Teens flock to California church to hear Bristol Palin

– by Josh Painter
*
The Whittier Daily News reports that teens from across the Southwest made their way to Our Saviour Lutheran Church in Arcadia, California Saturday to hear Bristol Palin speak about the dangers facing today’s youth:

The speech was part of Lovefest, an annual two-day church event that focuses on teens and values. The event held in a church tent familiar to the revival circuit, where youngsters listened to Palin’s speech.

From there, the children broke into smaller classes to focus on a array of teen issues – from dating to safely navigating the Internet.

Palin was brought in to serve as a role model and to talk candidly about her experience as a teenage mom. Children came from across Southern California and from as far away as Nevada, church officials said.

“She came right out and said, `I’ve been criticized and called an hypocrite because I was taking a stance on abstinence and I said I don’t want you to go through this,”‘ said Dave Sweeney, co-founder of the Love Fest. “She implored young people to not to listen to those who say abstinence is not a big deal.”

[…]

“We didn’t want this to turn into a political event,” said Roger Sonnenberg, pastor of Our Saviour Lutheran Church.

But there was no denying the effect of Palin’s star power on the children.

“I liked her story and the way she presented her opinion without forcing her ideas on us,” said Haley Gould, 17, of Glendora.

[More]

Cross-posted from Texas for Sarah Palin

– JP

Obama honors Sarah Palin’s short ‘n’ tweet advice on Iran (video)

Today, President Obama honored Sarah Palin’s short and tweet  advice following the overthrow of Mubarak in Egypt. That’s another testament to the confidence that  Palin fans have in her keen common sense mastery of  presidential policy directives.

In a  mere 140 character Tweet, Sarah Palin challenged both the sitting American president, Barack Hussein Obama and the national media.

Certainly, Palin has   demonstrated the executive  power of  the value of  just a very few words, well placed – from her tweet to the president’s ear.  Continue reading on Examiner.com: Obama honors Sarah Palin’s short & tweet advice on Iran (video)


PALIN FLASHBACK: Sarah Palin Draws Strength from Scripture

When Governor Palin visited with Reverend Billy Graham in his home in North Carolina during her book tour in November 2009, she talked with BGEA video producers about her faith.  This article and the accompanying video were posted on the BGEA website.

Sarah Palin Draws Strength from Scripture

A series of interviews with the former Alaska Governor

November 25, 2009 – Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin sat down with BGEA video producers recently to talk about her faith, facing challenges, and Godly leadership.

Meeting Mr. Graham was a once-in-a-lifetime experience that I had so looked forward to.

It was a “dream come true” for former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Describing her meeting with Billy Graham in his Montreat home Nov. 22, Palin said that spending time with him was a “once-in-a-lifetime experience that I had so looked forward to, and I’m so thankful for the opportunity.”

In a video interview following the visit, Palin noted that Mr. Graham “just exudes” the faith that so many wish to emulate. “His conversation is all about Christ. It’s all about God, and that foundation that he has knowing what life is really about, and our eternal life that awaits us as Christians.

“Getting to speak with him about that, about faith, was amazing,” Palin added.

On Faith

Palin then spoke with our producers about how she came to know Jesus Christ as her Savior. “I’m not shy about talking about my faith, because for me my faith, my family, and my freedom as an American are the most important things in my life,” she shared.

“I always have that foundation of faith that I can stand strong on and hold on to, to get through challenges. My faith in Christ is really, at the end of the day, my be all end all.”

Palin said she thinks “everyone is born with a God-shaped void in their soul, in their heart. I think that everybody is seeking something more, beyond what it is that we can see, hear, fill, and touch today here on this earth.”

On Challenges

The former governor acknowledges that everybody faces challenges. “Some of my challenges just may be on the front page of the paper that day. What I remember though is that God some how, some way can turn it around for good. A lot of people say, “Why are you still standing? How are you still standing? Why are you coming back for more?”

“It is then, said Palin, that she gets the opportunity to say, “You know what? God strengthens me through the challenges and allows me to stay very, very grounded because of my family and my kids, reminding me of what’s important every day.”

In dealing with her daily challenges, Palin leans on the Bible verse that says, “God hasn’t given us a spirit of fear, but a spirit of power and might and a sound mind.”

