Photo essay: The Palins at the Mall of America
Thursday, June 30, 2011 at 2:39 pm
Bristol Palin, with parents Sarah and Todd, visited the Mall of America Wednesday for a family book-signing. The “Dancing With the Stars” contestant signed copies of “Not Afraid of Life,” while her mom signed copies of her books. Award-winning photojournalist Kathy Easthagen was there to capture these scenes.
Rules for the event were strict, presumably to ensure both the safety of the family and sales of the books. The line started at 5 a.m., and according to rules set up in advance, wristbands — blue, not the typical red associated with the GOP — were distributed, but only to “those who buy Bristol’s book. ”
The rules also stated:
- You must have a copy of Bristol’s book to purchase either of Sarah’s books.
- Each person must be present to get a wristband. They’re not transferable.
- No belongings or bags allowed on stage for the signing.
- No memorabilia will be signed; no personalization allowed.
- No photos on stage; “cameras and cell phones are to be put away once you reach the stage stairs”
- Stay in line. If you leave to use the bathroom or get food for a short period, someone in your party must stay in line at all times.
- If you leave for an extended period, you must go to the end of the line.
Media access was strict, too: Photographers were confined to a small space and given only five minutes to shoot.
Autograph seekers were funneled through barricades and cords to get to a table where the Palins greeted them. Mall officials say that around 1,500 people showed up over the course of the day, and the Palins signed some 700 books.
Vincent Spinner, 18, of Brownsville, Minn., says he woke up at 2 a.m. to drive from southern Minnesota to meet Palin.
He arrived at 5 a.m., and was third in line to meet the former Alaska governor.
Just behind Spinner, at fourth and fifth in line, were Marie Newman (above) of Shoreview and her 26-year-old daughter-in-law Alex Newman of Blaine.
Having paged through Bristol’s book while in line, and having already read Sarah’s, the Newmans noted that Sarah and Bristol (above) share their values about family, the military and aspirations for the country. Alex and her husband met in Iraq while they were serving in the National Guard.
A woman named Nance (she wouldn’t give her name because she’s involved with political campaigns) came to the event on her way home to the Duluth area after traveling to Pella, Iowa, to see the premier of the new documentary on Palin. Pointing out her bracelet, Nance noted that Sarah Palin has the same one, made by a friend of hers. “I hope that Sarah will be wearing it tonight,” she said. “She wasn’t wearing it last night.”
To see all of Easthagen’s photos from the event, visit the Minnesota Independent’s Flickr page. All photos by Kathy Easthagen.
36 Comments
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 3:27 pm
The Palin family are the ones proud of our country. They are the family we need in the Whitehouse. They will not be spending us into bankruptcy, and will not be playing golf every weekend, while Rome burns. Anyone that votes for a second term of Obama,and his failed policies, are incredibly stupid people.
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 3:35 pm
How cunning of those “Real American” Palins in removing freedom of choice from we-the-people, a.k.a. you could not purchase or have signed any of Sarah Palin’s books unless you purchased her daughter’s book. This family has only one driving tenet and that is clearly: making money. What a travesty.
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 3:40 pm
A not-to-miss video of the event from the Star Tribune in Minneapolis. Especially the ending where Palins and security all get in the elevator and then comes running the nanny with Tripp in the stroller trying to squeeze in. They almost left him behind!
http://www.startribune.com/video/124773708.html
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 3:47 pm
Classic White Trash and Reality TV Junkies.. The whole Sixth District is grunting, scratching their head and wondering what to do their erections after seeing these photos..
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 4:14 pm
I thought she quit the bus trip because she had jury duty in Alaska….
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 4:23 pm
They will not be spending us into bankruptcy———————————————-
Washington Independent: “But when the former vice presidential candidate resigned as governor of Alaska in the summer of 2009, she left the state with a 70 percent debt-to-GDP ratio — the highest state debt burden in the United States.” (California’s is 40.)
When Palin left office in 2002, Wasilla had “racked up nearly $20 million in long-term debt.”
Imagine how hard it must be to leave debt like that when you are also #1 in getting federal money from earmarks!
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 4:24 pm
This we know: Never in world history has there been a 47 year-old woman more beautiful than Sarah Palin.
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 5:15 pm
It’s a Minnesota thang…..Palin….Bachmann. That says volumes!
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 5:19 pm
She “noted that Sarah and Bristol (above) share their values about family, the military and aspirations for the country. ”
Most people regard a son who joins the Army so he won’t get sent to jail on drug charges as a minor scandal. I didn’t know it was a value to be shared.
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 5:29 pm
The Palins are not through hustling America. They still have more kids to prop up and bilk the public
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 5:54 pm
Pretty thin “crowd” She’s either losing her shine despite wall to wall media attention or there’s only a few Palin supporters who know how to read. Maybe both.
Sarah Palin and Michelle Bachmann–my God, what has this country come to?
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 6:12 pm
I am gratified to see so many young people buying their books and giving their time to show support for the Palins. This is what is called a dissonance amidst the liberal-Pravda propaganda that the Palins are irrelevant or worse. But alas, a picture is worth a thousand words.
VIVA SARAH!
