Rolling Thunder Riders Praise Sarah Palin’s Participation in Rally

By Gary P Jackson

Every Memorial Day a group of riders make the trip to Washington, D.C. to honor our military heroes. Rolling Thunder is dedicated to honoring American P.O.W.s and MIAs. We must never forget.

As part of her One Nation Tour Sarah Palin and her family will be joining in. Rumor has it she and Todd are trying to rent a couple of Harley-Davidsons so they can ride with all of these fine patriots.

From ABC News:

ABC News’ Sheila Marikar [@sheilaym] reports: For the riders of Rolling Thunder, the news that Sarah Palin will participate in their national rally on Sunday came as a surprise. A welcome surprise.

“I think that’s wonderful,” said Gerri Tramel, president of one of Rolling Thunder’s Tennessee chapters. “Anybody that’s involved — Republican, Democrat, independent, whatever — if you’re involved with our veterans, I think that’s wonderful. Not just Sarah Palin — anyone that’s a politician.”

For more than 20 years, as many as half a million motorcycle riders from across the country have descended on Washington, D.C., during Memorial Day weekend to raise awareness about prisoners of war and those missing in action. Rolling Thunder announced Thursday that Palin accepted an invitation to participate in its May 29 rally. She’ll kick off her One Nation Tour the same day, a bus trip along the northeast coast that aims “to educate and energize Americans about our nation’s founding principles.”

[ …. ]

“If she wants to support the troops, we’re all for it,” said Greg Benson, president of Rhode Island’s Rolling Thunder chapter.

“I certainly welcome any positive publicity surrounding our cause, anything to bring attention to POWs and MIAs,” said Jeffrey Stewart, who leads a Rolling Thunder chapter in New Hampshire, a state that will be crucial to Palin if she runs in 2012. “Whether it’s a celebrity or a politician-celebrity — I’m not exactly sure what she is right now — having Sarah Palin there means more people will be paying attention to our cause.”

**Update:

It seems someone is playing politics with the Rolling Thunder rally.

Nancy Regg, the group’s spokesman says Sarah Palin was invited by Rolling Thunder, but Ted Shpak, the group’s “legislative director” says no.

It’s most curious that Shpak sought out the left wing media as fast as he could. MSNBC, the “news” network that has hosts who call Conservative women “sluts,” gave the guy all the air time he wanted. No Conservative would do this.

Sarah Palin was never invited to speak at the event, only ride with the group. Anyone who knows or follows Sarah Palin knows the high regard she holds for the American Military, and as a former Commander-in-Chief, as well as the mother of an Iraq war veteran, knows the priorities are the honoring our military.

Some people would rather use their position to push their political agenda rather than honor the troops, and that isn’t Sarah Palin.

Palin supporters support the military and support Rolling Thunder and every group like them. Sarah Palin’s presence at the event is to honor the military especially former P.O.Ws and those Missing In Action. Obviously, it will bring attention to this important event.

Personally, as a rider myself, I am ashamed that someone like Shpak would rant in front of MSNBC’s cameras and dishonor so many good men and women with his political posturing on the eve of such an important event.

***Update II

More clarification from the Washington Post:

The former Alaska governor, who is the subject of a lot of overheated speculation about whether she will run for president in 2012, has accepted an invitation to participate in the annual Rolling Thunder memorial ride this Sunday, an official says.

“As far as I know, she is trying to rent a motorcycle, so she can ride with her husband,” said Nancy Regg, a spokeswoman for Rolling Thunder.

Gregg says the tentative plan is for Palin to join up with the ride at the Pentagon at 7 a.m. The ride kicks off at noon, and hundreds of bikers will snake through D.C. to the event’s main stage, which will be between the Reflecting Pool and the Korean War Veterans Memorial on the Mall. The program is scheduled to kick off at 1 p.m

This just reinforces our point: Ted Shpak is not only a liar, but a liar with an agenda.

Nice going loser. You’ve managed to make this honorable event about YOU instead of the heroes who gave their last full measure of devotion for our nation.

It seems Palin Derangement Syndrome trumps all, even honoring America’s greatest.