Camping out all night for Palin
December 5, 2009 by O.Kay Henderson · Leave a Comment
At 7 o’clock on Saturday night, I drove into the parking lot of the Barnes and Noble store in Sioux City and discovered a small group of hardy souls, ready to camp out all night in order to be first in line to get former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s autograph on her new book.
Cindy Rilling and Leisa Stapp of Moville, Iowa, arrived at 3 p.m. on Saturday afternoon and snagged the closest parking spot to the store’s front door. They’re equipped with layer upon layer of clothing, “sub-zero” sleeping bags, a propane heater and a small tent. “We’re so excited. We’re a little crazy anyway.” Rilling told me four hours later, when I arrived at 7 p.m. “We’re always up for a good time, an excuse to go out and do something.”
Why do this for Sarah Palin?
“She is me. Everything that she stands for. Standing up, being honest, no matter what anyone else thinks. I admire that. I always say, ‘When I grow up, I want to be like Sarah Palin,’” Rilling said, with a laugh. “Plus, we’re setting a really good example for our kids. We did not force them out tonight.”
Rilling’s 14-year-old son and Stapp’s 13-year-old son were standing nearby, but were bashful about speaking on tape. Rilling’s son described the night ahead as “something to do.” When I asked the other young man why he was there, he said, “Same,” and shrugged his shoulders as all four (mothers and sons) giggled. The boys, er, young men are destined to spend part of the night in the small tent that’s already set up in the parking space, surrounded by camp chairs.
Stapp hopes Palin runs for president in 2012. “Sarah Palin represents a movement,” she said, calling Palin “a grassroots, good conservative and she also represents to me going against a government that no longer represents its people…She is standing up and representing people whose voices have not been heard for a decade or more.”
Both women have been planning this literal night out for about six weeks, ever since they heard Palin would be signing books at this Sioux City bookstore.
The two women and their sons were not the first in line, however. That distinction was earned by 22-year-old Todd Sargeant of Lebanon, Ohio. That is not a typo. He is from Ohio, not Iowa, and he arrived in Sioux City, Iowa at 1 p.m. Saturday.
“I missed her in Cincinnati and this was the closest spot I could come to meet her,” Sargeant told me. Sargeant was sitting in a camp chair, clutching a green Barnes and Noble bag. Inside were two copies of “Going Rogue.”
“I think she’s an inspiration to so many people and it’s just an honor to be here to get to meet her,” Sargeant said. He, too, hopes Palin runs for president in 2012.
Sargeant may have to run in place himself this evening. He was not equipped with the kind of outdoor gear the team from Moville had. Sargeant is hoping he can stay warm with two coats and a blanket from his car.
Right now, at 8 p.m., the air temperature in Sioux City is 19 degrees, but a wind is blowing, so it feels like 10 degrees. That’s fairly close to the weather conditions in Wasilla, Alaska right now. According to The Weather Channel it’s 16 degrees and, with the wind, it feels like nine degrees in Wasilla — but it is 5 p.m. there.
As I left the crew of Palin fans to headed back to my heated hotel room nearby, Stapp was putting “D” batteries in her socks. “I wear these to football games,” she explained, gesturing to her heated socks.
Palin urges restraint, King urges full-throated opposition
August 10, 2009 by O.Kay Henderson · Leave a Comment
Jonathan Martin at The Politico blogs about ex-Alaska Governor Sarah Palin's latest post on Facebook. The 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee suggests shouting down members of congress — using intimidation and harassment at town hall meetings — gives ammunition to those who wish to pass health care reform. (A previous Palin Facebook post had been harshly critical of health care reform plans.)
Meanwhile Iowa Congressman Steve King, a Republican from Kiron, seems to have the opposite view of Palin when it comes to these town hall meetings.
"I'm hoping the debate of the century takes place in the town hall meetings all across America in every state," King told Jerry Oster of WNAX in Yankton, South Dakota. "I hope the people in America will rise up and go fill those buildings up and demand that they be allowed to keep their health insurance policy and have the freedom to purchase one of their choice and not be shoehorned into a government program."
Palin coming to a radio near you?
July 28, 2009 by O.Kay Henderson · Leave a Comment
Inside Radio reports representatives of former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin.have been "quietly testing the waters" with companies that syndicate radio programming. President Ronald Reagan got his start in radio. A few former presidential candidates did substitute hosting duties on The Paul Harvey Show, including former Tennessee Senator Fred Thompson and former Massachuesetts Governor Mitt Romney. Former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee's sub duties on Harvey's show led to his deal with ABC/Citadel. The Huckabee Report is now heard every weekday on many of the stations which used to carry Harvey's show.
This past June, Huckabee spoke at the Iowa Association of Business and Industry convention in Okoboji. Ryan Long from KICD Radio in Spencer was there to cover Huckabee's speech. As Huckabee used his hands to illustrate a point during his speech, he knocked the KICD microphone off the lectern. Huckabee picked the microphone up and put it back on the lectern. "I hope KICD is carrying my show," Huckabee quipped to the crowd. KICD in Spencer, Iowa, is, indeed, carying his show and the next morning KICD listeners got to hear a recording of Huckabee knocking the microphone to the ground, picking it up, and expressing his hope that his voice is heard on KICD.
