Huckleberries Online

High Noon: Waiting For Palin

Posted by DFO

Dec. 3, 2009 11:57 a.m. • 64 comments

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin signs a copy of “Going Rogue” during a book signing event at a Sam’s Club earlier today in Fayetteville, Ark. (AP Photo/Beth Hall)

Question: A Fred Meyer representative told The Spokesman-Review last week that Sarah Palin won’t grant interviews to the media when she conducts a book-signing at Fred Meyers in Coeur d’Alene next Thursday. A pool photo shoot will be allowed. So you’ll have to buy a book and wait in line to ask a question of the former vice presidential candidate. Can you think of a question you’d ask, in 20 words or less?

64 comments on this post so far. Add yours!

PatrickH on December 03 at 12:03 p.m.
Since she is clearly running for President I’d like to know why we should trust her to stay in office when she stepped down as Gov. once she started getting attacked by her oposition.
Joker on December 03 at 12:08 p.m.
Do you think public high schools should make condoms available to their students?
spokelooneh on December 03 at 12:08 p.m.
What on-line media do you read besides The Drudge Report and Kill The Muslims First Before They Kill Us?
Sisyphus on December 03 at 12:09 p.m.
Do you avoid the media because of hard hitting questions like acknowledging what newspapers you read?
Phaedrus on December 03 at 12:10 p.m.
Ask her why she is avoiding the press.

The few media outlets that did manage to gain access to the speech did so by using one of the free tickets given away to the public, and the college asked they not report on Palin’s address.

“I can’t take their tickets and ask them to leave, but we have asked them (local reporters) not to (attend),” said College of the Ozarks spokeswoman Elizabeth Andrews.

http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/12/03/palin-book-tour-host-requ_n_378354.html
Sisyphus on December 03 at 12:12 p.m.
In a broad and long-term sense, would you have responded differently to the attacks of 9/11?
PatrickH on December 03 at 12:12 p.m.
What kind of glasses do you use that make you able to see Russia from your back yard?
Sisyphus on December 03 at 12:12 p.m.
What’s the difference between a Sunni and a Shiite?
Cindy_H on December 03 at 12:12 p.m.
Where do you buy your lipstick?
Sisyphus on December 03 at 12:13 p.m.
Nearly 40 percent of the world’s population lives in China and India. Who are those countries’ leaders?
Sisyphus on December 03 at 12:13 p.m.
Do you support the U.S.-India Civil Nuclear Agreement, which would lift restrictions on sales of nuclear technology and fuel to India, a country which hasn’t signed the Non-Proliferation Treaty?
Sisyphus on December 03 at 12:14 p.m.
What do you think will be the most defining foreign-policy issue in the next five years?
Sisyphus on December 03 at 12:15 p.m.
How much oil needs to be found in the United States before the country achieves energy independence?
DFO on December 03 at 12:15 p.m.
How can someone who embraces family values let a person like Levi Johnston, who’s as dumb as a box of rocks and as horny as your average male teen-ager, anywhere near your under-aged daughter?
Sisyphus on December 03 at 12:15 p.m.
Which U.S. political thinkers, writers, and politicians would you enlist to advise you on matters of foreign policy and why?
Cindy_H on December 03 at 12:17 p.m.
Geez. I hope I don’t have to stand in line behind Sis!
BethB on December 03 at 12:19 p.m.
Ah, DFO. That last one likely could be asked of all kinds of parents everywhere. The reasons for teenager choices, and the inability of adults to do much to influence those choices, are mysteries to us all.
BethB on December 03 at 12:20 p.m.
LOL, Cindy. Though Sis is asking good questions. And I like Phaedrus’ question too - why avoid the press?
DFO on December 03 at 12:24 p.m.
I can see Palin excluding the media at other places. But here? After all, she’s from here in a ways, having been born in Sandpoint and attending school in North Idaho College and University of Idaho. You’d think she’d like to address questions re: her old neck of the woods. Where she stands on most matters and her national celebrity has been covered ad nauseum. It’d be interesting to hear her tales of life as a student in North Idaho. Seems you don’t have time for the local media, once you’ve appeared on Oprah.
scootermom on December 03 at 12:25 p.m.
Have you found Waldo?
Joker on December 03 at 12:27 p.m.
Another question, “Aren’t you glad you lost?”
Joker on December 03 at 12:27 p.m.
Another question, “Aren’t you glad you lost?”
Fixer on December 03 at 12:29 p.m.
What is your greatest weakness, and how may I best exploit it to hasten your political demise?
Sisyphus on December 03 at 12:30 p.m.
Agreed Dave. I thought you’d have that take. She’s carefully choosing the locale’s for her signings in friendly territory to maximize the marketing. Not sure why she’s eschewing local media. Seems counter intuitive. The only conclusion I can draw is that there’s too much downside in opening her mouth on camera.
BlueinIdaho on December 03 at 12:30 p.m.
Will you run for president of Alaska when it succeeds from the union?
BlueinIdaho on December 03 at 12:30 p.m.
And, yes, I know I spelled it wrong…
Fixer on December 03 at 12:31 p.m.
Did you notice that someone inadvertently placed “Going Rogue” in the non-fiction section?
Fixer on December 03 at 12:36 p.m.
Is the word pronounced “nuc-u-lar” or “nu-cle-ar”?
florined on December 03 at 12:39 p.m.
When she was introduced as a VP candidate, my question was, “Do you understand what your ambition will bring down on your daughter?”

