[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2008/images/09/02/art.palin.gi.jpg caption="Sarah Palin will receive an award from the Republican National Coalition for Life."]
ST. PAUL, Minnesota (CNN) - Sarah Palin had been scheduled to receive an award from the Republican National Coalition for Life on Tuesday to celebrate her opposition to abortion rights, but pulled out of the event last night, presumably to work on her vice presidential nomination speech.
Though many of the Republicans sipping wine and beer at the "Life of the Party" event knew that Palin's plans had changed, others were surprised and disappointed by the news.
Robert and Cam Carlson of Fairbanks, Alaska, each sporting red "Palin '06" buttons from her gubernatorial race, understood Palin's last-minute cancellation.
"She's got a higher calling now," Robert said, referring to her much anticipated appearance at the convention on Wednesday night. The couple called to mind how they had shuttled Palin around Fairbanks in their car during the 2006 race, and gushed about her authenticity and down-to-earth demeanor.
Another anti-abortion advocate, Morton Blackwell of Arlington, Virginia, was asked if he was upset Palin couldn't make it.
"Yeah, but clearly she is working on the speech, its extremely important," he said. "I understand it. I'm not happy about it. They should have walked her in and out and let her wave and leave without talking."
Conservative activist Phyllis Schlafley, founder of the Republican National Coalition for Life, told the audience she was "very disappointed" Palin had to cancel. But she nevertheless commended the new running mate for energizing the party's grassroots.
"It is so exciting the way Sarah Palin has invigorated the Republican Party," Schlafley said. "All those people who were holding back and not sure, they're all excited to go to work and elect the McCain-Palin ticket this year."
Conservative radio host Laura Ingraham filled in for Palin.
Save your career Gov. Palin
Decline this offer, whatever it takes to step out now! walk away
Now is not the time, but it will come
You are being used
ahahahahahah....
Ima laugh alllll the way to the voting booth!
VOTE DEMS VOTE!
The only way we can lose is if we dont get out the vote!
Obama.Biden allllllll the wayyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!
*Happy dance*
She needs more than one day with the info that is dropping about her every two hours. She doesn't even know what she needs to address!!!!
Other news stations are reporting at least 4-5 more tidbits from this candidate's back ground that could drop tomorrow.
The daughter isn't the issue now and won't be tomorrow.
Liberman would have blown up the convention...I'd love to be there now. We know the propaganda both parties are putting out there. THe GOP has to be energized but scared in the hallways.
Unbelievable that Palins daughter "chose" to keep her baby. She wouldn't have a choice if her mommy makes it to the White house!
The Repubs, McAncient, and Palin are the epitome of hypocrisy. Look how they so easily cast aside a teen pregnancy as something righteous, as if they wouldn't be preaching their 'values' if it was Obama or Biden's daughter.. They are so fake, it makes my head hurt.
Oh Please God Help this country.
Once again, a substantial portion of the GOP base demonstrates its almost perverse obsession with abortion as the ONLY issue that matters in politics.
Folks, keep it all going and watch the $s roll in for McCain. Americans have only so much tolerance for total fools like many of you.
Women and Men, when you go to vote on Nov.4, remember,
Roe-V-Wade overturned! Abstinence! No sex education! You're own your own!
OBo8
Hmm how timely...and by the way, Sarah, explain how you didn't show nary a bump in your pregnancy with Trig and yet there are plenty of photos of you looking like you're carrying triplets in your other pregnancies? I don't even care about who had the child, but be straight with the American people...is it yours, or your daughters?
Hopefully she won't need the teleprompter. I wonder if history will be made ,will this be her first televised speech?
I am hoping she doesn't resign/withdraw because it will be a sure win. So, let's let McCain he has chosen a winner!!!
GREAT JOB MCCAIN!!!!
Country first!
"Work on her speech" means receiving an intensive tutorial (think: Eliza Doolittle) on McSame's domestic economic policies (i.e. let them eat cake), international policies (i.e. bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-bomb-Iran) and retort for any challenging questions (i.e. POW! POW! POW!)
So if Palins "executive" experience makes her more qualified than Obama, does that also mean she is more qualified for president than McCain? Bush had "executive" experience as Texas governor and look at how well that prepared him for president.
I'm glad that her daughter "chose" to have her baby. Does that imply that Palin is pro-Choice? Since Palin preaches abstinence, can one conclude that her daughter's pregnancy was an immaculate conception?
They are ignoring the elephant in the room (get it) anyway that nice that she is pro-life and all that. But what happened to teaching her kids abstinence, like all good right wing Evangelical freaks. Hypocrites
Sarah Palins pro-life stance is a conviction which I respect. What I do not respect is her and the republican party's portrayal of pro-choice advocates. The fact that she is willing to keep a baby if she has been raped and not abort does not lend credence to their condemnation of others who would abort. Because, she is willing to lose her life if her baby was in danger is commendable, but that would be her decision, she does not, nor the republican party for any women's right to choose too. I am a pro-choice democrat, and I believe in womens right to decide on all moral decisions and that should be between individuals and their God, not by a republican platform or ideology.
Sarah Palin – A huge slap in the face to all women that believe in the advancement of women. Sarah Palin – The anti-Hillary.
I'm so happy McCain chose Sarah Palin as his running mate. She brings a lot of executive experience to the table. I'm sure if she had to step in as President, she would do an outstanding job! I'm a year older than McCain and don't feel like I'm an old codger. Hurrah for the McCain-Palin ticket!!
Why do you have to go and make things so complicated?
I see the way you're acting like your somebody else gets me frustrated
Life's like this you
You fall and you crawl and you break
and you take what you get and you turn it into honesty
promise me I'm never gonna find you fake it
no no no
This is the most ridiculous fantasy I have ever seen in politics. How in the world can anyone believe that Palin is qualified to be VP or any other national representative? She's never even met with a foreign leader. The spin is worse than hurricane Gustav. Gimme a break. I am a woman, but this woman is in no way qualified to do anything in the White House other than visit. Just because you dress someone up and give them a microphone tol tell their compelling family story does not make them a stateperson or a national hero. Her candidacy is laughable.
where is she????????????
Why does Obama's camp have Palin's social security number as reported on Politico?
didn't Obama just finally get his foreign affairs and diplomatic experience in the last month or so i guess because she's a woman she is unable to do the same. i hope her speech blows Obama and the democrats out of the water my first choice as always been Hillary if not her anyone but Obama this is not about disloyalty to the party this is about love of country