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As others bolt, Sarah Palin stands by 'tea party' convention

Other speakers at the Tea Party Convention in Nashville, Tenn., have pulled out, citing ethical questions about the for-profit event. But Sarah Palin says her $100,000 speaker鈥檚 fee 'will go right back to the cause.'

Others have pulled out of this weekend鈥檚 Tea Party Nation convention in Nashville, Tenn., but Sarah Palin is staying the course.

Explaining her decision to speak at this weekend鈥檚 for-profit tea party event, Ms. Palin, the popular but often polarizing ex-vice presidential candidate, says in a today that 鈥漣t鈥檚 important to keep faith with people who put a little bit of their faith in you.鈥�

Palin writes she thought 鈥渓ong and hard鈥� about the decision to headline the $349-a-plate lobster dinner after others like Rep. Michele Bachmann (R) of Minnesota pulled out citing questions brought up by the House Ethics Committee over the Tea Party Nation鈥檚 for-profit status.

Palin is set to receive a $100,000 speaker's fee, but she writes that 鈥渁ny compensation for my appearance will go right back to the cause.鈥� It鈥檚 likely to go to SarahPAC, her political action committee, which, among other things, is helping "tea party" backed Senate candidate Rand Paul in Kentucky.

Caution against 'cult of personality'

John O鈥橦ara, author of 鈥淎 New American Tea Party,鈥� has cautioned fellow activists against fawning over any one leadership figure, falling prey to what he calls the 鈥渃ult of personality鈥� that led to the election of President Obama. (Indeed, a more natural tea party star may in fact be , who blogs as 鈥淟iberty Belle.鈥�)

And to at least one of over 800 commenters to Palin鈥檚 column, the former Alaska governor鈥檚 explanation for sticking with the tea party convention is 鈥渏ust more secessionist rambling.鈥�

Yet Palin gives the fractious tea party movement the appearance of legitimacy and heft at a time when both Republicans and Democrats are scrambling to figure out how much obeisance they will have to show in this year鈥檚 mid-term elections.

鈥淪arah Palin is becoming a figurehead of sorts for the tea party movement,鈥� concludes the Wall Street Journal鈥檚 Susan Davis.

Palin will headline other tea party events

That role is only expanding. Palin is set to headline a number of events, including the kick off of the Tea Party Express III in Sen. Harry Reid鈥檚 hometown of Searchlight, Nev., and a planned appearance in Boston for an April tea party event.

鈥淭hough tea-party activists still tend to look askance at political professionals and the Republican Party as an institution, such veterans have provided strategic leadership, even on the grassroots level,鈥�

Palin鈥檚 decision to stick with the program means excitement is building around the Tea Party Nation convention. Fox News has announced it will carry Palin鈥檚 speech, as will PJTV, the conservative online network.

鈥淧alin can turn a phrase, even while indicating that if you think the tea party movement is a little odd, you鈥檙e not, well, patriotic,鈥� . But 鈥渕any of you will be watching,鈥� he predicts.

Palin says the controversy around the Nashville event ultimately points to a key strength of the tea party movement.

鈥淎s with all grassroots efforts, the nature of this movement means that sometimes the debates are loud and the organization is messier than that of a polished, controlled machine,鈥� she writes. 鈥淟egitimate disagreements take place about tone and tactics. That鈥檚 OK, because this movement is about bigger things than politics or organizers.鈥�

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