Sarah Palin bus tour: Why won't she say where she's going?
Sarah Palin announced Friday on the website of her political action committee that of the US East Coast this weekend, starting in Washington and winding up towards New England.
The point of the tour will be to "appreciate the significance of our nation's historic sites, patriotic events, and diverse cultures," said the trip announcement.
What Ms. Palin didn鈥檛 say is exactly where she鈥檚 going. The map of stops that was posted on the trip鈥檚 web page was blank. Why the secrecy?
Maybe it鈥檚 a plan to build attention and publicity for the tour, which comes as speculation about a possible Palin presidential run ramps up. Maybe it鈥檚 a way to keep the lamestream media from getting ahead of her and doing dangerous unscripted interviews with supporters. Or maybe it鈥檚 because somebody on her staff knows enough about East Coast holiday traffic to realize that you can鈥檛 plan where you鈥檙e going because you may have to take lengthy unscheduled detours.
That鈥檚 right 鈥� the highways she鈥檒l be traversing are more than likely to be a scheduler鈥檚 nightmare. The Delaware section of I-95? The New Jersey Turnpike? The 鈥淥ne Nation鈥� tour bus will be idling so long that the ex-governor of Alaska will have time to disembark and film a new reality show while she鈥檚 waiting. You could call it 鈥淪arah Palin鈥檚 Vince Lombardi Rest Stop.鈥�
(See, she had a show called 鈥淪arah Palin鈥檚 Alaska鈥�, and there really is a Vince Lombardi Rest Stop on the Jersey Turnpike, since he was a famous state native.... OK, maybe it鈥檚 a stretch.)
One last thought on the traffic. A lot of it is caused by construction projects paid for by President Obama鈥檚 stimulus act. Palin might be able to get spin that into a political talking point, somehow.
Anyway, we鈥檙e not sure of the bus鈥檚 route. Presumably she won鈥檛 be starting at the White House, although it would be fun if she did. We鈥檙e thinking she may begin colonial, with Mount Vernon. George Washington is always good political symbolism.
According to Politico, Palin will visit with attendees to the Rolling Thunder motorcycle rally in the DC area, then travel to Civil War battlefields Gettysburg and Antietam. We鈥檇 lay money she鈥檒l go to Philadelphia next, to see the Liberty Bell and Independence Hall. After that, who knows? Maybe she鈥檒l take in a Mets game.
In New England, the Lexington and Concord battlefields might be good. But her driver should be careful 鈥� one wrong turn in Boston and the next thing you know, your bus is stuck at the John F. Kennedy Presidential Library. That wouldn鈥檛 be a good photo op.
We鈥檙e sure more details will leak out in coming hours. Until then, here are three historic East Coast locations places we鈥檙e pretty sure Palin will give a miss:
MONTICELLO. A great setting and a fabulous iconic building, but Thomas Jefferson did help found the Democratic Party.
HYDE PARK. FDR鈥檚 home. Another Democrat. Invented tax-and-spend.
HARVARD. Too many pointy-headed lefties. They have a hockey team, though.
