Palin, Bachmann to headline Tea Party convention
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/11/25/palinbachmann.jpg caption="Palin, Bachmann to headline Tea Party convention."](CNN) - Sarah Palin will be the main attraction at what's being billed as the "First National Tea Party Convention."
Tea Party Nation announced Wednesday that last year's Republican vice presidential candidate will serve as keynote speaker for the conference, scheduled to take place in Nashville, Tennessee February 4-6. A representative for Palin has confirmed the former Alaska governor's speaking role at the gathering.
The group also announced that Rep. Michele Bachmann will be speaking at the gathering as well. The Minnesota Republican has become a hero among many in the conservative movement. A representative for Bachmann confirms her speaking role.
The event could focus the political spotlight on both women. Bachmann has become a rising star, her ascent fueled in part by major support from Tea Party activists. For Palin - currently taking a brief Thanksgiving break from a national tour for her new book, "Going Rogue: An American Life" - serving as headliner at a tea party convention could increase speculation that she is weighing a run for the 2012 GOP presidential nomination.
Judson Phillips, a spokesman for Tea Party Nation, says the group is talking with other high-profile political leaders about possible convention roles, though he wouldn't name any names.
"(T)he convention is aimed at bringing the Tea Party Movement together from around the nation for the purpose of networking and supporting the movements' multiple organizations (sic) principle goals," according to a statement from the group.
Phillips says the conference will feature workshops, seminars, information centers, and organizational tools for leaders to take back to their respective local tea party organizations. He adds that the Republican Party is not coordinating or organizing with Tea Party Nation in any way.
Phillips says Tea Party Nation was launched in April, just before the first tea parties were held across the country on tax deadline day, and that the group held rallies in Nashville and in other parts of Tennessee on April 15. He added that Tea Party Nation also organized a smaller tea party event in early July, when a second round of events were held around the nation, but did not take part in the two cross-country tea party caravans held the past few months.
A spokesman for the Tea Party Express, which organized those two cross country tea party caravans, says they are not currently involved in the organization of the convention, but that they are supportive of the gathering's goals.
Follow Paul Steinhauser on Twitter: @psteinhausercnn
Updated 7:30 p.m. with confirmation from Palin's representative
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and she has the nerve to warn America about "socialism" and terrorism?
she is leading down a far more dangerous path! just ridiculous!
Well, you know that Bachmann will show up. With Sarah, you just never know if she will or if she'll cancel at the last minute.
In a related story, moderate republicans were most emphatically not invited. Have a nice day!
P.S. Ayn Rand was an idiot.
Wow,something to lift the image of women everywhere,two of the most stupid people ever to run for any kind of office.
What an EVENT! I love seeing America coming back together.
While they're partying at the White House with unemployment above 10%, the conservatives are rolling up their sleeves and uniting to find ways to fix America.
The democrats need to party it up while they can. Their days are numbered.
Can you imagine if Bush golfed as much as obama, or had nearly as many parties as obama has had. The CNN headlines would DEFINITELY have a different tone!
now there's a combo!!! BAchmann and Palin - enough to give some of us permanent heartburn!!!! I have to admit to being one of those persons who think - if you have nothing valid to say, keep your mouth shut. That certainly applies to both these persons!!!!
rosanne cohn
"He adds that the Republican Party is not coordinating or organizing with Tea Party Nation in any way."
It would be interested to see who is financing all of this, but we'll never know because investigative journalism is dead. Have a nice day!
Well, of course they will. People who have no clue as to what's really going on in this country – and who has the right ideas to fix it – deserve one another.
So glad I'm gonna have to miss this party. Too much screechy lying for this gal.
The two most divisive politicians in politics. Those two idiots deserve each other.
Glad to see this movement continue......we the TAX payers are pissed off at how these politicians are wasting OUR money.
It's Thanksgiving so it's appropriate that these two turkeys would team up.
Two " IDIOTS" will be on display. Is that all you have?
I wonder what inaccurate footage FOX News will splice into the reports on this. If it does happen hopefully it will be reported by more than just The Daily Show.
Palin/Bachmann 2012 with Joe the Plumber as Sec of State! Now THAT'S a ticket the GOP can win with.
Considering their capabilities, I hope their only roles will be as servers. With these ladies and Lou Dobbs running for President, the next race should be hilarious! It's odd that none of them cared about taxation without representation while Bush spent money like a drunken cheerleader but so it goes.
What a pair. They may be able to rile up the base, but where is the intellect, where is the accomplishments? What do they have to offer but the same old GOP talking points and preaching fear and hatred? If this is the best the GOP has to offer, the Dems are in pretty good shape in upcoming elections.
I am so fed of seeing Sarah Palin's name and face, she is a joke and the American people should really take the time to listen to the dumb remarks she makes, to me she seems like a person who got a compliment on something she did and it went right to her head and she figures oh Boy I am brilliant and can really do everything better, Sarah come back to the real world, go be a hockey mom, look after the kids and grandkids and leave the politicking to those who have the brains to take care of things, if she figured Katie Curic to be a tough interview, wait till she meets up with someone like Hillary who will have her head spinning and her mouth tongue tied as she tries to come up with some mumble jumble that doesn't make sense.
Once the doors are closed what would the chances be of getting 3 doctors to indicate the entire room was full of lunatics?
Just "conning" you cons, these two are my favorite girls!
Palin/Bachmann 2012!
Palin/Bachmann two of a kind to be a full house............Can these folks get any dumber????????????
This thing should be renamed MoronCon 2009
So these guys should leave the Repub. Party to revive with decent people, and form their Teabaggers Party - all the whackos together
Keep it going..........we support the TEA parties. Stop the bankrupting of America.
The Bimbo Party!
I hope they can also get Glenn Beck, Rush Limbaugh and Sean Hannity as speakers. That would place five dangerous demagogues on the stage in front of a group of fruits, flakes and nuts. Free speech protected by the Constitution is one of our great freedoms, but the Framers didn't envision the modern media that allows people who spew uniformed, divisive and dangerous rhetoric to gain a following.