd Palin!!!
The way the Left treats Sarah Palin really reveals their deranged intolerance of anyone who doesn’t share their vision.
“Until today Ive never heard of the Seattle Weekly.”
I’m going to go out on a limb here and speculate that the vast majority of people have never heard of the Seattle Weekly.
Unlike Ellis Conklin, Sarah Palin actually has a Journalism Degree.
>> If you havent heard, Palin, whose boundless anti-intellectualism can still leave one breathless
Ellis E. Conklin, a person of ordinary IQ no doubt.
The writer has 126,000 results. Getting there.
I have. It is the free paper that can be found downtown in the “trendy” coffee shops. I have looked at it a few times at the local Chinese take-out joint. A few articles, mostly ads for massage parlors, clubs, and personal ads looking for long lasting and deep relationships with others interested in bondage.
Does the writer realize that he writes for a publication that only has 26 readers?
What a dweeb of a journalist.
He slams Sarah for speaking to a small town graduation ceremony.
What if she were to speak at a college in a major city like Seattle?
He would slam her for being out of her league.
No wonder traditional media is going extinct.
Who care what this imbecile thinks?
pathetic!
Ellis Conklin is such a smarmy, educated fool. I’ll bet he has almost no common sense.
How cool is this!?!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.