By Gary P Jackson
No, this isn't a preview of Sarah Palin's first day in Office! [but it could be] No, this is just another day in the life of Sarah Palin as she raises money for charity and thrills the crowds.
As you know, the "big show" in town on Saturday was the White House Correspondent's Dinner, that annual "roast" of the president, or in Obama's case, love fest. The big news there was Obama going after Trump. Yawn. Low hanging fruit.
While the evening activities were certainly the focal point for those attending, the real buzz in town was Sarah Palin, who didn't even attend the event!
Sarah, Todd, Bristol, along with their hosts Greta Van Susteren and her husband John Coale were making the rounds though, and helping raise money for charity. Bristol did go to the "Nerd Prom" as those not invited to the Correspondent's Dinner are fond of calling it. She was the guest of People Magazine, as we reported she would be. Our friend Adrienne Ross was part of the crew as well. More on that in a bit.
The morning started off at the annual White House garden Brunch, hosted by Tammy Haddad. This charity event raises money to find a cure for children with epilepsy. This was Todd's second trip to the brunch, as he attended in 2009 as Greta's guest, while Sarah was in Alaska attending to the business of governing the state.
Speaking of Todd, the big talk was his newly shaven face. Of course this fueled speculation of an impending run by Sarah. Many seeing this as sign Todd will be spending a lot of time in warmer climates in the coming months. Or, it could just be he was sick of his trademark goatee.
From Politico's Patrick Gavin:
Make no mistake about it: The big star at Tammy Haddad's eighteenth annual garden brunch was not, say, Chace Crawford, Morgan Fairchild or Shaun White. The biggest head-turner was Sarah Palin, who attended the party with Fox News' s Greta Van Susteren. Palin was also accompanied by her husband, Todd, and daughter Bristol.
We had to ask: Why was the former Alaska governor, who has knocked the Georgetown cocktail party crowd in the past, at the brunch?
"The nice thing about this is we're doing this for a cause, for special needs, which, of course, is near and dear to my heart," Palin told POLITICO. "A nice social event combined with helping to raise awareness and funds for special needs. We're honored to be here."
And is Palin looking forward to bumping into Donald Trump, another of the weekend's most-buzzed-about guests, at some point?
"He's our buddy! We appreciate and respect Donald Trump," she said.
Once inside, guests of all stripes angled to get a picture with Palin, including astronaut Buzz Aldrin.
The hubbub was enough to cause one reporter to quip: "Look at all these reporters who typically rip her a new one mosey on up to her, desperate to get a photograph."
This trend of members of the lamestream media wanting to get next to Sarah would continue well into the night. More on that later, as well. .
L to R: Greta, David & Susan Axelrod [who have a special needs child] Sarah, Wendi & Rupert Murdoch [Lynn Sweet photo]
Next up on Sarah's list was the Heroes Among Us dinner she and Lila Rose headlined. The event celebrates mothers and raises money for pro-life causes. Sarah often speaks at these events nationwide.
WHCD? Palin chooses life.
BETHESDA, Md. - Sarah Palin boasted to a group of anti-abortion advocates Saturday that she had a chance to attend the White House Correspondents' Dinner - but chose to spend her time with them instead.
"The pro-life cause or White House Correspondents' Dinner? I choose life," Palin told a crowd of about 200 at a fundraiser for the anti-abortion advertising group Heroic Media.
Palin said journalism's nerd prom didn't have the same appeal for her as presidential hopefuls who attended, like Donald Trump, Newt Gingrich and Jon Huntsman. "You really see evidence of that influence out there of - you know - the celebrity, how the news is, and the political arena, and how it all kind of meshes together. That's what the White House Correspondents' Dinner is," she said.
So instead Palin spoke for more than 45 minutes at a "Jews for Sarah" gathering at a hotel here.
She never mentioned Israel during her remarks, but she stumped hard against Planned Parenthood and abortion rights advocates, encouraging her listeners to continue fighting for "positive pro-life messages" in the media.
"We're not going to be absent from that arena," she said. "I think we kind of want to infiltrate it. We want to get in there and affect that change."
Palin praised Heroic Media's advertising against abortion, on billboards, online and in social media. She also presented an award to Lila Rose, the videographer and activist who did a video sting operation against Planned Parenthood and worked with James O'Keefe on his sting against ACORN.
"Planned Parenthood doesn't empower women, or offer women who find themselves in less than ideal circumstances any kind of real choice," she said. "What they offer is not real choice or female health care."
Jewish Americas For Sarah Palin [Jews for Sarah] is a group of Conservative Jewish leaders headed by our friend Benyamin Korn. They have been strong supporters of Sarah and her policies. Make sure you check their website out.
After the event, Sarah and Todd went to the Vanity Fair/Bloomberg after-party for the White House crowd, at the French Ambassador's residence, where they caught back up with Bristol, Greta, and her husband John. From there it was over to the MSNBC [yes, you read that right, MSNBC] after-party, held at the Italian Embassy.
Just as it was with the morning brunch, as soon as people learned Sarah was at these events, the people who normally spend their time bashing her, fell all over themselves trying to spend time with her. Reading the reactions on Twitter last night was entertaining!
