Sarah Palin® - A sexy brand

Political wrongdoings are boring. Corruption and cronyism seem to be normal and expected of politicians. The media report their misdeeds, but these things don't fire up people's imaginations.

Housegate was mentioned in the Village Voice, Troopergate gained some traction for a while, but Dairygate stayed only on the blogs. These topics are too complicated and... boring. The media simply yawn at this kind of stuff.

Now, what happens when they find out that a petite white woman slept with a 6'8" black guy? That's fantastic news and stays alive for days on end. Cocaine is the icing on the cake.

90% of my Google alerts have been about Sarah Palin and Glen Rice for several days. It was a clever move to leak those bits of The Rogue. People will buy the book out of their fascination with sex and drugs and, as the book doesn't have an index, they may have to read about other things, the seemingly boring things that don't get too much press.

Sex always sells. In the Oval Office, in airport restrooms or somewhere in Alaska. The more famous (or notorious) the people involved, the longer the stories stay in the headlines. All the large newspapers that rushed to condemn Joe McGinniss for including such politically irrelevant, titilating tales about Sarah Palin in his book were salivating over the juicy details and didn't hesitate to print them.

Others are having a great time reporting Mike Tyson's comments in their full glory.

People who are not normally interested in politics will read these stories. Politics is too complicated, but sex is simple and far more exciting.

Sarah Palin counts on her sexy image to sell her brand. Her own father wore a t-shirt proclaiming she was the hottest governor of the coldest state. Her skirts are too short, her choice of shoes too provocative, her boobs expand at will and she makes constant references to perverted sexual interest in her daughters and herself.

In Going Rogue, she mentions threats of gang rape against Bristol and Willow. Letterman was accused of being a pervert for suggesting the statutory rape of Willow. Piper didn't escape suggestions of Joe McGinniss's unhealthy attention and he was also accused of ogling Sarah in her shorts and tank top, just waiting for Todd to be out of the picture... [based on a tongue-in-cheek joke from McGinniss's son.] The family cheered when abstinent Bristol simulated sex with her dance partner for the benefit of millions of viewers.

Sarah Palin described a run in an interview to Runners World:

I went for a run at John McCain's ranch a couple of days before the debate with Joe Biden. My favorite thing in the world is to run on hot, dusty roads. I don't get enough of that in Alaska. So I was in heaven and there were plenty of hills so I knew my thighs were going to just throb.

She's a hot runner with throbbing thighs, her daughters innocent angels and there are hordes of perverts out there dreaming of having dirty sex with all of them.

Other female governors and politicians are not as hot, don't talk about their throbbing thighs and don't publicize threats of perverted or violent sex with their daughters. They dress appropriately and keep their families protected.

When it comes to Sarah Palin, is it any surprise that tales of sex with a basketball player prove to be so newsworthy?

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[This post by Andrew Sullivan is a must read.]

Sarah Palin's speech in Houston at the "Heroic Media" event: Abortion is an "essential issue" - Palingates had boots on the ground! - UPDATE

Exciting news every day. How do we keep up? Yesterday, Jeanne Devon from Mudflats had a great scoop and published an email exchange which spread across the media like wildfire. These events give me hope, because they prove that the media is actually willing to report critically "en masse" about Sarah, including some right-wing blogs, provided you hand them a piece of paper with the evidence written on it. I guess we need some more of those pieces of paper... ;-)

A noteworthy commentary about "emailgate" was written for example by Allahpundit on the right-wing blog "Hot Air." These kind of posts are a sign that some of the right-wing blogs are more and more willing to view the events surrounding Sarah Palin from a "factual" and "objective" perspective.

