For someone that committed "political suicide" when she quit as Governor, and is "irrelevant" (as the Left likes to remind us), she sure finds a way to get in their heads, doesn't she?
It's time now to Clear the Air and to ask a question: what is the purpose behind Sarah Palin's current bus tour? It's difficult to ask that question directly because Sarah Palin specializes in checkbook journalism. That is, she only gives interviews to a network that pays her in excess of $1 million a year. So we're forced to make judgements from the outside and it all looks like the precursor to a presidential campaign. The vehicle itself reminds us of all those campaign buses that crisscross the nation at election time. The media are ever-present, catching her every handshake and every book signing. And the journey itself – visiting locations of national importance along the East Coast and proclaiming once again as the most patriotic American that ever lived.
And yet, even in her paid-for interview, she seems coy and almost confused about what she's doing. "This is not a campaign bus," she said on Fox News. "This is a bus to express to American how much we appreciate our foundation and to invite more people to be interested about all that is good about America." It all sounds like a wonderful commitment to American values and American history, but it's nothing of the kind. In fact, the whole thing could be in breach of a federal law because the United States Flag Code establishes important rules for the use and display of the stars and stripes, the flag of the United States. Under standards of respect and etiquette, it's made clear that the flag of the United States should never be used for any advertising purpose whatsoever. Yet that's precisely what Sarah Palin is doing. She's using the flag of the United States for her own financial purposes. She drapes herself in the stars and stripes and makes millions of dollars in the process. This has got nothing to do with the presidency and everything to do with filling her pockets. And by raising her profile, she raises her income. It is as simple as that. So she was right when she said that hers is not a campaign bus. It's a cash bus and she'll keep it rolling for as long as she can. Thanks so much for watching.
This is why I thionk Palin is so much more effective as a non-politician. Just like Rush, she can speak to the Base, and keep the Elected Ones in line.
As an aside, it's interesting to me how Bashir is suddenly concerned with flag etiquette. I also think he is somewhat confused. Can anyone think of any instance where an American Flag may have been used in an advertising campaign? Car commercials, maybe? Any furniture stores with sales on Memorial Day? Veteran's Day? The Fourth of July? Has Bashir launched an attack against all of those businesses, since he is the self-appointed protector of the flag?
What about Democrat politicians that have an American Flag in campaign ads, or at campaign stops? Are those also illegal Mr. Bashir?
Also, what about the conduct of one of the folks in this video clip? Is this the way to properly respect the flag? You tell me what is more disgraceful, Sarah Palin having an image of the American Flag on her bus, or a sitting United States Senator not following a protocol that every elementary school child knows?
(Psst, Mr. Bashir? What is that big red, white, and blue thing behind all those Democrats at a political rally? Is that being used in "breach of Federal law" as well?)
