Sarah Palin to speak at gun convention

By Emi Kolawole

Former Alaska governor Sarah Palin is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at the Safari Club International (SCI) gun convention on Jan. 29. According to the organization's Web site, the event is sold out.

News of the speech comes a little less than a week after the mass shooting in Tucson that left federal judge John Roll, 9-year old Christina Green and four others dead, and Rep. Gabrielle Giffords (D-Ariz.) and 12 others wounded.

A graphic featuring the image of crosshairs over Giffords's district had been posted on Palin's Facebook page and political action committee Web site. A video of Giffords referring to the graphic as being overly incendiary was re-played throughout the aftermath of the shootings. Palin was also criticized for having used the phrase "Don't retreat -- reload" in the wake of the health-care overhaul bill's passage.

On Thursday, Palin released an online video response offering both her condolences to the victims and a defense against her critics. However, the video also was criticized as having created more division.

Palin will be delivering the speech as some members of Congress on both sides of the aisle promote gun-control legislation in the wake of the tragedy. But the chance that gun-control legislation will reach the president's desk is remote. As the Washington Post's James V. Grimaldi reports:

Pro-gun majorities in the House and Senate jeopardize any chance for gun legislation this year. On Tuesday, for example, Senate Judiciary Committee Chairman Patrick J. Leahy (D-Vt.) did not list a single gun-related bill in a lengthy speech outlining his legislative priorities.

The SCI convention will also feature comedian Larry The Cable Guy, The Marshall Tucker Band, Pure Praire League, Elvis impersonator Matt Lewis, NASCAR team owner Richard Childress and conservative commentator Michael Reagan.

(h/t The Hill)