NBC's Andrea Mitchell, who's been know to lose her mind around Sarah anyway, tweeted:
@maddow now tending bar @msnbc party serving diet coke to @gretawire guest @sarahpalinusa really no joke
That would be MSNBC's anchor Rachel Maddow, who was taking a turn as bartender for the guests.
MSNBC anchor Rachel Maddow tends bar at WHCD after-party [Getty Images]
Felicia Sonmez, the Washington Post's political blogger reported through a series of tweets:
"@sarahpalinusa was at msnbc afterparty… Msnbc’s rachel maddow offered to make @sarahpalinusa a drink, & palin asked for a diet coke. Maddow brought 1 over a few mins later…Then both had a v pleasant exchange in which it sounded like r. maddow invited s. palin on the show 1 day and palin responded positively… palin was mobbed once guests realized she was there… Asked whether she’s running for potus, palin said a decision’s still a few months off and she’s still sizing up the field… She said she’s not satisfied yet with those who’ve already announced, but won’t make a decision until the summer. Also: family a big factor
MSNBC had their own version of events:
Greta Van Susteran ran off to find the guest bartender, MSNBC's Rachel Maddow, and procure the needed caffeiniated beverage.
Surely Maddow was happy to oblige, after the former vice presidential nominee said how much she "admires" the journalist.
"Your work ethic shines," she said to the MSNBC anchor.
An interesting admiration, to be sure. Earlier, while on the red carpet with her husband, Todd, Palin named Van Susteran as her choice for today's most influential journalist.
BTW, I agree with Sarah when it comes to Greta Van Susteren, no one is better. [Bill O'Reilly's massive ego hardest hit!]
Speaking of Greta, she has a nice report here.
The Huffington Post has a photo gallery up, including Sarah talking to Rachel Maddow. Check it all out here.
Emily Miller, Muckraker.... and Senior Editor of the Washington Times Editorial and Opinion pages. posted this photo, and said: "Best part of the night... Sarah Palin! She said I look pretty. I adore her"
Luke Russert posted this photo.
On Sunday Greta was still talking about how Sarah stole the entire show in D.C. Saturday night!
Governor Sarah Palin and the media (all of them!)
What is is about Governor Sarah Palin and the media? Last night she was in DC to give a speech and thus could not attend the White House Correspondents Dinner.
She DID go to two after parties to meet some people and catch up with her daughter Bristol who was in town for the dinner.
But what is fascinating to watch is how the media (all of them!) just can't get enough of Governor Sarah Palin. They were all taking pictures of her with themselves for souvenirs and writing about her. She was prominent in the Washington Post coverage, Politico and I think the New York Times. Her name and picture was everywhere!
With all the movie stars at the dinner, and big media and government names (Cabinet Secretaries and Senators etc.), whose picture does Vanity Fair show? You guessed it ...(and she was only at their after party and not the dinner!)
Read more here.
Uffda at Barbaric Thoughts put together a nice compilation of tweets and assorted cellphone cam photos. Check it out.
As I said earlier, our friend Adrienne Ross was also with the group. Adrienne is one of Sarah's long time supporters and one heck of a writer and Conservative advocate. Adrienne shares some photos with her readers, here's a couple:
Check out the rest of her photos, and her account of the day here. While you're there, make sure you bookmark her blog. It's essential reading.
My thoughts on all of this:
Once again, Sarah Palin shows she's fearless. Somehow I doubt any of the GOP show ponies would have the guts to dive right into the Washington liberal scene, or as Andrew Breitbart calls it, the Democrat Media Complex. Most especially if they had been treated the way this bunch has treated Sarah.
Of course, as violent union thugs were running wild in Wisconsin, Sarah Palin went right to Madison and took it too em. Took em all head on and stood with the American people.
I KNOW none of the Republican establishment would have the guts to do that!
But there's more to it, and this is what sets Sarah Palin apart from the crowd.
Not only did she go in support of a couple of great charities, and then have some fun and network a bit, at the after-parties, she was gracious while doing it.
She treated these people the way she'd want to be treated, not the way she has been treated by them. She was generous with her time, and had some long and serious conversations as well as just hanging out and having fun.
She spend a fair amount of time with the financial reporter from the New York Observer explaining why QE2 was dangerous. Freaked him out!
I'm reminded of something Sarah said last year during the heated election season: "We are going to stay happy and may we always be happy and may our enemies know it!"
Sarah Palin is a happy warrior, just like the great Ronald Reagan. Reagan had the same dynamic with the media as Sarah, and like her, always had the last laugh. I enjoyed that dynamic of the Reagan presidency very much. It's fun to have that sort of thing again.
Below are some photos from the day. Enjoy.
Sarah and Todd arriving at Saturday Brunch [Greta Van Susteren]
Russell Simmons, White House Correspondent April Ryan, and Sarah at Saturday Brunch [Greta Van Susteren]
Greta has more photos and coverage here:
Sarah on the red carpet at the MSNBC after-party. Does she go anywhere without at least one Blackberry? [Getty Images]
Bristol and Greta at the MSNBC after-party [Getty Images]
Bristol and Brooke Burke at White House Correspondents' Dinner {Reuters]
Sarah and Bristol at MSNBC after-party [Reuters]
Bristol, Molly McCann, Greta and her husband John Coale at Correspondents' Dinner cocktail party [Getty Images]
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