She told our video producers, “That scripture reminds me that we don’t have to be afraid … that God will be there for us as we call upon Him, because He has given us … all those gifts of the Holy Spirit if we call out for them.”

On Leadership

Our team also spent time talking with Governor Palin about leadership. “I believe our country has been touched by God,” said Palin, “because when we formed our union, leaders back then dedicated our country to God and said that we would seek His will for our great nation.

“I think if we could get back to that humbleness,” she added, “with that kind of contrite spirit, I think that we would be able to be provided more of the answers to so many of the great challenges that we’re facing.”

Gov. Palin noted that it takes Godly counsel, prayer and “a collective humble heart of a nation seeking God’s hand of protection and His blessings and prosperity. I think if we could get back to that, our country will be a safer, more prosperous and healthier nation.”

See also:

Sarah Palin’s Faith | Hannity

The Faith and Values of Sarah Palin

Gov. Palin to TIME Mag: Retract your lies and apologize

– by Josh Painter

*

Sarah Palin sent a blistering email to TIME Magazine’s Jay Newton-Small, in which the governor demands that the magazine not only retract the “total lies” that it published about her, but also apologize to Sean Hannity and Christina Aguilera. Both were mentioned in the bogus story, a satirical piece that both TIME and Us Weekly ran, apparently without bothering to first investigate. The text of the email, via Fox Nation:

“Subject: Great job, MSM!

Jay – pls tell your bosses there at Time Magazine thank you for the invitations to attend the upcoming functions. I’ll sure put a lot of thought into those invitations.

Then, have your editors retract Time’s most recent ridiculous lies about me supposedly giving Sean Hannity a radio interview wherein I supposedly talked about Christina Aguilera (that I slammed her for her Nat’l Anthem mistake, and called for her deportation, etc). You guys were fooled into running a fake story that even US Weekly pulled and apologized for their blunder. Total lies – and you guys (once again) even put quotation marks around things I have never uttered. Then, Time needs to run an apology to Christina along with the retraction. (Add Hannity in your apology, too…those good folks don’t deserve to be in a caustic, untrue story about me.) Thanks much – keep up the great work, Time Magazine.”

h/t: Free Republic

Update: Newton-Small was not the author of the article Gov. Palin was referencing, but merely someone at TIME Gov. Palin knows well enough to address as a contact person.

Cross-posted from Texas for Sarah Palin

– JP

Sarah Palin Hires Michael Glassner as Chief of Staff

By Gary P Jackson

This may be the most excitement ever created by the hiring of a logistics guy!

This announcement has set the blogosphere ablaze.

From Peter Hamby at CNN:

Sarah Palin has added a veteran Republican strategist to serve as chief-of-staff for her political action committee, Sarah PAC, CNN has learned.

Michael Glassner, an attorney and longtime adviser to former Kansas senator and presidential candidate Bob Dole, has signed on to steer the former Alaska governor’s political operation as she considers a possible 2012 presidential bid.

During the 2008 presidential campaign, Glassner managed vice presidential operations during John McCain’s unsuccessful White House bid.

“We are happy and excited that Mike is joining our team,” Sarah PAC spokesman Tim Crawford told CNN.

Glassner worked logistics with the vice presidential team in 2008. That was the wing of the McCain campaign that actually gelled and worked pretty good as a unit.I’m sure he is someone who will serve Sarah well.

Glassner will work as Chief-of-Staff for SarahPAC, for now, but this is the sort of fellow one hires when they are getting serious about running for President. Glassner is a logistics specialist. A great team manager. He has a solid resume. From Linked-in:

Michael Glassner’s Summary

A 25-year veteran in public affairs and national political campaign management, Glassner provides experience and leadership in public affairs and policy development to achieve bottom-line business and policy objectives for clients.

C&M Transcontinental LLC offers national and international experience and expertise at devising and leading global strategic plans for successful public policy and communications challenges.

Specialties

Government affairs, corporate and campaign operations, internal and external corporate communications, investor relations, general corporate management.

Michael Glassner’s Experience

Partner

C&M Transcontinental

Public Relations and Communications industry

September 2009 – Present (1 year 6 months)

C & M Transcontinental (C & M T) merges the leadership and public affairs capabilities and policy and market development expertise of two leading professionals with over 50 years combined experience in corporate strategic communications, government program management, marketing and public relations at the executive level, political campaign management and more. C & M T is committed to its clients’ bottom-line business and policy objectives, achieved with a commitment to exceptional client service, quality control standards, and delivering a return on investment.

