Palin and Recycled Conservatives Hold Coven in Norfolk

In what sounds to have been less than a monetary success,the ever delusional Sarah Palin appeared at a gathering last evening which drew only a 1/3 of capacity crowd at the Ted Constant Center at Old Dominion University. The event was underwritten in part by Regent University and Freedom Automotive, which is owned by Scott Rigell, a Republican taking on U.S. Rep. Glenn Nye, a Democrat, in the 2nd Congressional District this fall. Given that a number of polls have said that a Palin endorsement is a negative to a majority of voters, one has to wonder why Rigell wanted his name associated with Palin in any manner. Although it does underscore, in my opinion, just how outside the mainstream of rational thought that Rigell is in fact. Here are highlights from the Virginian Pilot:

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Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin headlined a boisterous rally Sunday night of conservative politicians, broadcasters and religious leaders who one by one blasted the policies of President Barack Obama.

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The audience filled less than one-third of the arena, but many who showed up said they were looking for something to cheer.

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Her fast-paced speech was filled with many lines for which she's been known since gaining national prominence with her failed 2008 vice presidential bid. "Don't retreat. Don't retreat," she said. "Just reload. That's what we've got to do." There's a marked difference in Obama's view of the country from her own, she said.

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"He sees a country that has to be apologized for around the world, especially to dictators," the former Alaska governor said. "We want to be a dominant superpower. It's in America's best interest and the world's that we are." She said the nation needs to spend what is necessary on the military and "cut spending in every single department except defense."

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Audience members paid between $33 and $133 for seats in the arena; a few ponied up $1,000 to $1,200 for VIP tickets that allowed them to pose for photos with Palin and North. Steve Batton, the event's promoter, said he hoped it would be a money-making proposition that would draw attention to his weekday morning talk radio show on 1650 WHFT-AM.

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Batton's event in Norfolk also had financial support from Regent University and Freedom Automotive, which is owned by Scott Rigell, a Republican taking on U.S. Rep. Glenn Nye, a Democrat, in the 2nd Congressional District this fall.