Crowd of 1,250 cheers Sarah Palin as she arrives at Fort Hood (Updated)

The AP reports that the line started forming Thursday night at Fort Hood for Sarah Palin's Friday night book signing event. By the time the former governor arrived, the crowd had grown to about 1,250 and were chanting "Sarah! Sarah!" as her blue bus stopped in front of the post exchange.

Many were standing on chairs with their cameras, and the former Alaska governor waved as she entered, smiled and then sat down at a table to begin meeting people and signing their books. She did not make any remarks or talk to reporters. Photographers and TV cameras, but no reporters, were allowed inside for a few brief moments.

During the signing event, Sarah Palin gave Ron Taylor, senior vice president of Fort Hood National Bank, a $10,000 check, proceeds from her books sold at Fort Hood, for a fund which was established to help the families of the victims of the Nov. 5 shooting.

Taylor told the Associated Press, "She said, 'Thank you for what you're doing,' and she said there would be more to come."

The full AP story is on the Houston Chronicle website here.

Update: A report from the San Antonio Express News is here.

- JP

Sarah Palin: Worthy American Heroes - Reminding Us What Really Matters

Sarah Palin posted the following on her Facebook Notes page early Friday morning, Texas Time (CST):

Worthy American Heroes - Reminding Us What Really Matters

Ready and anxious to see America’s finest at Ft. Hood tomorrow. My heart is with every military mom, dad, spouse, child, grandparent... every supporter of our proud men and women in uniform.

My brother passed the following along to me because he thought I’d like it; he was right. Enjoy... and please honor America’s finest.

- Sarah Palin

The average age of the military man is 19 years. He is a short haired, tight-muscled kid who, under normal circumstances is considered by society as half man, half boy. Not yet dry behind the ears, not old enough to buy a beer, but old enough to die for his country. He never really cared much for work and he would rather wax his own car than wash his father’s, but he has never collected unemployment either.

He’s a recent High School graduate; he was probably an average student, pursued some form of sport activities, drives a ten year old jalopy, and has a steady girlfriend that either broke up with him when he left, or swears to be waiting when he returns from half a world away. He listens to rock and roll or hip-hop or rap or jazz or swing and a 155mm howitzer.

He is 10 or 15 pounds lighter now than when he was at home because he is working or fighting from before dawn to well after dusk. He has trouble spelling, thus letter writing is a pain for him, but he can field strip a rifle in 30 seconds and reassemble it in less time in the dark. He can recite to you the nomenclature of a machine gun or grenade launcher and use either one effectively if he must.

He digs foxholes and latrines and can apply first aid like a professional.

He can march until he is told to stop, or stop until he is told to march.

He obeys orders instantly and without hesitation, but he is not without spirit or individual dignity. He is self-sufficient.

He has two sets of fatigues: he washes one and wears the other. He keeps his canteens full and his feet dry.

He sometimes forgets to brush his teeth, but never to clean his rifle. He can cook his own meals, mend his own clothes, and fix his own hurts.

If you’re thirsty, he’ll share his water with you; if you are hungry, his food. He’ll even split his ammunition with you in the midst of battle when you run low.

He has learned to use his hands like weapons and weapons like they were his hands.

He can save your life - or take it, because that is his job. He will often do twice the work of a civilian, draw half the pay, and still find ironic humor in it all. He has seen more suffering and death than he should have in his short lifetime. He has wept in public and in private, for friends who have fallen in combat and is unashamed.

He feels every note of the National Anthem vibrate through his body while at rigid attention, while tempering the burning desire to ‘square-away’ those around him who haven’t bothered to stand, remove their hat, or even stop talking.

In an odd twist, day in and day out, far from home, he defends their right to be disrespectful.

Just as did his Father, Grandfather, and Great-grandfather, he is paying the price for our freedom. Beardless or not, he is not a boy. He is the American Fighting Man that has kept this country free for over 200 years.

He has asked nothing in return, except our friendship and understanding.

Remember him, always, for he has earned our respect and admiration with his blood.

