At 8 a.m. today, there were already a handful of people standing and waiting in front of the Books-A-Million in Towne Center, braving the cold wind and rain for a chance to meet the former Alaska governor and Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin. A few hundred people showed up Monday in Metairie for an autographed copy of Palin’s new book, American By Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith and Flag. Palin’s Baton Rouge signing, scheduled to kick off at 11 a.m., is expected to be equally well attended.
From a political perspective, what’s interesting is who won’t be garnering an audience with Palin. Spokespeople for Gov. Bobby Jindal have repeatedly insisted he won’t be meeting with Palin today. Jindal, a fellow Republican, will be in Cameron Parish for his annual duck hunt fundraiser. Officials with the Louisiana Republican Party, meanwhile, have reached out to Palin, but her handlers cited a “tight schedule.” A party source says, “Something could still come together at the last minute.”
The Louisiana stops are more about retail politics and selling books; Books-A-Million stores had hats in stock already that read “Sarah Palin for President.” A grassroots group known as Strengthening American Values by Educating Louisiana, or SAVE La., has sprouted up and is asking folks who get an autographed copy of Palin’s book to re-sell it on eBay or elsewhere. Participants are being asked to donate all proceeds to Louisiana universities, an obvious stab at Jindal’s proposed budget cuts. “Our sole focus is using Gov. Palin’s star power and proven book-selling ability to help do what Gov. Jindal refuses to,” says spokesman Zach Hudson. “Save Louisiana’s higher education system from these irresponsible, out-of-touch and misplaced budget cuts.” —Jeremy Alford
