Palin Bungles Another Event Invitation, Claiming She Was Never Asked to Attend

Posted by Amanda Terkel, Think Progress at 11:58 AM on August 27, 2009.

Tonight’s Alaska Family Council event promoting an anti-choice statewide ballot measure was supposed to be Sarah Palin’s first public appearance since stepping down as governor. However, Palin spokeswoman Meg Stapleton now says that Palin won’t be attending because organizers never asked her. Family Council officials insist that they have been talking to Palin “contacts” for weeks and had confirmed her participation. As of today, the Alaska Family Council is still promoting Palin as one of the event’s headliners on its website:

The new announcement marks at least the fourth time this year Palin has played this game with event organizers:

1. Conservative Political Action Conference, February 2009: After originally indicating that she would attend, Palin backed out and said that the “duties of governing” prevented her from going.

2. Republican Fundraising Dinner, June 2009: The NRSC and the NRCC issued a press release announcing that Palin would keynote their annual fundraising dinner. Palin’s staff then said governor would not be attending. When the NRSC and NRCC instead turned to Newt Gingrich, Palin’s team balked that the governor could no longer give a speech.

3. Reagan Library Speech, August 2009: In July, the Republican Women Federated of Simi Valley sent out a press released announcing that Palin would be attending its 50th anniversary gala at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library. A few days before the event, Palin backed out. Her spokeswoman said that she had never “committed to attending this event or speaking at this event.”

In January, Palin also turned down an invitation to the RNC’s winter retreat, citing “pressing state business.” Instead, she went to DC and attended the elite Alfalfa Club dinner.

Tagged as: sarah palin

Amanda Terkel is Deputy Research Director at the Center for American Progress and serves as Deputy Editor for The Progress Report and ThinkProgress.org at the Center for American Progress.