Allahpundit wrote:

"The big media takeaway, obviously, is Todd Palin allegedly demanding an endorsement from Joe Miller, which supposedly points to a Palin presidential run. The way the e-mail reads to me, though, is more as an accusation of ingratitude, not an expectation of official support. If you watch the clip below from September 19 (skip ahead to 8:45), all Wallace asked him is whether Palin’s qualified, not whether he’d support her. Miller’s response was to duck the question on grounds that he’s focused on the Senate race; he never says “I don’t know if she is” as claimed in the e-mail, but yeah, it’s odd that he wouldn’t respond with the perfunctory “sure, she’s qualified.”

Maybe that’s because he’s worried about alienating Palin-hating centrist Republicans whom he needs to peel away from Murkowski. Or maybe it’s because, as R.S. McCain suggests, there are pro-Huckabee staffers on Miller’s team whom he doesn’t want to antagonize.

Miller forwarded the alleged e-mail from Todd to a number of people (their addresses are blacked out), but it looks like they’re members of his staff — and presumably one of them is either the leaker or forwarded the e-mail on to someone who leaked it to the anti-Palin blogger. The question is … why? Even if there are Huckabee loyalists involved in the campaign who want to trip Palin up, why create a headache for Miller by doing this now? Wait until after election day."

So the old "circling the wagons - nothing to see here" strategy of the Palinbots, which C4P still executes on a daily basis, doesn't seem to work any more with some of the other right-wing blogs.

Maybe some of the other blogs have noticed that Sarah Palin never ever produces any positive news - but only one well deserved disaster after the other.

Why are Todd, Joe etc. writing such "incriminating" emails in the first place? Don't they know by now, after so many "email embarrassments" in the past, that this is not really a safe form of communication? Oops, what have I said? Todd, Sarah, please forget it immediately. Forgot it? Good.

It boggles the mind. These people are so unbelievably stupid that they deserve to be embarrassed.

And they most definitely have no place in the White House. Unless you really want the "presidentusa@yahoo.com."

My conclusion:

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And now for something completely different.

Yesterday Sarah spoke at yet another anti-abortion event sponsored by Heroic Media in Houston, Texas.

We have already reported in great detail about Heroic Media, an organization which was founded by "swift-boater" Brian Follett.

Politico reported the following about the event yesterday in Houston:

Abortion is an "essential" issue for midterm election voters, former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin declared Tuesday.

Addressing an anti-abortion rights group in Houston, Palin said that President Barack Obama has overseen "the biggest advance of the abortion industry in America" thanks to the health reform law, CNN reports.

"That's why it's essential that we use the 2010 midterms to elect a Congress that will make undoing the damage of Obamacare its first priority," Palin said.

Yep, holier-than-thou Sarah Palin is on the anti-abortion trail again. The "biggest advance of the abortion industry in America?" If you say so, Sarah...(yawn).

Anyway, we have something far more exciting.

Yesterday evening, our valued reader austintxx was surprised to find himself just a few minutes away from Sarah Palin's event in Houston. He had to collect his nephew in the evening at 8.00, but until then had some time to spare. In best Palingates tradition, he took the initiative and visited the gathering of the anti-abortion fans. Luckily for us, he afterwards presented a terrific report which would make Wonkette proud. Please don't take this report too seriously and complain about the language. The report by austintxx is a piece of "rough art" and should be viewed as such. ;-)

I have included some pictures in austintxx's report to illustrate some key points (please note that there are no actual pictures from the event in Texas).

Here is the report by austintxx:

"I DID IT !! I saw sarah in the flesh !!
This is gonna be choppy. I'll try to go in the order it happened. Ask any questions you want.
So-o-o.....
Saw the post that she was in town and right down I-10 at First Baptist Church. Bam !! I'm goin' !! Took a HUGE swig of Tito's Handmade Vodka and dropped off nephew at drivin' school and hopped on I-10 east. Gotta have tunes.......AH...Def Leppard "Armageddon It".....fuckin' perfect.....LOUD as shit.

Loud as shit

I skitter into the parkin' lot at 5:47 and notice satellite trucks from CBS,ABC and NBC. wow.
Throw my cigarette butt down in "CHURH" parking lot and walk to West entrance and am greeted at door by a gentleman in slacks and buttondown who is wearing a badge that sez "Greeter".

