Blog: Dermot Cole
Palin's office says D.C. trip features 'nonpartisan and high-profile events'
Published Wednesday, January 28, 2009
It turns out that Gov. Sarah Palin is planning to attend the “Alfalfa Club” banquet in Washington, D.C. Saturday.
I passed along incorrect information that I received from the governor's office Tuesday regarding her plans. Mistakes happen and I don't think the error was intentional by Palin's staff.
The governor told reporters today in Juneau she plans to attend the event to promote Alaska's interests and because she expects President Obama will be there.
“The Alfalfa dinner, yes, in fact that’s because President Obama is scheduled to be there. And how often will I have an opportunity to have dinner with the president. I will take up that offer to do so," Palin told reporters this morning outside the governor's mansion, according to the Anchorage Daily News political blog.
The club was founded in 1913 by four Southerners and it holds an annual banquet on the last Saturday in January, recognizing the birthday of Robert E. Lee.
The Washington Post said it is an "annual gathering of eccentric exclusivity that is either ironically celebrating the birthday of Robert E. Lee or toasting the kind of bipartisanship that comes from keeping the drinks flowing."
The $200-a-plate club dinner is an off-the-record event that features many of the nation's leading figures in government and business.
The only Alaskan in the Alfalfa Club is former Sen. Ted Stevens, who entered as a “sprout” in 1989.
Every year the club nominates a spoof candidate for president. The "nominee" last year was New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg. Others nominated over the years have included Richard Nixon, Ronald Reagan and John McCain.
In 2003, the club named Stevens as its pretend candidate for president.
The Washington Post reported at the time: “Stevens, 79, accepted the Alfalfans' nomination for U.S. president while wearing a flappy fur hat, a sealskin vest and mukluk moccasin boots, and brandishing an oosik (a walrus penis bone). "
"He laid out his platform on environmental issues ('What Would Jesus Drive?' Hell if I know, but if he comes to Alaska he better have a four-wheeler’) and noted that ancient Alaskan Medicare tradition calls for dying elders to be pushed out to sea on ice floes."
"My health plan involves making more ice floes," he said, and finding a cure for frostbite. ‘When it comes to frostbite, what you have to worry about is nose, toes and something that at my age may as well be froze.’"
Former First Lady Barbara Bush responded, "Ted, this is the third time you've brought one of those walrus things to this dinner,” adding, “I hate to think what went on here before women were admitted.”
The dinner was for men only until First Lady Hillary Clinton attended in 1994 with President Clinton, according to UPI.
A spokeswoman for Palin's new political action committee told the Anchorage Daily News that the governor could use money raised by the committee to attend events like the Alfalfa Club dinner, which is not state business.
The Daily News political blog quoted Palin as saying that the political action committee would be a way to pay for her travel to "quasi-political" events such as the Lincoln Day Dinner in Fairbanks Feb. 14.
Palin issued a statement this afternoon saying she would be attending various nonpartisan events in D.C. and visit her staff in the city.
"These non-partisan and high-profile events provide Governor Palin with the perfect opportunity to speak further about not only Alaska’s needs, but how Alaska should be allowed to develop its natural resources in order to contribute to America’s quest toward energy independence," the governor's office said.
"In keeping with tradition, President Obama is also expected to attend the Alfalfa Club Dinner," the governor's office said.
Palin's office said the governor plans to attend a dinner Friday at the home of Fred Malek. He is a Washington power broker who was a key fundraiser for John McCain's campaign. He was the "defacto national finance chairman" and worked full time on the McCain campaign, Malek says on his blog.
Malek has been active in Republican politics for decades and served under President Nixon and the first President Bush.
"Sarah Palin will have an important role in the future of the Republican Party," Malek predicted after the election.
Regarding the dinner at Malek's house, Palin's office said, "A number of high-profile business and economic leaders are expected, as well as political leaders who will be making decisions on the stimulus package, including U.S. Sens. Mitch McConnell, R-Ky., Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif. and Olympia Snowe, R-Maine. Former Federal Reserve Chairman Alan Greenspan will also be attending."
Dermot did you "forget" that Obama is also attending the event??????
So... the Sarah Palin who supposedly hates the Washington Elite, is herself hated by the so-called "liberal media" and is "just your average hockey-mom," is going to a $200/plate dinner full of insiders, elites, and the media.
Really.
Oh, and Nanook1934, the sitting President is ALWAYS invited to the Alfalfa Club dinner.
I know that dear Henry, but interesting that it was mentioned in the article of all readers to see....
