Sarah Palin's Tea Party Dinner Disaster
Unsold tickets, activists demanding refunds—will Palin wind up addressing a half-empty room at the Tea Party convention?
Will Sarah Palin's Tea Party dinner be a bust?
Tea Party Nation founder Judson Phillips likely assumed that scoring a dinner speech by the former Alaska governor and GOP vice presidential candidate would guarantee a huge turnout for his National Tea Party Convention, scheduled to start Feb. 4 at Nashville's Gaylord Opryland Hotel. But according to Tea Party insiders, the tickets for the Palin banquet aren't selling—and some conservative activists who have already paid to attend are now demanding refunds. With the controversial event shaping up to be a potential flop, some Tea Partiers are urging Palin to cancel her speech to avoid a humiliating public relations disaster.
The problems began after news broke that Phillips intended to profit from the convention—which costs $549 a person for access to both the conference and Palin’s banquet, or $349 for a ticket to the dinner alone. With one prominent conservative blogger charging that the event seemed "scammy," several key sponsors yanked their support, including the National Precinct Alliance, the American Liberty Alliance, American Majority, and the Federation for American Immigration Reform. As the rash of bad press continued, this week Rep. Marsha Blackburn (R-Tenn.), announced that she’s considering pulling out as a convention speaker. And some Tea Party activists think Palin should join her. According to internal convention planning documents obtained by Mother Jones, Palin will be paid $115,000 to address the attendees—as they dine on steak or lobster. To some Tea Partiers, this lavish affair sounds suspiciously like an exclusive GOP fundraiser and a betrayal of their grassroots movement. (In mid-January, Palin told Fox News' Bill O'Reilly that she will not profit from her appearance at the convention, suggesting she would donate her speaking fee to Republican candidates. But she has not provided any details on that, and a Palin spokesperson did not respond to requests for clarification.)
Phillips has bragged publicly that the tickets covering both the convention and the speech have sold out. Yet Tea Party insiders say that's not the whole story. Anthony Shreeve is an activist in Dandridge, Tenn. who quit the convention organizing committee over the expensive ticket prices. He says he has it on good authority that most of the approximately 500 speech-only tickets have not been sold. Shreeve adds that Phillips "isn't going to sell any more," and says other would-be attendees have been demanding—and receiving—refunds. Late on Tuesday afternoon, I tested his claim by attempting to buy 10 tickets to the dinner. If I’d been prepared to shell out $3,587.10, that would apparently have been no problem. "I really hope that Sarah Palin doesn’t come to this event because it's going to be really embarrassing for her to walk into a half-empty room," says Shreeve.
According to the internal Tea Party Nation documents, organizers were depending on Palin’s speech to lure a much larger crowd to the banquet in order to turn a profit. Based on cost estimates used by the organizers in the planning documents, if 1,100 people attend the banquet (600 of whom would also attend the convention), the event would cost the organizers about $401,200, including Palin's $115,000 speaking fee. If all the tickets are sold—both the $549 all-access tickets and the $349 dinner-only tickets—Phillips' group would net about $102,700. But if few of the banquet-only tickets are sold, the organizers are likely to end up seriously in the hole, depending on how much the group had to pay in advance to the hotel, which is charging $120 per person for the dinner. Shreeve observes, "It wouldn't surprise me if [Phillips] ends up filing for bankruptcy the day after." Tami Kilmarx, a nurse in Nashville who also resigned from the Tea Party Nation convention planning committee after falling out with Phillips, believes the convention may ultimately "completely disintegrate." She says that Phillips has been urged to give away remaining tickets to Palin’s speech to head off the embarrassment of having the former vice presidential candidate speaking to a half-empty room.