Shook my hand and said "Welcome" Cruised in and took my bearings and noticed a desk that said "Media".....h-m-m-m......slowly worked my way toward doors leading to "Worship Center"

Worship Center ahead

All your stereotypical WHITE teabag-sarah-lovin'-anti-abortion goofballs were in full force.
6:02....doors swing open and small group moves gently forward......as I'm shufflin' along I hear "I was a bodyguard for Nixon"......HUH ?!.....I turn around and this guy looked my age(52) sayin' this to some old bag who was eatin' it up.....get up to the door and I see that they are scanning computer printouts and tickets with these handheld gizmos......I ask lady what I need to do and she pointed me to a table with a computer on it with a guy manning it...sigh..ok......I tell him that I needed a "ticket"......."General Admission or Patron"......"The cheapest"........"That will be $50 , sir".........mighty fine.......not turning back now....I smell blood.......waltz right in and am directed to any seats beyond letter "M" , "A" being 1st row.

Hand over the cash

Plop in aisle seat on row "P"........As I'm gazing around a lady approaches and asks to sit just to my left..."Sure"......lady hadn't even warmed the seat before she popped off snidely "Reckon' there are any Democrats in here?"......Well......ya'll know me......it took every iota of self control to smile and just say "No".........

Nope, no Democrats in here!

THEN she follows that with , and I quote:"SHE brings in money for good things".......Motherfucker...program has not even started and I gotta hear this SHIT......so.....I decide to be a pig and look at all the cutie pies walkin' around , and there were a bunch , fake tits and bumpits galore........she took the hint and left me alone.....as two women sat down behind me I heard "Tonite we'll get the truth and not the Nancy Pelosi version"...waiting.......waiting.....6:51....program sez 3 speakers before sarah.......fuck....nephew gets out at 8......notice a couple of people with "Going Rogue" in their hands.......couple of Bibles also , too.......7:14.....Senator Dan Patrick comes on stage and welcomes every one and asked that cell phones be turned off and because of "contractual obligations" no video or flash...sez he knows people will snap pictures but reiterates "no flash"....at this point the pastor came up and gave the invocation.....Dan then began the Heroic Media spiel......it's been discussed here ad nauseum. Kimberly Guidry Speirs gives "Heroic Media's Mission & Results"......z-z-z-z......I need a fuckin' stiff cocktail...

Here comes the Cuda!

7:39....
Dan starts the buildup....."Gov. Sarah Palin"......."Great Leader".........."Great Mom"
Here she comes........standing ovation.......Hounds tooth waist jacket.....rest of outfit is black......flag pin ?? check.
SCREEEEEEECH......"Hello Texas" Make that two fuckin' cocktails , both doubles , NOW !!

Doubles, please!

Points at the lifesize cutout that is now in seat next to someone and "loves it"........"I love my little sister state Texas"......I came REAL FUCKIN' close on that one folks......"Do you love your freedom".........has any one "in" or "has been" in military stand up......sez she went to Beeville and George West Tx. for basketball tournaments in H.S......"restore honor"......"serve father God"........"good friend Rick Perry" shot coyote that was gonna kill his pup....."I'd probably done it faster , I hunt"...."Glenn Beck"......clapping.......told story about Glenn bragging on a trout he caught and she told him that she just "caught a caribou"....that is not a misprint. She also said she had "blueberry under her fingernails from the tundra"...again , not a misprint......"lamestream media".......

Show me your nails, Mylady!

Well.......by this time nephew needs to be picked up.......I estimate there were only 200...maybe 250 people there. I left shaking my head laughing....she seemed jittery and it was the same old shit."

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THANK YOU, austintxx!

By the way, CNN said that there were "more than 2500 people!" Who did the counting there, I wonder?

In contrast, Fox reported the number of 1200 people in the audience. According to Fox, this figure came from the organizer.

