Monday night after a great men's Bible study I, my father in law, Earl Mock and my youngest daughter, Alyssa headed south on I-75 to get in line to get a bracelet to see Sarah Palin in person and get our copies of Going Rogue: An American Life signed. We got there around 11:00 or 11:15 PM. We set up our chairs and sleeping bags and settled in for the night. Nearly 115 people had already set up their place in line. Some arrived at 1 or 2 PM on Monday. It was a bit chilly, especially in the early morning hours. We met several nice Palin supporters including some really nice young folks, Kelly and Drew from Georgia . UGA students, but we won't hold that against them. GO GATORS!
I gave out several buttons and bumper stickers and sold a few shirts as well, both Monday night and during the day while we waited for Sarah to arrive. It was a long night but more than worth the wait. At around 6 or 6:30 AM the coffee cart came around and we got warmed up with some strong hot coffee and something called a scone.
Being in the top 115 or 120 in line we easily got our bracelets. After that we got a bite to eat and returned to Barnes and Noble to wait for them to form the signing lines based on the letter written on your bracelet. Ours was "B". Around noon they started forming those lines so we had to wait another 2 or 2 1/2 hours in yet another line. Sarah's bus arrived slightly after 2:30. They had already called all of group "A" in and about half of "B" so that put us right in front beside the stage where Sarah would address the crowd and do an interview with Fox's Gretchen Carlson. Seeing her in person truly was like so many before me have written. She has a realness about her that no other politician has. She has an inner beauty that we only glimpse on TV that comes out even more in person. We were in a pretty good spot to take some good pictures. Be sure to check them out from the link below.
I believe she is a person who has been called for such a time as this. Our Nation needs common sense conservatives in Washington. Our Nation needs Sarah Palin.
At around 3 PM Alyssa, my father in law and I approached the signing table. Alyssa was ahead of me and she looked at Alyssa's shirt and smiled pointing at her shirt with a wink. I arrived at the table and she said she liked my shirt, I introduced myself, as the chairman of the 2012 Draft Sarah Committee and she thanked me for my support and encouragement. She sort of looked like she recognized my name when I introduced myself, but maybe that is just wishful thinking on my part. They were pushing the line through quickly so there was not much more time than that. I did get to chat with her dad Chuck Heath for about 5 or 10 minutes. I asked him to convince his daughter to run in 2012. Not surprisingly he did not really answer. My father in law commented that he seemed like a good ole country boy, just like one of us. I said that is what is so great about him and Sarah... she is one of us.
All in all it was more than worth the sleeping in a lawn chair, enduring the cold in our sleeping bags and waiting all day to see Sarah in person. I told a reporter, as we left the signing that Sarah was (is) my political hero. I think millions are saying that.
It was a pleasure meeting so many fellow Palin supporters, ignoring the hecklers hurling their insults and profanity at us did not hindering our resolve to see Sarah and those kind of actions will not hinder our support of her in the coming years.
I pray that God opens the doors for her to run in 2012 as I know she listens to God and will prayerfully follow where He leads her. Let's all pray, for the sake of our Nation, it is into the White House in 2012.
Visit the links below for the News Story with my quote and also the news coverage as well.
Gainesville Sun Article "Palin books a crowd"
Supporters Thrilled With Sarah Palin Visit WESH TV 2
Governor Palin on Fox & Friends Part 1 (Foxnews Nov 25 2009)
Governor Palin on Fox & Friends Part 2 (Foxnews Nov 25 2009)
Governor Palin on Fox & Friends Part 3 (Foxnews Nov 25 2009)
Be sure to join the 2012 Draft Sarah Committee Facebook Group and sign up as a newsletter subscriber and/or a volunteer on main website at http://www.2012draftsarahcommittee.com/
You can also see some of the photos we took by going to the link below.
Randy's Sarah Palin Album
All this admiration is not for shallow reasons. I (and millions more) admire her because She is an unashamed follower of Christ, she is Pro Life, Pro Energy Independence, Pro Business, Pro Military and she a Fiscal Conservative, just to name a few of the reasons I support her. She admires Ronald Reagan and studies his policies and approaches to problems facing this nation then and now and can and will apply those wisdoms in a Palin White House.
My hope is that one day I will be able to sit down with her for a few minutes to share these reasons and many more of why I feel she should run for President in 2012. She is our Esther in 2012.
God Bless Sarah Palin and the Palin family, God Bless America and God Bless you all,
-Randy