And now we even have women over there in danger, doing their part in this tradition of going to War when our nation calls us to do so.

As you go to bed tonight, remember this. A short lull, a little shade, and a picture of loved ones in their helmets.

- JP

Preview of tonight's Sarah Palin interview on Hannity

Here's a teaser of tonight's Hannity interview of Sarah Palin that was shown on Fox and Friends Wednesday morning:



The interview will be on Hannity tonight at 8:00 PM Texas Time. And don't forget that Sean Hannity will also interview Sarah Palin on his radio show this afternoon at 3:00 CST.

Update: Sarah Palin has posted a Facebook Note about her appearance tonight on Hannity.

- JP

Note to Sarah: Kudos for Upcoming Ft. Hood Appearance, But Beware a Mainstream Media Ambush

- By Ian Ransom

As our esteemed blogmaster, JP, has noted, Sarah enjoys a particularly enthusiastic brand of support among the fine, independent-spirited people of the great Lone Star State. The still-shaken hearts at Ft. Hood will doubtlessly welcome a leader of Sarah's compassion and stature, and will embrace the words of comfort and support she'll render in her inimitable, selfless manner. However, if she sells so much as one book, or does one iota of "commerce" on December 4th while referencing the Muslim Terrorist Act Recently Committed, I fear the mainstream media will be poised to crucify her anew.

We all know that Sarah works tirelessly to honor and uplift her fellow Americans without concern for her own benefit, but the magpies in the media have no such perspective. I hear horrific liberal squawkings on the horizon -- squawkings about "questionable judgment" and "poor taste selling books at the scene of tragedy." The media will not care that Sarah's stop at Ft. Hood had already been planned before the Jihadist Attack. Moreover, if those on Sarah's team apparently needed a call from a military official at Ft. Hood, telling them that it was still okay to make the appearance, then someone has obviously foreseen a potentially delicate PR situation. Instincts ought to be heeded at this troubling hour.

Sarah's admirers no longer care what liberal media demons think about her, but I don't think any of us desire to see her subjected to troubles she can certainly avoid. Why walk directly into a potential snare lying in plain view? If Sarah goes to Ft. Hood as planned, I'm convinced she should avoid anything approaching a traditional book sale/signing. Some other sort of supportive appearance, centered upon the fallen and upon their families, would be magnificent. A fundraising gesture would be suitable, along with a clearly modified publicity agenda for her book. Her team can surely confect something ideal between now and December 4th. There are going to be thousands in Ft. Hood who will want Sarah to sign books they've already purchased, after all. They should not be deprived of the opportunity to meet a beloved figure who can give them much-needed moral support at a harrowing juncture.

My point is this: be on guard for potential land-mines during your trip, Sarah. The mainstream liberal media knows how to plant them with as much stealth as the rest of America's enemies.

- Ian

Sarah Palin's book tour will stop at Fort Hood Dec. 4

Peter Wallsten reports on The Wall Street Journal's Washington Wire that Sarah Palin's book tour will make a stop at Fort Hood, Texas:

The former vice presidential candidate... had already agreed to visit the Army base, according to her publicist. She said that after last week’s shooting that left 13 people dead and 30 wounded, an official on the base contacted HarperCollins to say that Palin should stick with the planned appearance.

The Dec. 4 event had not been announced publicly or included in a preliminary list of tour stops published on Palin’s Facebook page.

The stop in Fort Hood will be on the same day that the Going Rogue book tour visits Plano. Texas is a part of the country where Sarah Palin has widespread popular support.

Our updated Going Rogue Book Tour schedule is here.

- JP

Blue Star Mom Sarah Palin on Fort Hood Shootings

Blue Star Mom Sarah Palin, in a message on her Facebook Notes page Thursday, reached out to the families of the casualties at Ft. Hood, Texas:

On the Tragic Shooting Today at Ft. Hood

Todd and I would like to offer our condolences to the families of the victims of the tragic shooting today at Ft. Hood. Our thoughts and prayers will be with them.

- Sarah Palin

- JP