Confirmed: Sarah Palin will speak at Gridiron dinner in D.C.

The word from Carol Lee at Politico:

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will be the Republican speaker at the Gridiron Club's Winter Dinner on Dec. 5, the club announced Friday.

Gridiron Club President Dick Cooper told club members earlier this afternoon that Palin accepted an invitation to speak at the black-tie affair, according to a member of the club's executive committee.

Meg Stapleton, a spokeswoman for Palin, confirmed that Palin planned to address the dinner in an e-mail to POLITICO: "The Governor was honored to accept the invitation."

Palin's attendance at the exclusive event – put on by a group of top Washington journalists – will mark the second time the former Alaska governor has flown to the capital to mix with the city's political elite. Earlier this year she attended the annual dinner put on by the Alfalfa Club, an insiders' organization that exists to throw an off-the-record winter bash.

- JP