Alaska Governor Sarah Palin spoke at the Vanderburgh County Right to Life fundraising dinner in Evansville, IN on Thursday, her first trip funded by SarahPAC. It was sold out, and the overflow section was sold out (yes, people actually paid to watch her via live feed, but she did go in to greet them personally).
Politico took note of her popularity:
Far from her home state and the controversy she left behind, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin traveled to Indiana on Thursday and reminded Republicans why she remains a party heavyweight and a top prospective presidential candidate in 2012.
Palin drew approximately 3,000 people to the Vanderburgh County Right to Life fundraising dinner in Evansville, an annual banquet that typically attracts some of the GOP’s top national talent. Her sold-out appearance in a local exhibition hall prompted organizers to set up a paid closed-circuit broadcast at a nearby auditorium for a large spillover crowd and led local authorities to close down nearby streets.
You can watch Michael Steele’s introduction and her speech here, or watch below (video will automatically loop). Update: I noticed that the video playlist skipped from part 5 to part 7, so you may have to manually click on part 6, just an FYI, otherwise you’ll miss a little more than 5 minutes of her speech.
Video HT: Conservatives 4 Palin
Palin took an opportunity to take a slap at President Obama over the issue that drew her to this event.
"So whether it’s a child not yet born, or a newborn in a single parent’s arms, or an elder with Alzheimer’s, or a brave or a scared young soldier willing to offer the supreme sacrifice to protect all of our lives, innocent life is to be cherished and protected. And may our culture embrace that. The culture of life affects every aspect of our lives and society. And we must stand on the life-honoring foundation of our republic, and we must speak out against actions that erode that foundation. Don’t be afraid to speak out. Don’t be afraid to voice your opinion when you see our president, through policy changes, want to erode part of that foundation. And by the way, I’m just a governor, but I don’t believe that it’s above my pay grade to rally you to speak up."
HT: Texas 4 Palin