Another publication from Texas estimated that were about 1000 people in the audience (see the detailed report about the event.)

So what the heck is going on with CNN there? Their number is completely distorted!

Our own observer counted much less people than Fox and CNN, as mentioned above.

Fox published a video from this event:



(h/t mmboucher)

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Well, after so much fun, here is something else, unrelated - Joy Behar answers Christine O'Donnell:

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UPDATE:

Today on Hannity, Palin talked briefly about the leaked emails - clueless as always. Apparently, the publication of the emails was a "desperate" act to attack Joe Miller.

I don't even know where to start. Sarah, it was mainly about you and Todd, not about Joe. I am not a psychologist, but I know that something is seriously wrong with this woman. No ability for self-reflection, not even a touch of an intelligent, thoughtful answer. Always the same: THE EVILDOERS WANT TO ATTACK US - THAT'S WHAT IT'S ALL ABOUT.

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Heroic Media: An evening with Sarah Palin, and another example how to distort history

"Heroic Media" invited their supporters to an evening with Sarah Palin on April 29, 2010 in Austin. We extensively reported prior to this event, and it didn't escape our attention that the President of "Heroic Media", Brian Follett, was a leading "Swift-Boater". Unfortunately, it seems that the rest of the media completely missed this noteworthy fact. No, not everyone: Comedy Central mentioned it as well!

Here are pictures from this evening:

Judging by these pictures, Sarah Palin seemed to thoroughly enjoy herself, and Rick Perry was certainly very pleased to rub shoulders again with his "favorite" female politician. Perry was such an enthusiastic participant that he afterwards published 61 (!) pictures of this event on his flickr account.

Palin's and Perry's next meeting will probably be when they both will have the honor to meet a conman from Tyler, Texas.

As previously reported, "Heroic Media" is an anti-abortion organization. They openly admit that their billboards are designed in a way that it's impossible to tell whether "they are pro-life or pro-choice", and they add: "That’s intentional because women in crisis respond best to photos of women they can relate to."

They have posted several of their clips on youtube - here is an example:

So, what news is there to report about this evening?

Well, one of our brilliant spies (aka "Palingaters") sneaked into the venue after the event was over and got hold of one of the programs which were distributed at the event. This program does indeed give a lot of interesting information, and it also is a brilliant example of the illness which so many Palin-supporters seem to suffer from: The "negation of reality and Palin delusion syndrome".

You can download the full program HERE.

Let's have a look. Here we have the general plan for the evening:

"Governor Rick Perry"? "Governor Sarah Palin"? Okay...

Well, the former half-term Governor is currently freelancing for Fox News and maybe soon for Discovery, when she is not giving directions to Rebecca Mansour which issues should be tackled next on Mansour's facebook...just saying.

So what else do we have...an uplifting message by the swift-boater himself:

The "abortion ratio dropped 24% in Austin" since Heroic Media "entered the market"? And that was...because of "Heroic Media"? Right! No need to see statistics or other data. We have to believe the President, the President cannot be wrong.

Now, let's meet: The Governor!



There is one expression, sometimes enthusiastically used by bloggers, which I am not particularly fond of: "What am I missing?" But that's the only phrase I can think of right now. Sarah Palin's abbreviated "Curriculum Vitae" seems distorted like Leo Trotzki's CV in Stalinist Russia. For God's sake, people! She voluntarily, without any pressure, resigned - so that she would be able to earn the big bucks, what she craved for like nothing else! It almost happened a year ago, on this beautiful July 3, 2009! I can still hear my screams of joy from that day! Unfortunately, Brian Follett seems to have missed it. What a shame.

I on my part seem to have missed the message of "principles" and "reform" in "Going Rogue". Brian, can you please drop me an email and point me to the right page? That would be awfully nice, thank you very much.

