Pentagon Eyes Palin Event in Alaska

[NYCGirl]

http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/archive/2008/09/10/1372609.aspx

-snipped-

Palin was long scheduled to speak at the deployment ceremony for the 1st Stryker Brigade Combat Team, 25th Infantry Division, at Fort Wainwright, Alaska on Thursday. Her son will be among the soldiers preparing to leave for Iraq.

However, candidates are strictly forbidden from campaigning on military installations. Candidates can appear at events on installations when they're in an official capacity (as governor, as senator, etc), but they cannot solicit votes or money on a base.

Fort Wainwright announced weeks ago that the event would be open to the media and to the public, but now the Pentagon is considering closing it to media to avoid any appearance of taking sides in the presidential campaign.

For now, the event remains open to media and Palin is scheduled to speak. The Pentagon is working with Palin advisers to ensure they understand the rules about what she can and cannot speak about (she can speak about the deployment, about the war in Iraq, etc), and that they understand that she must maintain neutral behavior.

Palin also may speak during the deployment ceremony, but she cannot conduct any press availability on the installation -- she can hold one right outside the front gate though.

A senior defense official says that Palin will appear as both the governor and as a mother of a soldier. "This is not a campaign event," the official said, "she will be there for her official duties as governor."

The official said this is no different than when Obama visited Iraq and Afghanistan on a congressional delegation trip. "Candidates can visit a military installation," the official said, adding, "they just cannot campaign on the property." Asked if this is similar to Obama's canceled visit to Landstuhl, the official said, "No, that is a military hospital, their strict privacy rules supersede the campaign restrictions."

[TwilightGardener]

1. Campaign event, exploiting the troops--sorry, you should cancel, toots.

[itsrobert]

2. How many times has she spoken at these events?

n/t

[DarthDem]

3. I Love the Part About

. . . her being forbidden to conduct "press availability" and the "outside the front gate" comment - - a little military humor, perhaps? As if. :rofl:

[uppityperson]

4. Dang, those rules just suck. It's not fair! Wahhhhhh

:sarcasm:

[blogslut]

5. She will exploit the day

Of this, I have no doubt. And it makes me ill.

[Windy]

6. Oh Please... the repub party (who runs the pentagon now) doesn't want any off the cuff remarks aired

Give me a freaking break. Its more of the HIDE PALIN strategy!