Yeah, yeah, I know that’s judgemental. So be it.
Sisyphus on December 03 at 12:41 p.m.
Dave you aren’t the only one with restricted access.

http://www.swamppolitics.com/news/politics/blog/2009/12/palins_englishonly_bookstop_mi.html

Maybe its that hot Portuguese blood she’s afraid of.
spokelooneh on December 03 at 12:43 p.m.
Are you aware of the alternative meaning of Going Rogue? Have you ever looked at the Urban Dictionary?
Sisyphus on December 03 at 12:52 p.m.
Now you did it, spoker. Now we can’t refer to this OR teabaggers.
BlueinIdaho on December 03 at 1:18 p.m.
Can you be both a teabagger and going rogue? Probably not at the same time….
markr on December 03 at 1:19 p.m.
1. Why would someone who claims/promotes honesty and transparency avoid using their state-provided email system (and instead use a Yahoo account? really?) to avoid the possibility of being subpoenaed?

2. Why are you pretending this is a bus tour when the bus is just picking you up at local airports?
Phaedrus on December 03 at 1:52 p.m.
Can we see Trig’s birth certificate?
BlueinIdaho on December 03 at 1:58 p.m.
Phaedrus is a birther!! :p
DFO on December 03 at 2:07 p.m.
@ Sis re: “Now you did it, spoker. Now we can’t refer to this OR teabaggers.”

You guys make my brain hurt sometimes.
DFO on December 03 at 2:29 p.m.
There seems to be another issue in play re: “tea bags” and “going rogue” — Republicans seem to be hijacking erotic slang terminology to describe their movements and books. Don’t they run these things through Google/Urban Dictionary to make sure that everything’s copasetic? Then, there’s Larry Craig. Something’s happening here. What it is ain’t exactly clear. Just sayin’. BTW, I didn’t know the slang definitions of “going rogue” until today. Alas, I can’t erase the tape.
otisgexperience on December 03 at 2:30 p.m.
Here’s a great video of people being interviewed at a Palin book signing.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mKKKgua7wQk
Cindy_H on December 03 at 2:45 p.m.
@DFO Having learned my lesson the other day, I refuse to look anything else up in the Urban Dictionary. I’ll just take your word for it.
Cindy_H on December 03 at 2:46 p.m.
((otisg)) How are you feeling?
Sisyphus on December 03 at 2:55 p.m.
Good to see you Otisg. I posted that on my blog last week under the heading Palin-topia.
OrangeTV on December 03 at 3:00 p.m.
She’s probably avoiding local media because she’s read the CDA Press and knows what a poorly written fluff piece they’d come up with.

My question for Sarah:

Your college roommate was gay and you’ve stated that you have several gay close friends. During the campaign you were quoted as saying “I would be tolerant of adults in America choosing their partners, choosing relationships that they deem best for themselves.” How would you plan to be tolerant in allowing people to choose their relationships, without giving them the necessary legal protections to make sure that they can enter their partner’s hospital room, or collect benefits after a partner dies?
BlueinIdaho on December 03 at 3:05 p.m.
After watching that youtube video, I’d like to change my question. If I were actually standing in line with a purchased book in my hand waiting for her to sign it, I guess I would have to ask her:

How did each one of us have a frontal lobotomy performed on us without knowing it?
Phaedrus on December 03 at 3:06 p.m.
OTV, she meant to say, “I would be tolerant of heterosexual adults in America choosing their partners, choosing relationships that they deem best for themselves.” “Everyone else I’d burn at the stake.”
OfCoffee on December 03 at 3:27 p.m.
1. Sarah - aren’t you glad you don’t have to deal with pseudo-intellectuals who want to be cool and ask questions that they didn’t the answers to themselves until they looked it up in Wikipedia just before posting those questions on some blog somewhere?

2. Sarah - how do you feel about the fact that you have had such a very successful career as both a public official and now as an author; and how do you feel about the positive example that you now play within the conservative movement in America?

3. Sarah - how about those Vandals? (Remember the Kibby Dome renovation project once those book royalties come rolling in.)
Sisyphus on December 03 at 3:38 p.m.
Well I reckon you’re not in a tank of koolaid. I’m sure most people hope ANYONE running for president can answer those questions.

Its ‘Kibbie’. But I’m sure her VAST experience at the school wouldn’t be of help in spelling it either. Do you remember her OfC. I sure don’t.
Arpie on December 03 at 3:41 p.m.
I sure hope the Spokesman isn’t just listening to the Fred Myer and rolling over. It might be time to hire Taryn as a stringer. She’d get the interview and it would be a great read.