Here we have more speakers - lots of smiling guys who by the grace of God will never have to cope with an unwanted pregnancy:

Heroic Media also proudly presents again their cunning billboards:

We find some extremely interesting info at the end of the program - who belongs to the "National Advisory Board" of Heroic Media:

Interesting! We meet again Thomas Monaghan, founder of "Domino's Pizza", about whom we recently reported as well! He is the major financial backer of the extremist Thomas More Law Center, whose member Kim Daniels is reportedly currently advising Sarah Palin on a daily basis.

This was not a "heroic" event, but just another meeting for those people who would like to turn the USA into a theocracy - with the "pure" Sarah Palin as the poster girl. As "pure" as "whiteout"!

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At the right-hand bar, under our email addresses, I included a link to a new service which I have called "Palingates-Wikileaks". I don't know whether there is a need for such a service, but it's meant seriously, and it works. It is a service which was invented by people who are at the forefront of the "privacy protection" movement in Europe. It allows us to receive messages in complete confidence - outside the reach of any authorities. No logfiles are being kept. If there is any information you always wanted to send us, but which is so "hot" that you never dared, now is your chance! Nobody will ever be able to find out who sent us the info.

You can leave messages anonymously here (without sending an email):

https://privacybox.de/patrickpalingates.msg

Or send an email directly to our new address which is hosted outside the USA and Europe:

patrickpalingates@privatedemail.net

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Protesters gather in Austin where Sarah Palin and Rick Perry will speak tonight for "Heroic Media" (President: Swift-Boater Brian Follett) - UPDATE!

Sarah Palin and possibly also Texas Governor Rick Perry will speak tonight at the Convention Center in Austin, Texas. The event is organized by "Heroic Media". Although the anti-abortion organization "Heroic Media" received some closer scrutiny leading up to this event, for example today by "Think Progress", the media still doesn't seem to be aware that the President of "Heroic Media" is Brian Follett.

Palingates published an extensive report about Heroic Media, their activities and their President Brian Follett on April 11, 2010.

Brian Follett is, as noted in public records, one of the major financial backers of the "Swift Boat Veterans for Truth". He is mentioned with having donated $ 40,000 to the "Swift Boaters", which places him at No. 19 in the individual "Donation High Score" of the Swift Boaters. However, other records indicate that his overall donations were actually higher and amounted to $ 47,500 in total.

"Heroic Media" conducts anti-abortion campaigns - for example on TV, Internet, billboards and radio.

On the Heroic Media website, they freely admit they attempt to deceive teens with their advertising (h/t EyeOnYou):

"Heroic Media’s billboards are designed so you can’t tell if they’re pro-life or pro-choice. Our billboards typically showcase young women instead of babies. That’s intentional because women in crisis respond best to photos of women they can relate to."

Example of a billboard by "Heroic Media":

For more info, see our report from April 11, 2010.

The local media just reported that protesters have gathered at the Convention Center in Austin (h/t austintxx) - see the KVUE news clip HERE.

And don't forget to vote in their poll!

More news reports about this event:

Austin Post

The Austin Chronicle

Interesting info from the Austin Post:

"It’s totally fine for Palin to do a speaking engagement to raise money for an organization she supports. But if reporters want to attend the event, they also have to buy a $50 ticket and support the organization. You betcha, liberal media! I wonder if the Chron or Burnt Orange Report shelled out any cash for Heroic Media."

So, every journalist has to pay $ 50 to the Swift Boater. How clever!

It is noteworthy that John McCain called the swift boater's campaign "dishonest and dishonorable".

As an alternative to the protest at the Austin Convention Center, the Travis County Democratic Party invites everyone today to an "Evening Without Sarah Palin"! Sara Hickman will be present and will sing her new song "Palin' By Comparison"!

If there are any readers with a report and photos from these event or the protests, please don't hesitate to contact us.

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UPDATE:

Sarah Palin and her special relationship to Texas - More connections

Guestpost by mxm

As Palingates posted previously, Palin will appear in Austin for the Heroic Media organization. This faith-based nonprofit RTL group was founded in 2004 as the Majella Society by Brian Follett. The group changed its name to Heroic Media to reach a broader audience. Little can be found about Follet, other than a single article in a RTL newsletter and a note on the organization's Facebook page that Follett and his wife recently had a new baby.