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 6:35 pm
They had budgeted an hour for her to sign books. She was done in a half the time, although not this time because she quit, but nobody else wanted her to sign her book!
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 8:01 pm
Palin is a politician who understands the economy.
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 8:59 pm
Sarah has ZERO cleavage in that picture. I guess she forgot to wear a higher cut neckline to disguise her 10 lb. gel bra. The giant belt buckle with the sparkley christian cross on it that she wore in Pella a couple of days ago was quite bedazzling. It went quite well with the low-rider jeans bringing the eye “down there”. The belt probably has a custom-made interchangeable blingy Star of David buckle made with real rhinestones. I wonder if she has a vajazzle under that dazzling christian belt buckle?
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 9:06 pm
Close up picture of Sarah wearing her blingy 100% pure rhinestone crucifix belt buckle can be seen here:
http://theimmoralminority.blogspot.com/2011/06/reason-for-palins-belt-buckle-crucifix.html
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 11:49 pm
if these people are patriots, cancel my subscription, hello fucking Toronto
Comment posted June 30, 2011 @ 11:54 pm
Steve D. Its hard to say, its sad but true, I’m kinda dumb and so are you………………The Tragically Hip, give it a listen dickweed.
Comment posted July 1, 2011 @ 2:38 am
It’s looks like the Palins violated the Sherman and Clayton antitrust acts. Here is how wikipedia describes the illegal act of tying the purchase of a popular product (Sarah’s book) to the purchase of an unpopular product (Bristol’s book)
From Wikipedia
Tying is the practice of making the sale of one good (the tying good) to the de facto or de jure customer conditional on the purchase of a second distinctive good (the tied good). It is often illegal when the products are not naturally related, for example requiring a bookstore to stock up on an unpopular title before allowing them to purchase a bestseller.
Comment posted July 1, 2011 @ 3:04 am
She is nothing but a con artist who fools the stupid into thinking she’s some sort of goddess. She can’t do anything wrong, and if she does, well then, it’s the “liberal media’s fault”. Bristol is nothing but a talentless high school dropout who partied her way through high school, drinking and taking drugs.
She obviously can’t hold her own in a debate or an interview ( that’s not pre-scriped by her Fox buddies) , all she can do is insult the President and chirp slogans.
I feel really sorry for all the Conservatives4Palin people who are getting hoodwinked over and over and over again.
Comment posted July 1, 2011 @ 7:37 am
The eighteen year old is a new voter for Gov. Palin. One vote at a time.
Everybody needs to see the movie “The Undefeated” about Gov. Palin’s 20 years of public service.
The movie is Of the People, By the People, and For the People.
Gov. Palin is a leader with a true servant’s heart.
Comment posted July 1, 2011 @ 7:48 am
I see Bropper the nutjob doesn’t give you all the facts:
“During her second term as mayor, Palin proposed and promoted the construction of a municipal sports center to be financed by a 0.5%[45] sales tax increase and $14.7 million bond issue.[63] Voters approved the measure by a 20 vote margin and the Wasilla Multi-Use Sports Complex was built on time and under budget.”
The debt was for the sports center and it was voted on and approved by the voters.
Once the bond was paid off for the sports center the approved sales tax by the voters should have ended. Mayor Palin was out of office by the time the bond was paid off.
Comment posted July 1, 2011 @ 9:17 am
Joe, buying a book implies literacy. I leave it to you to connect those dots.
Comment posted July 1, 2011 @ 9:21 am
You are all quite disgusting people; the left cannot do anything but be rude, crude and socially unacceptable. Put a lid on it once. Your crap talk does not work!
Comment posted July 1, 2011 @ 10:00 am
What’s with all of the trolls and political midgets on this thread.. Holy chicken gizzards!!
Sarah Palin is an IDIOT!!
She doesn’t even write her books and I doubt if her fans even read them.. They just put the book on the coffee table to prove to the world how stupid they are.. Plus, the book has a purdy picture of the Wasilla Gorilla ..Yuk Yuk
Palin / Snookie 2012 !! Yay !!
Comment posted July 1, 2011 @ 11:01 am
Steve D – you realize, don’t you, that not ALL of “the Palins” will be President, even if Sarah won? Which she won’t. She won’t get nominated, even if she runs, which she won’t. I love Bristol’s new face though, really takes they eye away from her girth.
Comment posted July 1, 2011 @ 3:37 pm
I can’t see a single person of color in any of those photos. I know that Minnesota is pretty white, but, come on! The couldn’t rustle up a single minority to show up and be photographed?
Comment posted July 2, 2011 @ 3:05 pm
Justin…MN is pretty white but minneapolis and st Paul are quite diverse..plus, I was at the mall that day and it was a very mixed crowd of whites, blacks, asians, south asians, muslims, etc. …so the fact that her small crowd was white, says a lot abt her fans…plus, the reporting on this event has been weird…at 4:40pm, 20 min to start time there were abt 30 ppl in line and all overflow areas were empty….
Comment posted July 3, 2011 @ 10:33 am
happymullah wrote:
“I am gratified to see so many young people buying their books and giving their time to show support for the Palins.”
Huh? You mean BOTH of them? Are we defining “young” as “under 70″ now?
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