Director, VP Operations

McCain-Palin 2008

Telecommunications industry

May 2008 – November 2008 (7 months)

Managed the Vice Presidential campaign on behalf of Senator John McCain and Governor Sarah Palin, the Republican nominees for President and Vice President of the United States. Directed campaign travel and scheduling, logistical advance, personnel, budgets, fundraising, and other campaign activities for the VP nominee. Managed a team of over 100 campaign staff and volunteers and served as a member of the campaign’s senior staff. Participated in strategy and planning for the McCain-Palin general election campaign

Senior Vice President, External Affairs

IDT Corporation

Telecommunications industry

July 2001 – July 2008 (7 years 1 month)

Directed public affairs, internal and external communications, investor relations, and strategic planning for an international telecommunications company with an excess of $ 2 billion in annual revenues. Acted as Chief of Staff to the Chief Executive Officer, chief spokesman for the firm, and leader of its public affairs efforts at the local, state, federal and international arenas including regulatory and legislative matters. Other duties included acting as liaison to members of the board of directors, advising the CEO on brand management, corporate governance matters, led extensive political fundraising activities, and served as Treasurer of the IDT Corporation PAC.

Also determined corporate sponsorships, assisted with new business development and charitable foundation contributions. IDT Corporation (NYSE: IDT, IDTb) is a leading facilities-based multinational telecommunications carrier that provides a broad range of services to customers worldwide. IDT’s businesses include wholesale carrier and retail services including prepaid calling cards, domestic and international long distance services, wired and wireless consumer telecommunications products, and natural gas and electric sales and distribution networks.

Chief of Staff to the Chairman

Port Authority of New York and New Jersey

Government Agency; Transportation/Trucking/Railroad industry

May 1998 – July 2001 (3 years 3 months)

As counselor to Chairman Lewis M. Eisenberg, served as liaison to the governors of New York and New Jersey, Members of Congress, state, county and local government, as well as to the Port Authority (PA) Board of Commissioners and staff. Duties included negotiating large-scale transportation and infrastructure projects, creating strategies for long-term capital plans and programs, promoting privatization of selected PA facilities including the World Trade Center, and advising the Chairman on personnel and management issues.

The PA is a bi-state, $3 billion agency with over 7,000 employees that operates major transportation facilities in the region including Newark, LaGuardia, and Kennedy airports; interstate tunnels, bridges and marine terminals; and other transportation, infrastructure, and real estate properties.

Senior Advisor

Senator Bob Dole

Public Relations and Communications industry

January 1986 – December 2000 (15 years)

January 1985-December 2000, Washington, D.C., Kansas, and nationally

Served as confidant and strategist to Bob Dole, beginning as an intern and culminating as Senior Advisor to the Republican nominee for President of the United States. Roles included acting as Executive Assistant to the candidate in his run for the presidency in 1988, as Executive Director of his leading national political action committee, and as State Director of a network of U.S. Senate constituent services offices in Kansas. In 1992, oversaw and managed a successful statewide campaign for Dole’s final reelection to the Senate.

From 1993-1995, led a national network of political consultants to provide financial and advisory assistance to candidates at all levels. In 1996, acted as key aide to Senate Majority Leader Dole from the presidential primaries through the general election. Traveled with the candidate on a full time basis, coordinated candidate’s schedule, crisis resolution and day-to-day logistical arrangements. Following the campaign was retained as advisor to Dole’s Washington, D.C. law firm, Verner, Liipfert, Bernhard, McPherson and Hand in the international business development practice.

Michael Glassner’s Education

University of Kansas

Political Science

1981 – 1985

Additional recent coursework at the New York Institute of Finance in Financial Accounting, Project Finance, and Bond Markets as well as coursework in Macroeconomics and Investor Relations at New York University, New York, NY.

Activities and Societies: Delta Tau Delta Fraternity Intern for Senator Bob Dole Worked full time at a local law firm

This is a solid pick for many reasons. Glassner brings a wealth of skills to the job, as well as a wealth of contacts. The sort of contacts needed to put together a winning team.

Though she hasn’t announced,, we think this is a sure sign the big day won’t be too far off.