Maybe
“Mistakes happen and I don't think the error was intentional”
So Obama HAS to go…so that’s different than Palin attending.
Nummy food at $200 per plate.....
Interesting how investigative reporting can skew stories in their favorable direction by leaving out certain facts.....
How happy is Henry today?
Actually, I have no idea if the president will attend. But the governor said today that he will and that's why she is going. So I updated the entry.
Obama doesn't have to go, but the President is invited annually.
In any case, Obama has not, to my knowledge, ever claimed to be an "average hockey mom." He has not spoken of his dislike for the "Washington Elite" or the "liberal media," both of which will be present. Obama, again, to my knowledge, does not pretend to be a blue-collar, middle-class, everyday Joe SixPac.
Palin, on the other hand, has done all of those, and the contrast between that and the Alfalfa Club is very stark.
I heard that Obama is going to the "Buckwheat" gathering instead
Dear sockeye5,
that sounds like a very out-of-bounds liberal comment........
Can I use this one...“Mistakes happen and I don't think the error was intentional”
Governor Palin: While you are at the "Alfalfa Club", how about talking about a little "hay" for Alaska? Don't worry about the barn yard pigs (pork) we got plenty more animals up here that could use a little fattening. Sure hope they are serving salmon...good brain food...$200 per plate for an imitation "soy burger" just doesn't sound like a very appetizing main dish.
Seems like how Alaska is adjusting to having it's first Governor is the national political game and media limelight might make for an interesting article.
"Sarah Palin will have an important role in the future of the Republican Party" - Yeah, she single-handedly will destroy it.
Maybe the Alfalfa Club will make Sarah Palin its "pretend" presidential nominee this year. She'll make a silly speech, brandish the traditional symbol of Alaska masculinity, people will groan and roll their eyes, and that will be it. Palin will have had her 15 minutes as the presidential nominee, the Republicans can have a good laugh, and our governor will come back home and go back to work. As an avowed Alaskan, I'm willing to pay for Governor Palin to go to the Alfalfa Club just so she will get this presidential nomination obsession out of her system and so we can get her to go back to working. Here, in Alaska. Also, too.
henry,
Here we go again, old man. So, with your line of thinking, ... if I'm a liberal in my twenties, but then decide to "grow up" in my later years, then I am equally as guilty as our governor, who campaigned on the distinction that she was not part of the Washington elite, WAS your average parent (or, "hockey mom"), and STILL is not liked by the liberal media.
My point, henry, is that things change. Times are changing. She may have run on those principles and points, ... but that was so three months ago. Political atmospheres on the national level change in a blink of an eye. You cannot continue to rally and cry foul every time our current governor tries to best her position by demanding, "she needs to get the work done for Alaskans, she's ours, ... waaaahhh."
She has been elevated by our national need for reform. I tend to think that takes priority over your confounded ideology of what a "governor," from any state, is obligated to do for their state.
Once again, she can multi-task, and has proven to be so gifted. She can be governor, mother, "hockey mom," and anything else she wants to be, ... so long as she has the desire and energy for it.
We are better off with her in the seat than any you could possibly consider.
FreeDarfur, Jay Hammond was very much in the national political spotlight. So was Wally Hickel. Among others. Sarah's notoriety is not........quite.......the same.
Yet another riveting piece about Gov. Palin.
For a woman who thinks that the media is out to get her she sure seems to spend a lot of time talking to them.
Of course, I keep reading it. And commenting on it.
DHT3...
riveting??? really???
So did Ted invite her?
Little Rascals anyone?
Why Alfalfa?
corinne: As a farmer's daughter, I know that alfalfa needs plenty of water -- drinks, if you will -- to keep going. I recall reading somewhere the Alfalfa Club waters itself with plenty of hooch.
J. Mann
Ponderous-
Old man? Jeez. That wasn't nice, you young whippersnapper.
Palin said that she was getting sick and tired of the "liberal media" TWO WEEKS AGO! Even then, She was trying to paint the picture of herself as a small-town, average-Joe SixPAC, blue-collar, middle-class American.
I personally don't care if she goes to the dinner. What I do care about is honesty and integrity. Palin had that, or so I thought seven months ago.
Mark my words--if Palin runs for President in 2012, she will once again roll out the fake midwest accent, and try to present herself as an average ordinary "hockey mom." There will be no mention of her attendance at one of the most exclusive clubs in the World.
Do you not want our Governor to "get the work done for Alaskans?" Do you not want her to do the job we are paying her $10,000/month plus per diem and benefits to do?
PaDutchGirl-
Sounds about right to me!
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