December 3, 2009 12:47 PM

Sarah Palin Attempts to Limit Press do Little

By
Stephanie Condon
Topics
Republicans
(AP)
Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has granted the media limited access to her public appearances since stepping down from public office, but that does not seem to be muting the attention she is paid.

Palin on Wednesday drew thousands of supporters to a Borders bookstore in Springfield, Missouri, where she shook hands with people who waited outside for her in the bitter cold. She took no questions from reporters at the book signing, reports the Associated Press, which was relegated to a roped-off area inside the store.

The politician also reportedly tried to keep her fans from making any attempts at citizen journalism: Despite shaking hands with people, Palin did not talk about politics with them, the AP reports. Attendees were banned from carrying cell phones or cameras and were not granted personalized signatures for their books.

The media was barred from Palin's speaking engagement at the College of the Ozarks that followed the book signing, but reporters from the Springfield News-Leader and other local media outlets managed to snag a few of the 4,000 free tickets allotted to the event before they quickly disappeared.

The 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate was the keynote speaker during a convocation at the college honoring World War II veterans and others. Palin was the inaugural recipient of the college's "Great American" award for her contributions to promoting patriotism, College of the Ozarks President Jerry Davis said, according to the News-Leader.

Palin reportedly told the crowd she is moving on "in the battle with new strategy" and repeated her assertion that she doesn't need an official "title to effect positive change" in the country. Regularly eliciting applause from the audience, she said the nation should return to its "pioneering values" of hard work, independence and taking care of your neighbors.

"History and common sense tells us that when government tries to take care of us, it ends up robbing us of our ability to help ourselves," Palin said.

Add a Comment See all 41 Comments
by eimorfin December 6, 2009 6:28 PM EST
Seriously, she is one who is underestimated but lets not forget whos powerful voice was heard during the Health care debate bringing out truth and halting the ignorance of congress and this so called "Smartest President Ever"....lol, Obama is the JOKE!!!! He recognizes her as a threat because she is real and have MILLIONS behind her...THANK YOU PALIN FOR GIVING US HOPE IN THESE DARK DAYS OF OBAMASTUPIDITY!!!
Reply to this comment
by swagner863 December 6, 2009 7:51 PM EST
I totally agree with this comment.
I keep coming back to the Newsweek cover and analogy to "The Sound of Music". Mother superior did ask the question "How do you solve a problem like Maria." However, Maria evolved to fix a dysfunctional family and save it from evil. Newsweek may have unwittingly written America's FlashForward.
by RespectMichael December 6, 2009 1:54 PM EST
Are you aware that Palin's approval rating is the same as Obama's..except her's is on the rise..while is is going down.Where's the media on that.
Reply to this comment
by Susanmg December 6, 2009 11:09 PM EST
He is making decisions regarding wars, health care, and the economy. Of course his numbers are going down. Hers are up because she is shaking hands, charging for photos, and blasting the Dems every chance she gets, which pleases conservatives to no end. She is not making policy decisions, and when she speaks out and lies about things she supported in Alaska (death panels) she causes confusion and delays. What exactly has she done in the last year to make this country a better place to live? Has she helped the economy, other than raised millions for herself? Has she made any positive contribution to foreign policy? No, she went to China and blasted American policy. Has she reached out to any foreign country in friendship? Has she renounced her family's ties to the Alaska secessionists? Has she ever once admitted that she lied about anything...including her record in Alaska? The silence is deafening...
by RespectMichael December 6, 2009 1:41 PM EST
The AP assigned 9 fact checkers to her book, to use an Obama favorite term .."unprecedented"..No fact checkers on Obama's books..what are they so afraid of?Yet they didn't report on Van Jones, or our POTUS relationships..
Reply to this comment
by RespectMichael December 6, 2009 1:32 PM EST
Yes as the idiot Democrats put together a sloppy healthcare plan, just to give Obama a victory which will increase the cost of healthcare premiums by 54% for 85% of the people who have coverage, strip Medicare(which government has run poorly with all the fraud, do you really think they'll run this any better, then you are a total fool),remove home health care, cheaper than a hospital, and give seniors pills(Obamas words) instead of procedures that would extend their life..look at what the idiots did with mammograms..that's just a taste of whats to come..this will force people on a lousy government plan because premiums will be so high..do you get it yet? So all 85% will suffer for 15%..They have Medicaid to take care of them now..why not revise Medicaid coverage to make it a better program and force insurance companies to compete across state lines..that will bring down costs for those that have insurance and take care of those that don't..why? Democrats want socialism/communism..that's why.

Obvious..these brilliant dems are more concerned about Palin, than issues that actually effect us..goes to shopw u their intellectual abilities.
Reply to this comment
by ReaganTMan December 6, 2009 12:21 PM EST
There are certain agreements that authors have with publishers. Many times, taking pictures at book signings are covered under copyright agreements. Publishers usually charge for the rights to pictures. It also allows publishers and authors to control what is being shown about their product. If they are advertising a product and want it to be presented to the public in a certain way, this is why they do that. This is not unique to Sarah Palin.

Also, not personalizing autographs is Sarah's way of allowing more of her followers access to her book signings. She doesn't personalize because it saves time, not because she's some kind of a meanie. She is in a contract with Harper Collins to sell books. The more books she sells, the more money HP (and her of course) make. If she and HP can operate their business in a more profitable way AND see more fans, what could possibly be wrong with that (unless you're a socialist)?

It's a shame that the media takes what are routine things and spins them on Sarah Palin.

As for Sarah Palin limiting media exposure to her, good. You guys deserve it after the way you treated her. The media is in business to make money presenting the news, not twisting it. With any candidate, celebrity or sports figure, it is normal to reward the media when they do their job properly and to punish them by limiting access when they don't.

