Republicans are replacing Palin as the headliner of their big spring fundraising dinner with Gingrich. Guess who's not coming for dinner

Sarah Palin continues to have a rocky post-election season in the nation’s capital.

Congressional Republicans are replacing their party’s former vice presidential nominee as the headliner of their big spring fundraising dinner with former House Speaker Newt Gingrich after the Alaska governor vacillated publicly about the appearance, sources familiar with the situation said Tuesday.


Gingrich, still popular with the conservative base, will be the keynote speaker for the annual Senate-House GOP dinner, which will be held on June 8 at the Washington Convention Center, hosted by National Republican Senatorial Committee Chairman John Cornyn (R-Texas) and National Republican Congressional Committee Chairman Pete Sessions (R-Texas).

Palin’s withdrawal is her latest public stumble since Election Day 2008 and the latest evidence of miscommunication between her Washington-based political action committee and her gubernatorial staff in Alaska. The decision by national Republicans to pull the plug on Palin — a significant draw — also reflects the GOP establishment’s growing unease with the Alaska governor.

“The Governor never confirmed her attendance at the event. She was honored to receive the invitation and asked to confirm her attendance at the end of the legislative session,” said Meghan Stapleton, a spokeswoman for SarahPAC. “Governor Palin is thrilled to hear that Newt Gingrich will address the audience as the governor continues to focus on Alaska.”

However, the fact that Palin was never completely confirmed as a speaker was precisely the problem, according to sources familiar with the deliberations about who would speak at the dinner.

Palin’s office was not immediately available for comment on the decision by the two committees.

Palin was never completely confirmed as a speaker — which was precisely the problem, according to sources familiar with the deliberations about who would speak at the dinner

The NRSC and the NRCC were under the distinct impression that Palin would headline the annual fundraising dinner. The committees went so far as to issue a joint press release trumpeting her appearance and national news outlets quickly noted her prime speaking engagement. Palin’s PAC indicated to the committees that she would attend.

But the governor’s office later said that it had not put the event on the schedule. Three people close to planning for the dinner said Palin’s aides proceeded to hem and haw about the appearance, both publicly and privately, leading the committees to decide to replace her because they were nearing a deadline to send invitations and other fundraising materials to their donors.

“After initially confirming her attendance, Governor Palin’s team informed the committees that her gubernatorial responsibilities in Alaska prevented her from committing until the end of the legislative session,” NRSC spokesman Brian Walsh said. “We completely understand and respect Governor Palin’s focus on her official state business.”

But the NRSC spokesman went out to point out that “there is obviously an enormous amount of planning that goes into this annual event. For that reason, we invited and are honored to have former Speaker Newt Gingrich join us as our speaker at the 2009 Senate-House Dinner.”

The dinner dust-up continues a now-familiar storyline for Palin. As POLITICO’s Jonathan Martin and Andy Barr reported Sunday, a seemingly unending series of public relations gaffes has Palin loyalists frustrated and worried she is diminishing her stature. And they are blaming an inner circle they say is composed of not-ready-for-primetime players.

Some of the previous incidents that have even pro-Palin Republicans fretting about the competence of the staff surrounding her:

* The infamous YouTube turkey video in November where, unbeknownst to Palin, live turkeys were slaughtered just behind her within the camera frame.

* A misfire involving the 2009 Conservative Political Action Conference in Washington. There, Palin had been slated for months to appear only to back out shortly before the event, leaving bruised feelings among organizers who thought they had a firm commitment from Palin herself. A spokeswoman for Palin’s PAC contends the governor had never agreed to appear and that Palin’s camp was surprised when CPAC announced the governor would be speaking at the event.

* An interview with conservative filmmaker John Ziegler, who included Palin in his film, “Media Malpractice: How Obama Got Elected and Palin Was Targeted.” Comments by Palin about Caroline Kennedy and CBS News anchor Katie Couric contained in excerpts released by Ziegler generated tremendous controversy and prompted a Palin spokesman to blame Ziegler for blindsiding the governor.

But Ziegler told POLITICO that Palin had called him to express support in a nearly 30-minute telephone call.

This article tagged under: 2010

Politics