K. Carpenter: Quit Making Things Up: Jonathan Martin

Kathy Carpenter writes for C4P regarding the made up "Coin Controversy"

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The only reason that I can think of that Politico or anyone else would actually believe that Governor Palin was implying that the coin problem was Obama’s fault was because she used the word “change” as she led into her story.

Perhaps Politico actually missed the actual theme of the entire night. The theme for the entire night was changes that have taken place in this country when it comes to the pro-life movement. This country is no longer siding with the abortion movement. A recent Gallup poll shows that 51% of Americans are now pro-life and only 42% are pro-abortion.

This is a change, a real change, not just a political slogan.

Moments before Governor Palin stepped out on stage, the pro-life attendees were treated to entire presentation on the real changes taking place in this country. Barb Lyons, the head of Wisconsin’s RTL and the night’s MC of the evening Charlie Sykes, both spoke about the incredible changes. Following the same theme, Governor Palin also spoke of the changes taking place.

The only reason anyone would believe Politico’s way of thinking is if they actually believe that the word “change” can no longer be used by anyone accept the President Obama and the Democrats.

I understand that President Obama used the words “hope” and “change” as his campaign theme. Does that really mean that the word “hope” and “change” cannot be used by anyone else? Do President Obama and the Democrats now own the word “change” and no one else can use it?

Common sense thinking Americans recognize that many a campaign slogan have used the words “hope” and “change”. Americans are smart enough to recognize that President Obama did not invent the word “change”. Americans are also smart enough to know that President Obama and the Democrats do not own the word “change”.

Since the birth of this nation, hundreds of thousands of candidates have run on the theme of “change”. President Obama did not invent the theme. It is the most commonly used political theme in our nation’s history.

Clearly, Politico’s reaction to Governor Palin’s speech is the typical angry lefty reaction to a woman they hate. They took a snippet of Gov. Palin's speech and used it to attack her. The problem is that it is a lie.

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Read the whole thing here it's a must read

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The Final Word on the Palin in Des Moines “Controversy”

From Shane Vander Hart at Caffeinated Thoughts

She’s not coming, but would like to in the future. She’d also come for free. Bryan English at the Iowa Family Policy Center just sent the following press release:

10/30/09 Pleasant Hill, IA – Iowa Family Policy Center ACTION received word this morning that Governor Sarah Palin is unable to accept our speaking invitation due to her book tour contractual commitments, which cannot be changed.

We extended our invitation knowing she would be in the middle of her book tour and the chances of her being able to accept any invitations were extremely slim.

She has asked if she could speak at a future mutually agreeable date. She will not accept any fees for her appearance.

Read more here

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Politico, Blamin’ Palin. Again!

From Taxes4Palin by Josh Painter

The Palin-hatin' media just keeps pouring it on Sarah Palin. The latest example is Politico's distortion of a report that a pro-family group wants to bring her to Iowa. The Iowa Family Policy Center has asked Team Sarah, which has no formal ties to the former governor, to help it raise $100,000 to stage an event on November 21 for which the organization hopes to book Palin to be the speaker. Team Sarah's Bill Collier says that IFPC has already raised $59,000 for the event, and his group is trying to raise another $41,000.

The headline for the Politico piece -- "Sarah Palin's $100K speaking fee has Iowa Republicans wincing" -- gives the impression that the money Team Sarah and IFPC are trying to raise is needed to pay the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate's speaker fees, and the lede is likewise designed to paint Palin as a mercenary of the speakers circuit:

A conservative Iowa group’s effort to lure Sarah Palin to its banquet next month has had an unintended effect: Rather than exciting conservatives about the prospect of a visit from the former Alaska governor, the group’s plan to raise a six-figure sum to bring her to the state has GOP activists recoiling at the thought of paying to land a politician's speaking appearance.

The Iowa Family Policy Center’s effort to cobble together $100,000 for Palin would represent a striking departure from customary practice in the first-in-the-nation state, these Republicans say, noting that a generation of White House hopefuls has paid their own way to boost their party and presidential ambitions.
Were Palin to appear in Iowa on November 21st, it would mark her first trip back to the state since she spoke to a handful of rallies there last fall as the GOP’s vice-presidential nominee. She would offer powerful counter-programming to another major political event that night: The Iowa Democratic Party’s Jefferson-Jackson Dinner with Vice-President Joe Biden as the headliner.

But representatives from other Iowa-based political advocacy groups said they would never consider shelling out money for what many politicians see as a privilege: the opportunity to speak to a room full of sure-fire caucus-goers who often serve as precinct captains and can be instrumental to a presidential candidate’s success.

Jonathan Martin, who wrote the hit piece, then goes on to quote a number of Iowa advocacy group leaders who say that they have never had to pay politicians to attend their events, and they are not about to start now.

There's just one problem with this piece of Politico prevarication. The money the two groups are hoping to raise is not necessarily earmarked to pay Sarah Palin to speak. Major events -- and IFPC says this will be a major event even bigger than the banquet in Indiana where Palin delivered a pro-life manifesto of a keynote speech -- require large venues which can seat thousands of people. Such venues have to be rented, and they don't come cheap. In addition, these events have to have security which is usually provided by hiring off-duty police officers. Other workers have to be contracted to take tickets, run the lighting and sound systems and clean up after the event. Then there are promotional costs for local media buys, printing flyers and the like. Such an event as being proposed by IFPC can easily cost $100,000 or more just to stage, exclusive of any speakers fees which the intended speaker may or may not charge.

And indeed, one has to read all the to the sixteenth paragraph to learn that IFPC spokesman Bryan English told Martin that the effort to raise money was only to secure a venue, pay for lighting and promote the event and that English was "not personally aware of a speaker’s fee." And it's not until the twenty-fourth paragraph that Martin admits:

"There is no indication that the former governor has requested a fee or that her decision whether to attend is being influenced by whether she’ll be paid."

False? Misleading? Distorted? Deceptive? Biased? Anti-Palin? You betcha! That's Jonathan Martin. That's Politico. That's reprehensible. Why is Sarah Palin the only political figure Politico goes out of its way to treat in this manner?

Texas4Palin

UPDATE: Holly Bailey writes for Newsweek

But hang on: did Palin actually ask the group to pay $100K for her appearance? An IFPC spokesman tells Martin he's "not personally aware" of a speaker's fee. "There may or may not be, I don't know," he tells Politico. For their part, the Palin camp tells NEWSWEEK there's no fee. Meg Stapleton, Palin's spokeswoman, tells your Gaggler that Palin "has not requested anything" and that she "does not charge people to campaign for them." According to Stapleton, Palin would instead cover such travel costs through her political-action committee, SarahPAC. Of course, that doesn't mean she's going to Iowa. Palin's book, Going Rogue, is due out Nov. 17, and she's got a major publicity tour planned around that, including a Nov. 16 appearance on Oprah. "We don't believe she will be able to attend with her tightly scheduled book tour, and the group has been told that through formal and informal channels," Stapleton says in an e-mail this morning. "However, it appears that some enthusiastic members are willing to try anything to entice the governor as we look at her schedule."

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