Palin's full speaking contract revealed
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2010/images/05/13/art.palin.0505f.gi.jpg caption =" A judge has ordered the contents of Palin's speaking contract with a California school to be made public."](CNN) – So just what does it take to get Sarah Palin to speak at your fundraising gala?
A "deluxe" hotel suite, a first class ticket or a private jet ("Lear 60 or larger"), pre-selected audience questions, and "bendable" straws – not to mention the $75,000 in cash.
That's according to Palin's speaking contract with Cal State Stanislaus – ordered to be released by a California judge this week after the state school refused to make the document public last June.
California Attorney General Jerry Brown began an investigation in April into whether school officials were trying to avoid public disclosure laws by discarding documents. A state senator asked for the probe after he said the school refused to turn over some requested records concerning the event.
The university argued it was not compelled to release the contract because Palin was speaking at a fundraiser for the university's private, non-profit foundation.
But Stanislaus Superior Court Judge Roger Beauchesne disagreed, saying the foundation ultimately was a branch of a public entity and therefore documents relating to its business must be made public pursuant to public record laws.
"The reasonable inference from the evidence produced is that the university, in its official capacity, has 'used' the contract…in the conduct of the public's business; therefore, said contract is also a public record," Beauchesne wrote in his opinion delivered earlier this week.
Much of the contents of the contract had already been revealed: the school had previously disclosed how much it paid the former Alaska governor and portions of the contract were discovered in a dumpster by students last April.
Still, the document provides a revealing picture of the types of demands an A-list speaker can make, and serves as a reminder that no detail is too small to omit - from the lighting ("should be at a comfortable, but appropriate production level"), to the water ("unopened bottled still"), to the lectern ("no plexiglass or thin lectern please").
The June 25 speech came after months of controversy amid charges the financially-strapped school was paying too much to secure Palin.
But the Alaska governor's speech ultimately brought in record amounts of money for the foundation, and a school spokeswoman called the gala "the most successful fundraiser in the university's history."
Before everyone gets on poor Sarahs case too bad, think about why she demands some of those items.
First class is understandable–Otherwise she might have to rub shoulders with common people or worse yet, Democrats.
The Lear Jet, also understandable–The organizers might have wanted her to bring her ego along, and God only knows how large a jet that would take.
Pre-screened questions is a given–Look at the incredibly stupid answers she has given when hit with trick questions like "What do you read?". She cannot and will not be ambushed and set up like that again.
Bendable straws is a deal breaker–She could die of thirst before she fogured out how to use a regular straw.
No plexiglass is easy–You can't take a chance on an aroused Conservative seeing her legs and storming the stage overcome by l
lust
See, it is all easy to understand.
The worst thing about this story is the fact that anyone, much less a lot of people, want to see her at all. Don't those people know a snake oil salesman when they see one? Don't they read? How much more obviously bankrupt can her failed policies be?
The Alaska hillbilly is just after the money that all she care about. She not smart enough too answer questions on her own,so she got too know befor hand want people going too ask. That how dumb this hillbilly is.
Sarah Palin needs to get a restraining order on the media, because their obsession with her is downright "stalker-ish" and beginning to border on creepy.
You can tell who the Democommunists and the media fear the most by the direction of their arrows.
No wonder she's appealing to the least educated in America and telling them what they want to hear. She's taking you idiots to the bank!
Who is the celebrity now? I can see her hypocriscy from my house!
That is someting all presidents do and have a right too as being leader of this country. Are you complaining because this is OBAMA or are you complaining that our tax money goes to presidents taking vacations? Somehow it probably doesnt bother you when its the person you like who is the POTUS. So stop whining like a spoiled brat over this issue.
Can we see Bill Clinton's speece contract please?
Hey...it sounds a lot like an Obama Town Hall....when Dems still had the courage to actually HOLD a Town Hall.
This woman is almost as inexperienced as Obama, foolish as Biden and has the champagne taste of Princess Pelosi. She would fit right in with the current thugs in power.
This is what happens when America is "dumbed down" as it has been over the last decade or more. Anyone who would acquiesce to these stupid demands (the pampered, vacuous Caribou Barbie needs her deluxe hotel suite because an ordinary room is not good enough) is not educated enough to realize that she has nothing to say and nothing to contribute to society. The dumber we get, the more of a premium we place on anti-intellectualism, the less we value education, the sooner we become a third-rate nation. If this happens, it will be our own fault for cow-towing to idiots like Palin. You will not be able to blame this on Obama or anyone else.
Just as you stated in the article, this is what "A list" speakers get and sometimes more.
"pre-selected audience questions"...LOL! She's a fraud!
Hey Sally, were they preselected questions that Obama faced when he met with the Republican members of Congress?? He wiped the floor with those guys. Face it, Obama is head and shoulders above anything the Republicans have offered or are offering to us. Palin is a complete joke.
Seriously, would you want this phony speaking to your kids at school. She is a terrible example as a human being and offers nothing. This woman is a vindictive, unqualified, incapable quitter. No one would even know her name if John McCain didn't desperately grab at straws because he felt he needed a woman to run with him.
Quite the phony conservative Palin keeps proving herself to be. How's that socialistic money being spent on public universities feel lining your pockets–eh Ms. Palin?
I am totally not surprised by these details.
It IS all about the money. After all she is a politician. Not a very good politician, but she does see clear opportunities to make a buck for anyone willing to pay to see her. Personally, I wouldn't go see her for free let alone pay for it but that's just me. I know a few other might, but not many.
It's showbiz. That's all it is–and it pays a heckuva lot more than public service. Sad, but politics has veered off into, what used to be, the entertainment business. Evey pol that comes along now wants to be bigger, louder, flashier and more provocative than the last. Where are the quiet, thoughtful, humble, intelligent politicians? They're all drowned out by the hysteria and cacophony.
She lives just like the rest of us "real Americans." Hates the lamestream media, but will get a boatload of cash for a reality show. it's all one big bizzaro world. And mentioning this dim bulb in the same intellectual breath as Obama is quite the joke. President of Harvard Law Review vs. I needed 5 schools to get a bachelor's. Obama will make his big money after he serves like all presidents VS. "The Quitter" who ran away from a boatload of ethics violations.
what does bill clinton's contract say?
T'anks fer nut'in, John McCain!
Oh how I wish this woman would go home to Alaska and raise her family. She is way past her 15 minutes of fame!
Who is a bigger idiot here – Speechmaker or people who come to hear her? Hard to say. Wonder whatever happened to that ethical probe against Sarah. Another ethical problem, eh? But no surprises becasue Sarah Palin and Ethics have nothing to do with each other. They are total strangers. Morals? Speak English!
Gotta love the down-home, country feel of $75,000 and a private jet ride for a few hours of "work". She's a "true American" and just like the rest of us!
To Hal West. You have a lot of nerve comparing this half term governor Palin to President Bill Clinton.