Given all the negative publicity, Shreeve is surprised Palin hasn’t pulled out already. "In her contract she is allowed to send a representative if she can't make it if she's sick or something. Maybe she’ll come down with the flu," he says with a laugh. He adds that Tea Partiers have written her letters pleading with her not to come because they believe that reports of a glitzy, high-priced dinner would hurt the real Tea Party movement, which prides itself on its thrifty, grassroots image. Meanwhile, Kilmarx reports that Nashville activists have contacted the Washington Speakers Bureau, which represents Palin, with concerns. And she says Tea Party activists in Tennessee have been trying to reach Palin through the media to let her know that Tea Party Nation does not represent the majority of Tea Party groups in the state. (Of the 42 Tennessee Tea Party groups, only one is officially supporting the convention.)
Robin Stublen, a Florida tea party leader who has been loudly denouncing Tea Party profiteers, believes that Palin "should not only pull out but pull out quickly." He says the same about Blackburn and Rep. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.), who is also scheduled to be a convention participant. Stublen says he thinks all of these politicians were "duped" into speaking at the for-profit event, adding that several hundred people have contacted him and urged him to call on Palin to stay away from the convention.
Phillips didn’t return a call for comment. But so far, Palin's speech seems to be going ahead as planned.
And not all the critics are convinced that she should cancel. For all her qualms about the convention, Kilmarx isn't rooting for Palin to back out. She says she trusts Palin's judgment, and that too many unsuspecting people have paid large sums to attend. "I would not want to have any of the good people who have forked over good money to see her get hurt. It’s a sorry state of affairs," she says. But Stublen isn’t so charitable. "It is up to us as individuals to be an informed public. Maybe this will teach people that anytime somebody uses the name 'Tea Party' to check them out before giving them money."
Bill Hemrick might be inclined to agree. He is the Nashville businessman who loaned Phillips the initial $50,000 to pay Palin’s speaking fee, unaware that the event was designed to net Phillips a profit. "I wish I had known. I just thought the Tea Party movement was nonprofit. That’s my own stupid fault," he tells Mother Jones. Hemrick has since gotten his money back, but like many of the event's original enthusiasts, he has fallen out with its organizers, who have asked him not to attend Palin’s speech. Nonetheless, Hemrick thinks it would be tragic if Palin failed to show up. "If she pulled out it would do more detriment to the Tea Party movement than to any one person,” he says. “I sincerely hope that it’s a good deal for those people."
Comments
Beginning of the end?
I hope so, because these angry and paranoid factions on the right are starting to make the rest of us angry and paranoid:
(satire)
anger please
I'm just getting a little more angry and and a little more paranoid, so overall, it's OK (sarcasm).
Palin the loser
Of course Palin will not back out if she is getting paid. She has no problems embarrassing herself. She does it every day.
Palin does it for Money, not respect.
Sarah is in it for ONE thing: MONEY .. as long as she gets paid, she wins. It's the oldest profession in the world.
Embarassed??? Does the Bearded Lady at the Circus get embarassed when people PAY to see her? No, she takes the money and laughs all the way to the bank.
Palin isn't smart enough to go anywhere, politically, so she is cashing in while the going is good ... there are (so far) enough clueless people to keep her raking in the $$$.
When that dries up, she will retire to her Hillbilly Mansion in Wasilla that her idiotic fans have paid for.
Palin tea party
Not smart enough? You mean not as smart as W? Or the team that allowed her to be chosen for VP runner? The electorate, both Rep and Dem, is generally stupid. If you can handle it, spend ten minutes in front of a Fox News broadcast and try to imagine the collective stupidity which supports the existence of such truck. Palin has a growing, not a decreasing following. I, personally, am looking into emigration.
Sarah Palin
From way Down Under I think the lossof Sarah Palin can only mean a place for a more reasonable person to take over the Republicans, or more likely Republikans. Next maybe Glen Beck?
People are waking up. Sure
People are waking up. Sure she had some good talking points, she had the right idea but she went about it the wrong way. Plus, she should have had help with some of her points because she put her foot in her mouth one too many times.
