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What's also known about the bus tour is that she'll kick it off at the Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally that starts at the Pentagon. But Ted Shpak, a director of the group, which brings attention to American troops who fought in wars, said Palin was never invited.
"We're not political. This is not a political event. Maybe she's coming because she knows we have half a million people coming," Shpak told MSNBC. "We're not endorsing anybody and she's not speaking on our stage."
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Before anyone jumps on Ted Shpak, he's a good guy. I know him and have worked with him in the past. Rolling Thunder is a 501c3 and must stay out of electoral politics.
Knowing Ted, and knowing that the news about Sarah attending Rolling Thunder came right at the crunch time for putting the finishing touches on the event, I can see where getting deluged with phone calls would be a distraction.
I'm sure Sarah Palin will be well received by the vets as a Blue Star mom and big supporter of the troops, as will her husband, Todd.
One benefit to Rolling Thunder is that this is bringing publicity to their cause of remembering POW/MIAs and issues concerning veterans.
(ABC News) - For the riders of Rolling Thunder, the news that Sarah Palin will participate in their national rally on Sunday came as a surprise. A welcome surprise. “I think that’s wonderful,” said Gerri Tramel, president of one of Rolling Thunder’s Tennessee chapters. “Anybody that’s involved — Republican, Democrat, independent, whatever — if you’re involved with our veterans, I think that’s wonderful. Not just Sarah Palin — anyone that’s a politician.” For more than 20 years, as many as half a million motorcycle riders from across the country have descended on Washington, D.C., during Memorial Day weekend to raise awareness about prisoners of war and those missing in action. Rolling Thunder announced Thursday that Palin accepted an invitation to participate in its May 29 rally. She’ll kick off her One Nation Tour the same day, a bus trip along the northeast coast that aims “to educate and energize Americans about our nation’s founding principles.” Asked how Palin came to be involved with the rally, Rolling Thunder spokeswoman Nancy Regg said, “I honestly don’t know.” “I’m not the person that invited her,” she said. “We send letters to people all the time and invite them. We invited her to ride, she has accepted and she and her husband have both agreed to ride for us.” Regardless of Palin’s political agenda — the “Will she or won’t she?” fervor over her potential presidential run reached new heights this week — the members of Rolling Thunder agreed her participation is a boon. “If she wants to support the troops, we’re all for it,” said Greg Benson, president of Rhode Island’s Rolling Thunder chapter.
Just like black churches, the unions, and Soros-front organizations stay out of electoral politics?
I am certain he does not need the frustration of leftwing media scum trying to make a story where non-exists.
that said, it is hard to deny that she has created attention to this event. I know for other motorcycle events other celebrities just show up and have fun for a cause. You never know who will be in the lines. is she going to be in the VIP section or will she be riding in the pack with the peeples.
I don’t think there’s ever been a more polarizing figure than Sarah Palin.
I understand it’s possible, but I find it hard to imagine anyone having strong feelings about her that are not politically linked.
Born February 11, 1964 in Sandpoint, ID (Meets the Jus Soli Requirement)
Parents were
Charles R Heath, born in ID
Sarah Sheeran, born in WI
Both parents were US Citizens at the time of her birth (Meets the Jus Sanguinis Requirement)
Sarah Palin is a NATURAL BORN CITIZEN unlike Barry Soetoro aka Barack Hussein Obama.
They purposely misconstrued his words
As a 501c3 THE MUST REMAIN NON-POLITICAL
I hope a few of these motorcyclists dont take ‘offense’ at being used that way for political gain
Didn’t George Bush speak at one of these events; and didn’t Obama turn down an invitation to speak?
What’s the big deal if Sarah shows up?
While some organizers of Rolling Thunder, a veterans' motorcycle rally in Washington this weekend, are a bit nonplussed by Sarah Palin's plans to attend, she's not going uninvited: Palin will be the guest of an Alaska veterans group, according to a top Rolling Thunder official.
"An invitation had been extended to governor and she accepted," said the group's National Parliamentarian, Mike De Paulo. "She was not invited to speak -- she wass invited to participate. She wanted to experience the run and see who we are and what we're about."
De Paulo said she'd been invited by an Alaska veteran leader, and a Palin staffer forwarded an email confirming that.
"The invitation is still open for her to ride and speak at the Rolling Thunder event," Joseph N. Fields III, the Chair of the State of Alaska Veterans Advisory Council wrote Palin in one email, dated May 13.
The orignal anouncment:
The former Alaska governor, who is the subject of a lot of overheated speculation about whether she will run for president in 2012, has accepted an invitation to participate in the annual Rolling Thunder memorial ride this Sunday, an official says.
“As far as I know, she is trying to rent a motorcycle, so she can ride with her husband,” said Nancy Regg, a spokeswoman for Rolling Thunder.
Gregg says the tentative plan is for Palin to join up with the ride at the Pentagon at 7 a.m. The ride kicks off at noon, and hundreds of bikers will snake through D.C. to the event’s main stage, which will be between the Reflecting Pool and the Korean War Veterans Memorial on the Mall. The program is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m.
Gregg said Palin is currently not scheduled to speak at the event and watchers should not expect any type of “political statement” from Palin during Rolling Thunder.
I’m betting a bunch of libtards starting the phone ringing off the hook...
So now we have two “official” statements from Rolling thunder reps....she was invited...she was not...
Clearly.....Someone....is lying...
Bumping for later reference.
Andrea Mitchell’s an implied threat. The story can be Sarah invited herself or Rolling Thunder is acting against the law and could lose it’s 501C3 status.
People need to chill. It has already come out earlier that she would not speak politics at this event. It is supposedly a non political event.
They don’t seem to be uneasy about her participation, they are just uneasy about people attaching it to the bus tour and politics or an endorsement.
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Organizers of Rolling Thunder say their guest speakers are Defense Secretary Robert Gates and Adm. Mike Mullen, chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
Palin's representatives say they were invited to Rolling Thunder - by a former board member who is emceeing the event.
Mike DePaulo tells NBC News he had a standing offer for her to ride with them from the Pentagon across the bridge to D.C. - and that he got a call from what he called "the Palin campaign" on Wednesday to see if they could take him up on it. He coordinated it with a friend of his, Joe Fields, of the Alaska Veterans' Advisory Council, who had worked with Palin when she was governor.
A spokeswoman for Rolling Thunder says they frequently invite celebrity guests to ride with them.
DePaulo says he has a permit for the Palin bus to be parked on Henry Bacon Drive near the Lincoln Memorial. He acknowledges he didnt tell current leaders of the organization that she was coming, since they were already on the road.
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“Before anyone jumps on Ted Shpak, he’s a good guy. I know him and have worked with him in the past. Rolling Thunder is a 501c3 and must stay out of electoral politics.”
Getting on PSMSNBC with that twit Andrea Mitchell to make his cheap shot against Palin belies your defense of him.
Thanks for the perspective and sanity.