The 2012 sweepstakes
March 2, 2009 by O.Kay Henderson · 1 Comment
For those of you getting out your scorecards for the 2012 presidential nominating season, the "first" straw poll results are out — and I'm not talking about the sort-of-quadrennial Iowa GOP Straw Poll in Ames.
Former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney won the presidential-preference straw poll at this past weekend's Conservative Political Action Conference in D.C. It's the third straight win for Romney in the CPAC straw poll. Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal was second. Alaska Governor Sarah Palin tied for third with Texas Congressman Ron Paul. Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich was fifth, followed by former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabeein sixth. Jindal and Palin skipped CPAC. The others named above were there.
An Iowan’s impression of CPAC
February 28, 2009 by O.Kay Henderson · Leave a Comment
The annual CPAC (Conservative Political Action Conference) is underway this weekend, with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, broadcaster Rush Limbaugh and presidential candidates Mike Huckabee and Mitt Romney as featured speakers. According to news accounts, the 9000 Republicans from around the country who've gathered in DC for "CPAC" amount to the most ever to turn out for a CPAC convention. Sandra "Sandy" Greiner, a Washington, Iowa, farmer who has served in both the Iowa House and the Iowa Senate, is a first-time conference-goer.
"This is really grassroots people," Greiner said Saturday during a telephone interview with Radio Iowa. "These are people that are actively engaged at the grassroots and all the table conversations at meals are, 'How do we move our party agenda forward' and 'How do we get our voices heard?' People would like their voices to be heard."
Gingrich: Palin may have “substantial advantage” in Iowa
February 3, 2009 by O.Kay Henderson · Leave a Comment
Former House Speaker Newt Gingrich had something to say about Alaska Governor Sarah's Palin's chances of winning the 2012 GOP presidential nomination — with a specific reference to Iowa.
Braley aide back after Obama run
November 18, 2008 by O.Kay Henderson · Leave a Comment
An update on Jeff Giertz, an aide to Congressman Bruce Braley (D-Waterloo). As you may recall, Giertz was given a leave from his job with Braley to work on Obama's presidential campaign. Giertz was dispatched to Alaska, as reported here earlier.
Giertz just called the Radio Iowa newsroom to say he was back in D.C. working in Braley's office. Giertz also shared that once Alaska Governor Sarah Palin was named John McCain's running mate, Giertz was redeployed from Alaska to Reno, Nevada.
"Did you win anything in Reno?" I asked during our telephone conversation.
"Obama won Nevada," was the reply from Giertz.
Tired Enough? Ready to Snore? Only 15 days ’til 2012 kickoff?
November 5, 2008 by O.Kay Henderson · 1 Comment
You're no doubt familiar with one of the Obama campaign's chants, the "Fired Up, Ready to Go" cadence which marked many an Obama rally. I offer you an alternative on this day after The Election: "Tired Enough? Ready to Snore?"
To all the folks behind the scenes for all the campaigns, today I offer my thanks to them for returning calls, replying to email, keeping me in the loop. Now, on to 2010 and 2012! Remember, there are only 17 days 15 days (see update below) left until the kick-off of 2012 in Iowa. Bobby Jindal, the Republican governor of Louisiana who was reportedly on McCain's "short list" of potential running mates, will be the keynote speaker at the Iowa Family Policy Center's "Celebrating the Family" banquet on November 22, 2008. Or maybe GOP vice presidential candidate/Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s Election Eve stop in Dubuque, Iowa, marked the start of the next cycle? Or maybe it was former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee’s speech at the Iowa GOP's state convention this summer when he mentioned Obama’s name more than McCain’s?
UPDATE: James Q. Lynch of The Cedar Rapids Gazette advises via email that Huckabee is due in Cedar Rapids, at a Barnes & Noble there, on November 20 for a book-signing. Do the Right Thing: Inside the Movement That's Bringing Common Sense Back to America is the title of Huckabee's book, scheduled for release on November 18.
UPDATE: Eric Woolson, Huckabee's 2008 Iowa Caucus campaign manager, emailed a link to the book tour schedule. There are TWO stops in Iowa: the previously mentioned midday stop in Cedar Rapids on 11/20 and a stop in Des Moines that evening — at Sam's Club.
Palin impersonator — “EvaDivaSuperstar”
November 3, 2008 by O.Kay Henderson · Leave a Comment
Here's the latest on the 19-year-old University of Northern Iowa student who impersonated Sarah Palin on October 26 at a rally at UNI — as she stood behind John McCain. She now calls herself "EvaDivaSuperstar" and, if you click on that link, you can listen to her new rap video.
Palin & ethanol
October 30, 2008 by O.Kay Henderson · 2 Comments
Alaska Governor/GOP vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin campaigned this past weekend in two Iowa cities. In Sioux City, she did not mention corn-based ethanol fuel. In Des Moines, Palin called ethanol one of the "domestic solutions" to the energy crisis. "John & I will adopt the 'all of the above' approach," Palin said. "…That means harnessing alternative sources like the wind and the solar and the biomass and the geothermal and the ethanol and the clean-coal technology and we'll drill for the billions of barrels of oil that we have right now warehoused underground, including our resouces off shore. We will drill here and drill now – and now's when you chant, 'Drill baby, drill!' Yes. Yes. Drill baby, drill."
Palin delivered a speech on the topic of energy independence yesterday in Ohio and Democrats in Iowa were quick to jump on what they saw as an omission: ethanol was not mentioned.