The quitter from Wassila
The quitter from Wassila quit? Who knows? If she sends a representative does she still get to keep all that money? If so, I can't see her showing up. It would be a win, win, win. She keeps her money, she gets to quit yet again, and her fan club is happy.
She Agreed to Stump For the Vampire McCain
who is not a Conservative. So whatever she says means nothing if she is willing to support him. I have not donated to the GOP for years because of dried up old liberals like McCain who don't have the decency to cross the aisle for real.
I am glad Palin is not brave enough to say no to power on the national stage like she did in Alaska. I think she is a huge problem for conservatives.
She uses English words, but they are strung together so randomly that it is impossible to understand what she is saying.
Asked what she does for fun, she replies that she eats therefore she hunts.
Gad!!
John McCain's A Liberal?
What color is the sky on your planet? And more importantly, have you ever eaten your own children for misbehaving?
Palin does not represent us!
Sorry America Sara P does not represent middle america. She has sold her soul to the corporatists who run this country. She will only spew their mantra even though she and Todd at one time were ordinary folks who took union jobs to help them and then turned on union workers by joining the other side.
palin
yeah, just like Reagan did...used the union when broke , wrecked it when rich and not needed for himself any more
Palin/Reagan
I have advocated for many years that we need to change the Federal Reserve to the Ronald Reagan Federal Reserve. Why not? We named the national airport after him and he fired the air traffic controllers.
They should have just gone
They should have just gone back to Washington to take advantage of the socialist free transportation. The thing they didn't take notice of is that Republicans have infiltrated their ranks and have taken their movement over. It all going to be about profit
My Metro Pass wasn't free
I'd like to know about all this socialist free transportation you're talking about. True mass transit is heavily subsidized as most cannot shell out $9/ride (Chicago study on the real cost of CTA rides), but free?
Otherwise you're right on with your second sentence. Just like Christianity which similarly at times seems like a wholly owned subsidiary of the Republican Party thanks to Falwell, Dobson, and Repubs playing the a-card.
What's strange is all these
What's strange is all these people are turning their backs on Phillips, but not Palin. Clearly, she's in it for profit more than anyone.
Stupid people doing stupid things...
...and doing them deliberately and belligerently deserve no sympathy.
That means you, teabaggers.
You're so incensed at the thought of a non-white POTUS that you've grabbed hold of anyone who's manipulating clueless morons with flagwaving and Jesus-speak.
Well, have fun. You've been had.
What a prostitute
getting paid 115 grand to show and talk, and we don't get the reach around?
What a pro.
What a pro-stitute.
Sarah and the teabaggers
I find the teabaggers silly and hateful.
I find Ms. Palin vacuous and greedy. Surely the outcome
to all of this will be that the silly and hateful will turn
on the vacuous and greedy. It seems Sarah is now between
a rock and the teabaggers.
I'm sure she'll come up with something to keep from getting
pelted with lobster tails. She's nothing, if not greasy and a dodger.
But sadly, Ms. Palin will discover that it's not a good idea to get
too close to the angry fringe. If you do ONE thing they disagree with
you might as well be s*it on a stick.
Your delusional. First of all
Your delusional. First of all it is a fundraiser to continue the excellent work the Teaparty has done in getting crazy liberals such as yourself out of office. The fundraiser has been SOLD OUT for months. You could not buy a ticket. You obviously know this as you go back and fort and back and forth in your nonsensical article. You know, like Mass, Virginia and so on. Secondly, Sarah is doing it non profit, she isn't charging anything. It is amazing how you made up all this drivel to what? Make the TeaParty look weak. Nice try, it rather exposed you as the typical misleading lying liberal that you are.
The results and factual happenings will show what a demented twit you are. This as well as the elections later this year.
Let me be liberal for a minute...... You are a pathetic bonehead.