Stop whining.

And is there a source that says Sarah specifically prohibits her followers from talking politics with her? I was thinking yesterday that I should have held up all the people behind me on line and spend an hour with Sarah discussing the falling dollar while I was at the table.

There were 2000 people in Fairfax yesterday. Not one bellyached about any of this stuff. Her followers know the deal and are very respectful of Sarah Palin's time.
Reply to this comment
by RespectMichael December 6, 2009 1:49 PM EST
The media has twisted/spun so many things about Palin..The thing is, they have done it so outrageously, that anyone with a brain knows now that u cannot believe them at all. You don't get truth from CBS (they still have links to the story that Trig is not her son..That's journalism?)The AP assigns 9 fact checkers to her book, something they haven't done in years..you don't have to guess that these organizations have an agenda..when they get constant emails from the WH promoting this corrupt POTUS>
by Susanmg December 6, 2009 11:16 PM EST
Has it occurred to you that she has limited media access to conservative hosts because she cannot hold her ground when confronted with actual questions about history, government, her record? She does not want a repeat of the Couric interview, and thus is avoiding anyone who might ask her a question not on the approved list. IF she decides to run, she will be humiliated at the first Republican debate. The gloves will be off, when there are 7 or 8 legitimate candidates vying for Republican votes. Her wink and misdirection will work for about five minutes.
by Susanmg December 6, 2009 9:49 AM EST
So zoomguy, I guess you want Obama to live under a bridge with the homeless vets in Washington, travel by horse and buggy or better yet, walk, to his speaking commitments, slam Pelosi (who never wanted the big jet to fly home, by the way, check your facts!), never host a dinner for a visiting dignitary (Bush only had a couple because he alienated the world, remember?) and keep his nose to the grindstone. Well, he is, and he is slowly turning the economy around, not that you'll ever give him an iota of credit for that. I am unhappy about sending more troops anywhere...bring them home and stop wasting money on wars we cannot win, ever. But the Republicans of course support this wasteful spending. Send trillions abroad, but never, ever, OK a billion dollars for our own people's welfare. But you and Palin are not at all hypocrites.
Reply to this comment
by knowyourprez December 7, 2009 11:06 AM EST
I am sure that you think you are insulting with the Carter comment but it shows how little you understand a president that chooses the right over popularity and playing to the lowest common denominator to win an election. Follow this simple logic chain if your small mind allows you.
Carter knew the Middle East. He pushed hard for a solar energy program, including the solar panels on the White House. Had he been re-elected instead of the dim witted Reagan, the program would have made us independent of the Middle Eastern oil. They would never had had the funds for an operation like 9-11. Palin is an expert on energy policy much in the same whey that Reagan was. Reagan gave Bin Laden the means for 9-11. On a different topic, did you ever overlay maps of the states with the lowest IQ, Palin's Book Tour and the Red States? It is hard to tell them apart.
by hotrodzoomguy December 6, 2009 8:27 AM EST
Although Pres Bush was a little to liberal fiscally for my taste, I'd take him back in a heartbeat over the lefty we have now. Jimmy Carter must be proud.
Reply to this comment
by hotrodzoomguy December 5, 2009 10:37 PM EST
If only you libs knew how lame you sound. With the help of the ignorant ill-informed electorate you elected a marxist who wants nothing better than to turn this country into a Government run Socialist Society. Obama, the best example of hypocricy I've seen since well Nancy Pelosi, Al Gore and John Kerry. State dinners private jets, mansions, but the rest of us really need to sacrifice while these educated idiots run our country into the ground by ruunung up the National Debt, socializing medical care, and not to mention trying to running what business we have left out of the country by a stupid cap and trade bill based on science that turns out to be fabricated. Yep Sarah Palin didn't go to Harvard thank God, isn't a Washington elitist, and is excersing her legal rights to earn a living and express her views against a Federal Government that has run amuck in just 10 months. Why don't you partisans quit worrying about this private citizen and take a look at what your Government is doing to your country. Sarah Palin can't introduce legislation. can't sign any executive orders or even cast a vote infavor or against any legislation right now. Sarah Palin would be a refreshing change from what we have now. You betcha!!
Reply to this comment
by MOInkslinger December 5, 2009 9:16 AM EST
Sarah Palin is just one of the people. While she may be more beautiful than the average American, she is no smarter, no better qualified and no better educated than the people flocking to her book signings. Having quit her last two jobs in midstream, she probably has less work ethic than the average American. However, she has found a way to repeatedly pass the collection plate around her loyal followers by book sales, photo sales, Alaska Trust Fund contributions, SarahPAC, and Sarah's Rogues. No doubt, this will be followed by countless other schemes for a transfer of wealth from the pockets of her average American followers to Sarah's bank account.
Reply to this comment
by RespectMichael December 6, 2009 1:51 PM EST
The same came be said about Obama..and he looks like a black Howdy Doody.
by swagner863 December 6, 2009 8:01 PM EST
I am happy that Palin bothers you. If you want to discuss lack of qualifications, there is no better example of this subject than the Man Boy an uniformed base voted to the presidency. He knows nothing about business and little about being a lawyer. He is a habitual politician stuck in campaign mode. He is a joke!
by ericmiami December 5, 2009 8:10 AM EST
Thanks for so ably illustrating my point, maxcoffee.
Reply to this comment
See all 41 Comments
.

Follow Political Hotsheet

Scroll Left
Scroll Right More »
CBS News on Facebook
  • Building You a Better Morning

  • CBS This Morning

    "CBS This Morning," anchored by Charlie Rose, Gayle King and Erica Hill, airs weekdays from 7 to 9 a.m. ET and at the same time in other time zones.
    Learn more...