Palin Tea Party Convention Keynote Confirmed

Tea Party Nation has been saying that it was a done deal, and Sarah Palin's spokesperson has confirmed it. The 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate will deliver the keynote address at the the First National Tea Party Convention, according to CNN's Political Ticker:

The group also announced that Rep. Michele Bachmann will be speaking at the gathering as well. The Minnesota Republican has become a hero among many in the conservative movement. A representative for Bachmann confirms her speaking role.

The event could focus the political spotlight on both women. Bachmann has become a rising star, her ascent fueled in part by major support from Tea Party activists. For Palin - currently taking a brief Thanksgiving break from a national tour for her new book, "Going Rogue: An American Life" - serving as headliner at a tea party convention could increase speculation that she is weighing a run for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination.

Tea Party Nation's Judson Phillips says that the organization is working to sign up more high-profile political figures for the convention, which will meet February 4-6 in Nashville, Tennessee.

- JP