Let me be a Tea Partier for a
Let me be a Tea Partier for a minute: your reply makes perfect sense and reflects what was actually written in the article.
rebuttal
(You're) delusional. I understand that part of the Teabagger' s Code is to become a botcommenter, you know the mom's basement types who "infiltrate" liberal/left leaning websites and take the digital fight to them Anti-AMerican commies. You post basically the same thing, change sites and words and you feel good about yourself. Also, you are anti-everything, so any information gleaned from a "liberal" site is instantly spin, conjecture and outright lies! In search of an outlet for your existential angst and anger, most likely due to a colored president(how else can venomous vitriol, invective, lies be justified FROM DAY ONE!) you joined up on an Anti-American group listing, and then typed, twittered to your hearts content about how "our" country is going to be taken back by "us". What is even more incredulous is your alliance with some of the very instigators of this continual mess we ve been leftover from the Culture wARS, vIETNAM, abortion, etc. Then, your "movement" has the audacity to take on the mantra and namesake of a sacred American event that came to define our early formation and the basis of the "American Experiment". Colonists revolted then because of: no taxation w/o representation, unjust edicts from King George and various other heinous, demoralizing acts. Fast forward to today: We still are the most powerful and richest country on the planet. Our political and financial elites got us into big big trouble. But guess what. You get what you pay for and vote for. Anti-intellectualism runs rampant in our society, and pols prey on this stupidity. So, angry white power mobs revolt because they are being left ebhind, tooo stubborn to change or adapt to the new reality. This is where the Teabaggers come in. Their attempts at protest are unorthodox, but do not carry the same weight as past protests. Teabaggers are founded on white power and anger, and tend to act like little children, especially on comment forums. They just cant take it when their "heroes" get criticized or attacked. It should be interesting to see where this "movement" goes. Movements fueled solely on anger tend to: fizzle out, or form the USSR. Thats what happens when mob rules.
This post is well reasoned
This post is well reasoned and articulate. That's the problem. Now they are confused. Next time try to use words with two syllables or less.
Reality
You can spout all you want about your "Tea Party". It's a joke! The vast majority of Americans do NOT agree with your "platform", your anger or your vision of America (manipulated to suit your views.)
So how many of you are there? Ten million? Twenty? Not enough to "take back our country".
All causes start as a movement, become a business and end as a racket.
I'd say the "Tea Party" is just about at the racket stage.
your post is so very
your post is so very pathetic. you would'nt know the "truth" if it bit you in the ass
You say she is not taking a
You say she is not taking a speakers fee - where is your evidence of this? how naive are you?
"You're" would be the correct
"You're" would be the correct spelling. I love watching how
all you Teabaggers mangle the english language!.....
English no matter where it is
English no matter where it is placed in a sentence should be capitalized.
Thanks for playing.
I love watching liberals masturbate all over them selves over Palin. You people make up things about her and twist other things to smear her. It's amusing.
Hat tip to HotAir for linking to this.
That is what they call a
That is what they call a Freudian slip. It is the Conservatives who masturbate to Palin.
Thanks for playing.
There's English and then there's english
I speaka da English, but I puta da "english" ona da ball.
Gimme an "Amen!"
You say she is not taking a
You say she is not taking a speakers fee - where is your evidence of this? how naive are you?
I don't think "You're" would be the correct spelling for one reason: you're is a contraction for "you are". I don't think "where is you are evidence of this?" would sound correct, do you? Oh wait, I forgot the audience here. You are from Tennesse, right? Hillbilly and all. Maybe you are correct, but for the rest of us English speaking people (Palin not included), I think you are wrong.
Besides all the stupid bashing that I think is quite amusing, please don't mix in stupid assumptions of how to spell. If in doubt, use a spell checker. If you don't know how to use one in your browser, then type in your (author note: I intend to use "your" and not "you are") copy of MS Word or Outlook or something, and spell check there. After that, you may copy/paste here. Got it?
What's really amazing is...
your inability to put a cohesive statement together, spell properly, check facts, or find any words to express your opinion(s) that do not read like a first grader pitching a hissy fit on a playground.
