“Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin’s bus tour of national historic sites this week has been more of a whirlwind of photo-ops than a deep dive into American history.
Palin’s bus tour filled with short glimpses of history
By Amy Gardner
“Palin skipped the slave quarters during a 45-minute tour of Mount Vernon, George Washington’s pastoral estate on the Potomac River. She spent 30 minutes studying the nation’s founding documents at the National Archives, less than an hour touring Independence Hall in Philadelphia, and only 20 minutes at Fort McHenry — not enough time even to enter the five-sided redoubt at the mouth of Baltimore Harbor...”
“Palin aide Jason Recher showed up at Independence National Historic Park in Philadelphia at about 10:30 a.m. Tuesday and promptly told spokeswoman Jane Cowley: “Well, you’ll be surprised to know that she’s going to be here in an hour and a half or two hours.”
“Although they haven’t asked for it, Palin and her family have received VIP treatment just about everywhere they’ve gone: a private guided tour of Mount Vernon, early admission into the National Archives, and private tours at all the federally managed National Park Service properties they’ve visited but one: the Statue of Liberty. They bypassed long lines and avoided crowded exhibit rooms…”
“Melissa Wood, a spokeswoman for the Mount Vernon Ladies’ Association, said the Palins parked their bus in an administrative parking lot to avoid creating a scene, and they received a private tour of the house at a time when other time slots were intentionally left blank — so that the family could avoid the large crowds typical of the estate.
Wood said the Palins were not charged the usual fee — $15 for adult admission — because they essentially came in through the back door. But Palin spokesman Tim Crawford, who is the treasurer of her political action committee, said they did pay. “We are not asking for any special treatment,” Crawford said…”
“Jim Ireland, superintendent at Fort McHenry National Monument and Historic Shrine, said Palin’s Memorial Day visit caused minimal disruption, and most of that was caused by the swarm of media who came along to chronicle her trip. Ireland arranged for a ranger to give the Palins a private tour to keep the flow of visitors moving smoothly on one of the busiest holidays of the year.
“She pulled in a little after 2,” Ireland said. “She walked up to the fort. She stood outside the fort. She attracted a little attention from whoever was around. She got a few minutes of history on the War of 1812. Then she and her family walked down, went through the visitor’s center and back to the bus….”
That rapid-fire pace was repeated at many of the attractions the Palin family visited — another distinction from more typical family visits to historic sites that often recommend a full day or more to fully appreciate the offerings. Cowley at Independence Hall in Philadelphia, said two hours is the minimum she recommends, and only for tight schedules. “There are so many things to see,” she said. “There are different itineraries, for a few hours, a half a day, a day, a few days.” Palin’s 45-minute stop, she said, was a “brief” visit.
Palin took longer at two other stops — she walked Liberty Island on her own for more than two hours Wednesday and spent about three hours at Gettysburg on Tuesday.”
Cassi Creek:
What appears to be unfolding is a tour of photo opportunities that just happen to be associated with national historical places. From the time spent at the various sites, it is evident that Palin has no more desire to learn American history in 2011 than she did when she was in middle school.
To have the National Archives opened early and to have the opportunity to see those documents that define our nation’s origin and to walk away after 30 minutes is puzzling. To spend only 20 minutes at Fort McHenry when one has school-aged children along on the trip is evidence that Palin has no concern for history.
Palin claims this is a family vacation. Families rarely are treated to a personal luxury bus tour of national historical sites. The average family saves up for their trip and then spends it standing in line along with all the other families who hope to be shown some of the history of our nation. The average family does not get to enter national parks and historic sites before they are open. They don’t get to park in staff parking slots or bypass the long lines at admission gates. They choose what they want to see most and listen eagerly to the rangers and guides who explain how Americans lived in a particular time period.
The average family does not have their “vacation” paid for by a PAC. The average family is more interested in taking photographs of the places they visit than in being photographed for PR purposes.
I’m willing to bet that the time Palin and “family” spent at any single historical site is directly proportional to the number of her minions who showed up to make it look as if she is the main attraction.
This bus tour is not a vacation; it is not about reminding anyone about the “greatness” of America. Palin has no more awareness of American history today than she did when a ghostwriter helped her copy the words of others who might actually know about what happened at Independence Hall or on the battlefields of Gettysburg.
This is just another attempt to keep her name and face in the media so that foolish supporters will send her still more money.
This is no “family vacation,” although she will do her worst to convince thousands of voters that it is. This is a prime example of the “elitism” she claims to abhor. This is privilege generated by millions of dollars of money that she scammed out of the pockets of Americans who should have known better.
When she stands in front of Fox News cameras and lies about her “average family vacation” I hope someone has the intelligence to point out her lies, and the courage to point her to the back of the line, where entry fees are paid by “average people” before they are allowed to enter.
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