"The circus is coming to town!"

 "CNN, MSNBC, ABC, NBC and CBS news all told me that she is hateful and stupid. So I hate her and will not listen to what she says under any circumstance. I must now consider all of Salina as evil capitalist's (sic) that deserve the wrath of my new leader. Obama, I love you and worship you!!"

-- Comments about Sarah Palin left at salina.com, the Salina Journal's Web site.

No matter what one writes about former Alaska governor and vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, it will be attacked, sometimes viciously.

Palin, whom the Salina Area Chamber of Commerce announced Monday as the speaker for its annual membership dinner in February, is one of the more polarizing figures in recent U.S. political history.

What is it about her that evokes so much derision or fawning? For a lot of conservatives who love her, the answer is easy. She has the common touch.

She played on her high school basketball team (her nickname: Sarah Barracuda). Was a beauty queen. Married her high school sweetheart after graduating from the University of Idaho with a degree in journalism. A five-time mom. Hunts, fishes and is a member of the National Rifle Association. Is solidly anti-abortion and anti-gay marriage. A can-do gal. A God gal.

Her detractors are legion, as well, and dislike her for some of the above and because, politically, she's seen as a lightweight. Imagine her, as president, sitting down across the table with the latest Vladimir Putin proxy to talk nukes, Iran and other threats to the free world. She's a commoner, didn't graduate from an Ivy. She's Ronald Reagan in a skirt.

And like Reagan (and President Obama), she has that rare ability to inspire wild devotion. When she joined the 2008 GOP presidential ticket with Sen. John McCain, she gave the Republicans a huge boost. For Democrats, she's a dangerous woman.

And now she's coming to Salina. On Tuesday, a chamber official said he expects all 1,408 seats on the Bicentennial Center arena floor to sell and the chamber to have to open gallery seating to accommodate demand.

Our hope is that people will approach Palin's appearance here with a measure of civility and hear what she has to say.

Palin, or any other speaker, deserves that much.

-- Ben Wearing

Executive Editor

822-1421

bwearing@salina.com

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Palin supporter says....
I cannot wait to hear what she says.... I will pay $50 or more to listen to her. Let them protest, this is America... Just please keep the juvenile comments to yourself. There is no reason to resort to name calling. It makes you look as if you are threatened by what she stand for. And that's what children do. BTW remember there are $25 tickets.
11/4/2009

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Gop voter says....
Shes no Ronald Reagan thats for sure. I guess they couldn`t book Tina Fey! Not my cup of tea.
11/4/2009

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ollerfarm says....
She's worth hearing. Hopefully there will be some folks that will listen for some truth.
11/4/2009

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Ain't life grand! says....
Yes, the circus is coming to town and from what I hear on Kansas Chatter, the clowns will be out protesting.
11/4/2009

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Eric says....
Go Sarah! Wish I could be there.
11/4/2009

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Jane says....
I just can't see middle-America spending $50 for a dinner- regardless who the speaker is.
11/4/2009

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