Tea Party Tickets STILL AVAILABLE
You're the one who is mistaken and as the writer of this article did, attempt to buy ten tickets to the convention @ $349 apiece, it was not a problem for me, either. All I had to do was supply my credit card number and I would have been out $3500 for a worthless speech by Sarah Palin. This convention has done nothing to cement the so called arguments of the Tea Baggers. But it has shown that the people who don't believe in them are right. There is no real organization of this group. You're not backed by the GOP or else your group would be successful. It's not that I think the GOP is such a great success but they certainly have the money to pull together a convention. Your little group couldn't even pull in half a million dollars in sponsorship to take care of costs ahead of time. With Sarah Palin, as a "keynote" speaker, you're guaranteed one thing---a speech filled with talking points and the words "common sense conservative solution". Although she is unable to expand on any of those without looking like more of a fool than she already is.
Couldn't you people find someone with a background of completing things to speak at the first (and probably, only) convention of the Tea Baggers? She's not really known for getting things done unless you're reading a fictional resume' of hers. Ms. Palin of the five colleges and unfinished jobs is the best you could do? Oh, that's right, Michelle (don't fill out that census) Bachmann is there with even more far right lunacy. What an entertaining weekend that will be. Comedy writers could have a field day with the two of them, they provide enough material for months at a time in one speech.
That's not fair! Finish
That's not fair! Finish Nothing Palin did successfully apply for federal dollars to pay for the bridge to nowhere. She was also successful in telling the nation how well versed she is in foreign affairs because she can see Russia from her backyard and because Putin personally flies over her state every day.
Sarah not charging anything?
Sarah not charging anything? Then what is the $115,000 for? Her wardrobe? Opryland is beautiful, but it's not THAT expensive. If the only money being shelled out for this airhead was to only cover her airfare, transportation, hotel and meals, do you really think she would bother to speak at all? I don't think so?
That's right. Plus she has to
That's right. Plus she has to pay for that Downes Syndrome child of hers because she didn't have a clue to seek birth control in her old age. I don't know if she still gets free health care now that she's unemployed.
Palin and baby
You are a nasty person. A democrat I presume. Wash out your mouth with soap.
Care to back that up Looney?
Care to back that up Looney?
The words of a mind whipped moron. . .
Stupid people doing stupid things... new
Submitted by Apphouse50 (not verified) on Wed Jan. 27, 2010 8:45 AM PST.
...and doing them deliberately and belligerently deserve no sympathy.
That means you, teabaggers.
You're so incensed at the thought of a non-white POTUS that you've grabbed hold of anyone who's manipulating clueless morons with flagwaving and Jesus-speak.
Well, have fun. You've been had.
Of course it's for profit
If this event weren't for profit, it would not occur. Why hold an event if someones not going to make a profit. If this event were for non-profit, then Sarah Palin , IMHO, was a true believer in the Tea party movement should wave her speaking fee, but she's all about the Benjamins. She's been this way since she quit her job as governor of Alaska. Come on sheeple, wake up. Stop drinking the cool aid.
BTW, what are the requirements for someone to become a member of the tea party? Do you have to be of a specific ethnic group or resemble a specific ethnic group?
I think to become a tea
I think to become a tea bagger, you have to have an IQ of less than a rock. They will let any ethnic group join, as long as you look, act, speak like a dumb-ass white person. Extra points if you mention you're a Christian. We're talking Tennessee here. Not too long ago, the Beverly Hillbillies were their biggest claim to fame. geesh!!!
Gee Pa, looks like they duped
Gee Pa, looks like they duped Ol' Aunt Sarry into speaking at that thar faancy dinner!
She still gonna give all that money to charity, right Pa?