Her coming to Sandpoint is going to be a good story. She’s doing the signing in the Events Center which is inside the school where her dad taught.
Phaedrus on December 03 at 3:53 p.m.
a very successful career as both a public official and now as an author;
OfC

Well, being mayor of a town of 6,500 folks and then quitting your job as governor half-way through your term might be considered “very successful”, but only if you have low expectations.And to be an author you actually have to write something.
hmoffsuite on December 03 at 4:01 p.m.
Otv. >>> ” without giving them the necessary legal protections to make sure that they can enter their partner’s hospital room, or collect benefits after a partner dies?”

The legal protections are already there. Living will and LLC with powers of attorney. Or, do you mean government benefits like survivors and stuff?
spokelooneh on December 03 at 4:06 p.m.
Sarah was extraordinarily successful in securing federal pork money for both Wasilla and her welfare state.
Sisyphus on December 03 at 4:15 p.m.
hmoff’s right Orange. Overcoming government obstacles has been lucrative for my practice. And you’re missing dozens of other legal rights heteros are allowed to take for granted, like that married filing jointly thing. Sorry I can’t do anything about that.
hmoffsuite on December 03 at 4:23 p.m.
Sis. The only think I can think of that might be in jeopardy with regard to these benefits would be soc sec survivors to spouse. And, that should be allowed through a one time designation to another party, imo.
idawa on December 03 at 4:30 p.m.
ha - this discussion reminds me of my bar prep class. WA, like Idaho, is a community property state and this fact impacts nearly every area of the law including contract, property, partnerships, corporations, insurance, etc … so much so, that our instructors told us that if we blank on ANY question (no matter the topic) just start talking about community property because it might get you points. So, HMO, at least in WA and Idaho and the other 7 states, being ‘married’ goes beyond merely seeing your dead spouse and benefits.
Sisyphus on December 03 at 4:38 p.m.
“imo”—the problem with you using that acronym is that you’ve utterly failed to establish anywhere that it means anything.
hmoffsuite on December 03 at 4:41 p.m.
Idawa >> “So, HMO, at least in WA and Idaho and the other 7 states, being ‘married’ goes beyond merely seeing your dead spouse and benefits.”

What else can’t be handled legally?

” this fact impacts nearly every area of the law including contract, property, partnerships, corporations, insurance, etc ”

It seems to me all of those issues can be very effectively dealt with using a smart attorney. Community property or not. (Sometimes you have to get rather ‘creative’)
hmoffsuite on December 03 at 4:43 p.m.
Sis. I use imo so it is understood that it is not fact. Just my humble, considered, wise opinion.
Sisyphus on December 03 at 4:51 p.m.
Why should they have to hire an attorney? Did you have to for any of that? But thanks for making the equal protection case. Those blacks in the south only had to secure their freedom by doing good work and making sure that their owner remembered them in their will. Oh and secured passage to a “free” state. Sheesh. And the civil war solved all that anyway. There was never any reason for the Civil Rights Act of 1964. /sarcasm
factchecker on December 03 at 4:52 p.m.
So Sarah, why would you expect than anyone would vote for someone for President who is not real bright, a quitter, a whiner and whose husband thinks Alaska should secede from the Union?
hmoffsuite on December 03 at 5:02 p.m.
Sis >> “Why should they have to hire an attorney? Did you have to for any of that?”

Of course I did. I would think you would agree that all I’s be dotted and all t’s crossed. Much of that sort of stuff pertains to estate planning, etc. and needs to be done. In particular, I think a living will is important.
lbbnjsharpe on December 03 at 5:14 p.m.
Sarah;
Employees have been fired at Freds for “one honest mistake”.
(so they say - Hum, anybody else thinking what I’m thinking?)
You are the US poster person for so called “Honest Mistakes”.

Bill
Phaedrus on December 03 at 10:48 p.m.
Sarah Palin Goes ‘Birther’: Obama Birth Certificate ‘A Fair Question’

“Sarah Palin declared on Thursday that the legitimacy of President Obama’s birth certificate is “rightfully” an issue with the American public, and that it is “fair game” for politicians to question Obama’s citizenship”

God, please tell me when her 15 minutes are up? Thank you,
spokelooneh on December 03 at 11:15 p.m.
No no no, I LOVE the birthers, they’re crazier than, well, ahem, a loon!
Escapee on December 04 at 2:25 a.m.
I want to ask her two questions: “How long have you been certified INSANE?” and “When are you gonna get back on your broom and fly away?”

« Back to Huckleberries Online

You must be logged in to post comments.
Please create a profile or log in here.

About this blog

D.F. Oliveria is a columnist and blogger for The Spokesman-Review. Huckleberries Online was judged the best 2008 Idaho newspaper blog by the Idaho Press Club. And the best 2007 news blog in the Pacific Northwest by the Society for Professional Journalist. Print Huckleberries is a past winner of the Herb Caen Memorial Column contest by the National Association of Newspaper Columnists. The Readership Institute of Northwestern University cited this blog as a good example of online community journalism.