In that RTL newsletter Follett is identified as a corporate philanthropist from Wisconsin. Follett relocated to Austin from Wisconsin for personal reasons. He founded the organization and named two Directors, Sandy Faucher and Barbara Lyons. Both women have long been involved in the RTL movement. These three are heavily associated with the Catholic Church.

Heroic Media is a registered nonprofit organization and is listed on Guidestar as Majella. The name comes from the patron saint of pregnant women, St. Gerard Mejalla. Who knew.

Their mission statement according to GuideStar: Majella is a faith-based non-profit that reduces abortion by creating a culture of life through television, billboard and Internet advertising and connecting women in crisis with life-affirming resource centers.

According to their tax returns, contributions have been:

2004 $679,265
2005 $880,890
2006 $819,679
2007 $912,472
2008 $998,461 (this is the last year information is available for)

The tax returns indicate the Follett, Faucher and Lyons are not paid any salary for their services. Salaries are listed for others in the organization. Four open positions are currently listed at the organization's site and at least 2 are listed with various online recruiting services: Vice President Marketing, Major Gifts Officer, Director of Development, and National Events Manager. From the titles and job descriptions, a significant growth effort is underway.

Heroic Media promotes prominent GOP celebrity testimonials for their organization and counts among them Bill O'Reilly, who was a featured guest at a fundraising gala. I am sure that they are hopeful that the Palin celebrity will be lucrative for their fundraising efforts.

Follet's donations to presidential campaigns are interesting. As was pointed out the other night, he was a significant contributor to the swift boat veterans. In 2007 he contributed $2300 each to hopeful presidential candidates Brownback, Fred Thompson, Huckabee and Romney. Someone is missing here. Why would a man who donated to the swift boat veterans not donate to Vietnam era hero John McCain?

He did finally donate $2300 to McCain in March 2008, once he had nailed the GOP candidacy. In Oct 2008 he also donated $5000 to The National Republican PAC. Sarah, the guy was just not that into Johnny, but loyal to the big picture. You might want to ask him about that when you see him next. He did not donate to the campaign after you joined???? But he wants you to work for him, although you will get paid and you do like TX.

It appears these donations were all personal. It is curious that they are made on various permutations of address and employment affiliation. In some cases, Brian Follett lists his association with the Majella Society in Austin, TX. Some times he is retired and some times he is retired at a PO Box in Sioux Falls, SD. I believe it is all the same person, as Brian Follett, with an employer of Majella and an address in Sioux Falls also donated to the Swift Boat group.

Majella/Heroic Media lists Douglas Kelly & Associates, Inc., Springfield, MO as the producer of its advertising. In 2007 and 2008 they were paid $430,734 and $408,100 respectively. Other than finding listings for the business, it does not appear to have a website. In its tax returns, Majella reported it conducts "psych-graphic audience research".

In my brief searching, I found nothing suspicious or irregular in this RTL organization. While I do not agree with their mission it seems legitimate. The expansion into FLA and its recruiting for sophisticated positions suggests that they are just beginning. Wouldn't it be nice if NOW was paying attention to them?
______________________

SarahPAC's choice to go from Edonations to Upstream Communications as its internet fundraising vendor is very interesting. This is an Austin based company.

The company was founded by Karl Rove, as Karl Rove + Co. in 1981. He sold the company to Ted Delisi and Todd Olsen in 2000, so that he could dedicate himself to Bush. The company is tightly woven into the fabric of TX and GOP politics.

Delisi has moved on, and now is a partner in Delisi Communications, along with his wife Deirdre and mother Dianne (and a couple other folks as well). Deirdre has been involved in public service/politics and was Gov Rick Perry's chief of staff. Dianne is a former TX state representative.

What is it with Sarah Palin and TX?
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