LooneyTunes
This is Looney Tunes. The Tea Party Movement is garbage. Why are their 42 tea party groups in a state with only 4 mid-major cities and a cluster of towns called the tri-cities. There should be maybe 5 tea parties in TN, not 42. Also, these clowns have competition because Benny Hinn will be in Nashville the same dates, it will be hell for liberals with all those goons in the city.
TeaBaggers in Nashville
Actually, see my post below as we PROGRESSIVES find it hilarious.
I posted this on HuffPo yesterday.
Since I actually LIVE and WORK in Nashville, I can tell you the TEABAGGERS KNOW NOTHING about Music City, USA. Some of the C&W stars "play" neocons on talk shows, but they are there to sell albums.
TEABAGGERS were NOT popular here. EITHER TIME THEY TRIED.
The Opryland Hotel is EXPENSIVE, there are going to be TEABAGGERS protesting TEABAGGERS and it will be hilarious.
Nashville is LIBERAL. Tennessee is about 1/3 LIBERAL.
The Opryland Hotel is MILES from NashVegas and all the "sights" of Music City, USA, it will cost $50 cab fare and $20 to park ANYWHERE downtown.
IT IS A JOKE. The TEABAGGER leader here is a WEALTHY TRIAL LAWYER - so I am guessing tort reform is NOT on their fake agenda either.
woah babe!
Thanks for the local info. You rock.
Benny Hinn? Same day? Is it
Benny Hinn? Same day? Is it too late to get a refund? Maybe if I go and see him, I'll be guaranteed to go to heaven, but only if my check doesn't bounce :(
Sarah Comes for Tea - or not
If the Tea Party Convention is a scam (highly likely) then who better as keynote speaker than the Maven of Mendacity, Sarah Palin? She could WOW the attendees with a rendition of her new 2012 campaign song ("Sarah's Faked Alaska"):
Marsha Blackburn Voted
Marsha Blackburn Voted FOR:
Omnibus Appropriations, Special Education, Global AIDS Initiative, Job Training, Unemployment Benefits, Labor-HHS-Education Appropriations, Agriculture Appropriations, U.S.-Singapore Trade, U.S.-Chile Trade, Supplemental Spending for Iraq & Afghanistan, Prescription Drug Benefit, Child Nutrition Programs, Surface Transportation, Job Training and Worker Services, Agriculture Appropriations, Foreign Aid, Vocational/Technical Training, Supplemental Appropriations, UN “Reforms.” Patriot Act Reauthorization, CAFTA, Katrina Hurricane-relief Appropriations, Head Start Funding, Line-item Rescission, Oman Trade Agreement, Military Tribunals, Electronic Surveillance, Head Start Funding, COPS Funding, Funding the REAL ID Act (National ID), Foreign Intelligence Surveillance, Thought Crimes “Violent Radicalization and Homegrown Terrorism Prevention Act, Peru Free Trade Agreement, Economic Stimulus, Farm Bill (Veto Override), Warrantless Searches, Employee Verification Program, Body Imaging Screening.
Marsha Blackburn Voted AGAINST:
Ban on UN Contributions, eliminate Millennium Challenge Account, WTO Withdrawal, UN Dues Decrease, Defunding the NAIS, Iran Military Operations defunding Iraq Troop Withdrawal, congress authorization of Iran Military Operations.
Marsha Blackburn is my Congressman.
See her unconstitutional votes at :
http://tinyurl.com/qhayna
Mickey
Dang!
That sounds just like one of those Washington politicians to me; what do they call 'em, Republicrats, Demublicans, or something like that. I am a registered independent. Don't call me a Tea Party member. Obviously anyone who would value Sarah Palin as a beacon of light for the U.S. isn't dealing with a full deck. Perhaps maybe the huge populace of Alaska knew something the rest of the country can't grasp. Wait, scrap that idea. She quit that job halfway in. No reason to think she wouldn't lay down again if the going gets a little tough.
Post new comment
MoJo Comments: Send Us Your Feedback
We changed our spam software to better filter comments. Should you encounter any issues, please let us know.
