Word: paliner
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...going to orchestrate its comeback if it's having such a tough time organizing the seating chart for one fundraising dinner? That, at least, is the question being posed by many amused spectators of the GOP's puzzling game of musical chairs it appears to be playing with Sarah Palin...
...rake in at least $10 million. The Alaska governor was originally invited last spring by Pete Sessions, the chairman of the National Republican Campaign Committee (NRCC), to address the dinner. She accepted, or so Sessions thought, and a press release went out. But there was apparently a miscommunication in Palin World between Washington and Alaska advisers, because as it turned out, the 2008 vice presidential nominee had a conflict and said she might not be able to attend. In the meantime, Sessions and his Senate counterpart Senator John Cornyn cast around for another keynote speaker and decided on Newt Gingrich...
Until last week, that is, when fundraiser and Palin supporter Fred Malek pushed the National Republican Senatorial Committee - headed by Cornyn - to re-extend the invitation to Palin. The Alaska governor would be in the area, marking the 50th anniversary of Alaska's statehood with a parade in Auburn, N.Y., the home of William Seward, the former U.S. Secretary of State who spearheaded the Alaska purchase. The idea, according to a Senate GOP staffer, was to make her appearance at the dinner a surprise...
This plan backfired as well, however. After Cornyn extended the second invitation to speak, Sessions, concerned that she'd upstage Gingrich, vetoed her speaking role. "Chairman Sessions is a big supporter of Governor Palin, which is why he invited her to be the keynote speaker when the event was first announced," said NRCC spokesman Ken Spain. "A great deal of effort has been put into this fundraising event, and Speaker Gingrich has gone above and beyond the call of duty. It is our hope that Governor Palin will attend the dinner and be recognized, but we understand if her busy...
...first reported by Politico, after Palin was informed Saturday that she could come but would not have a speaking role, her staff angrily said she likely wouldn't attend the dinner. Cornyn reached out to her personally on Sunday to try to change her mind, and on Monday, Sessions was also reportedly working overtime to try to persuade the popular Republican to attend the event. By late Monday afternoon, Palin had reportedly decided to attend (though not speak at) the dinner...