The Reagan Library Speech MixUp

If you are having an event and you THINK Sarah Palin is going to show up, you better have it in writing from the Sarah Palin herself.

You may have heard that Sarah Palin was scheduled to speak next week (August 8) at the Reagan Library to speak to a group called "The Republican Women Federated of Simi Valley."

On July 12, the Associated Press posted a story relating an email exchange with Republican Women Federated spokeswoman Pat Saraceno -

Saraceno said she respected Palin's right to change her plans at any time. She said in an e-mail that correspondence with the governor's office has been "positive but cautious," but she added, "we know she will come."

Well, guess what? She's not coming.

As early as yesterday Reuters had a story that Sarah Palin was expected and that the media had been barred from the event.

And then this was posted on Sarah Palin's Facebook Page:

As repeatedly stated to several in the media over the last week, former Governor Sarah Palin is not committed to attend the Simi Valley Republican Women’s event at the Reagan Library and in fact is not attending the event. Neither the Governor’s state staff nor SarahPAC has ever committed to attending this event or speaking at this event, and even requested that the Governor's name be removed from the invitation several weeks ago. The Governor has other work and commitments to take care of at that time. She looks forward to visiting her friends in California soon.

All event requests must be confirmed with Meghan Stapleton of SarahPAC. Additionally, all invitations bearing the Governor’s name must be approved by her attorney before proceeding.

Thank you.
Meghan Stapleton

It is a shame. This did seem like the perfect post-resignation event for Sarah Palin.

* The over 900 people expected to attend were all pro-Palin and shared the exuberance of the group spokesperson who said Palin "embodies the values that we hold dear: faith, family, country first and service. We are honored to call her our friend and advocate. She is an amazing human being whose aspirations are simply to bring out the best in people."

* Sarah Palin's advocate, conservative talk show host John Ziegler is emceeing and would have given a glowing introduction.

* The setting, a cavernous pavilion that houses the customized Boeing 707 jet Reagan used as president, would allow Sarah Palin to symbolically lay claim to the title of the new Ronald Reagan.

It would have been a great event - emphasis on would have been.

Sarah Palin's enemies are already using this mix-up against her. The infamous Shannyn Moore wrote on the Huffington Post today that Sarah Palin quit again. Moore lists all of Sarah Palin's past scheduling mix-ups and then ends with this snarky comment to Palin spokesperson Meghan Stapleton:

Note to Meg, stop calling her governor...she quit.

Um, Shannyn it is appropriate and expected to call a government official by the highest title they have held. You still call Bill Clinton "President", Colin Powell "Mr. Secretary," Mitt Romney "Governor" etc. So although you giggled to yourself and thought yourself clever for writing that - you come off as ignorant.

Now, back to the mix-up. What happened? Let's go back to that original AP article from July 12. It clearly states that Sarah Palin is supposed to be at the event in the second line of the story:

Republican Women Federated of Simi Valley said in a statement Sunday that Palin is scheduled to attend the group's 50th anniversary gala at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library on Aug. 8.

But in the last line of the story, the group's spokesperson says "correspondence with the governor's office has been 'positive but cautious."

Does that sound like a commitment to you?

And in the Reuters story yesterday, after writing about the press being barred, the importance of the event for Sarah Palin and the expected guests, there is this paragraph in the middle of the article:

Expected guest” may be the operative phrase since Palin’s personal representatives say she “has not confirmed her attendance at any event” and that the Simi Valley party is “one of hundreds of outstanding invitations” she has received.

Does that sound like a commitment?

The Republican Women Federated of Simi Valley was even asked by Sarah Palin's staff to please take the Governor's name off of the invitation.

Does that sound like she is coming?

No, is sounds like someone from the group got a little too excited after getting a "positive" response from the Palin camp - told the media and printed up invitations. But a "positive" response is not necessarily a yes.

And then, in true form, the media went with the story that Sarah Palin was attending, despite contradicting themselves in their own copy.

*Sigh.*

Welcome to the mysterious world of Sarah Palin.