Going Rogue: Highlights From the First Week; Updated: Going Rogue Officially a Best-Seller

Since today is usually a slow news day, I thought it would be interesting to look back on the first half of Governor Palin's Going Rogue book tour.


Day 1: Wednesday November 18, 2009

Governor Palin began her much anticipated book tour at the Barnes and Noble store in Grand Rapids, Michigan on Wednesday evening. In what was a hint of things to come for the rest of the book tour, people began lining up in the chilly November air the day before, many staying outside all night in order to ensure they could get their books signed by Governor Palin. The stop was a rousing success and all went smoothly. However, a couple incidents from the Grand Rapids event stand out, if for no other reason than their comedic effect.

One was the truly pathetic attempt by MSNBC reporter Norah O'Donnell to trick a teenage girl who was waiting in line to get her book signed. We have much more on that rather bizarre incident here. The other amusing occurrence in Grand Rapids was an obsessed Andrea Mitchell attempting to ambush Governor Palin with the recent Newsweek issue. The frenetic Ms. Mitchell literally had to be restrained by the police from interfering with Governor Palin's book signing event.


Day 2: Thursday November 19, 2009

On this day, Governor Palin scheduled two separate book signings in Indiana. The first event ran from noon to 3:00 PM at the Meijers in Fort Wayne. John Carpenter of KTUU in Anchorage has an account of the stop in Fort Wayne here. Carpenter also interviewed Governor Palin in Fort Wayne and that can be seen here. C4P reader and commenter "defendAmerica" was in Fort Wayne and sent us several pictures. Here, with defendAmerica's permission, is one from inside Meijers:

After Fort Wayne, Governor Palin headed to the Borders book store in Noblesville for an evening book signing. WRTV, the ABC affiliate from Indianapolis, has a nice slideshow of the Noblesville event here. C4P has coverage of both the Fort Wayne and Noblesville events here. In Noblesville a logistical glitch occurred which resulted in some people not getting their books signed. Governor Palin forthrightly addressed the problem here, although it later came to light the glitch was at least partially manufactured, likely by a few liberal bloggers.


Day 3: Friday November 20, 2009

After leaving Indiana, the Going Rogue tour headed to my state of Ohio. Unfortunately for me, both of her appearances in Ohio were several hours away to the south and I was unable to attend either. Her first Ohio appearance was at noon at the Joseph-Beth book store in the Cincinnati suburbs. C4P covered her Cincinnati event extensively here. C4P reader and commenter Sapwolf was in Cincinnati and, later, Columbus and was able to attend both of Governor Palin's Ohio appearances. He provided us with an extensive account of the day's events here. C-Span was also in Cincinnati. They have a great video in which they interview many people, including Sapwolf, at the bookstore. I recommend the entire video but if you don't have much time, go to the 17:00 mark to see Sapwolf give a shout out to C4P. (Unfortunately, the video is not embeddable.)

After Governor Palin was finished in Cincinnati, she headed north up I-71 to Ohio's capital city, Columbus, for a 6:00 PM book signing at Borders. We covered the Columbus even extensively here. C4P reader and commenter defendAmerica, who was also in Fort Wayne, was in Columbus too and took the following picture outside the Columbus Borders.



The most noteworthy highlight of the Columbus event was the fact that Governor Palin, after she finished signing the books of those with wristbands, unexpectedly ran out to the parking lot and invited a couple hundred people into the bookstore so she could sign their books too. Before she left Columbus, she made sure she had signed everyone's book:




Day 4: Saturday November 21, 2009

Governor Palin continues her tour with two more book signings. Her first was at 11:00 AM at the Sam's Club in Washington, PA. According to Kathie O. Warco of the Observer-Reporter, thousands stood in line that morning, including many who stayed all night. Pictures from the book signing can be found here, here and here. In addition, KDKA, the Pittsburgh CBS affiliate, has video here.

After leaving Sam's Club, Governor Palin headed north to Rochester, NY for a 6:00 PM event at Borders. Luckily, C4P's own Adrienne Ross was there to assist Governor Palin with the book signing. Adrienne has a complete account of her experience in Rochester, including video, pictures, and details of an unexpected egg toss. In addition to Adrienne, Jedediah Bila was also present in Rochester. Jedediah, whose eloquence has been highlighted before on C4P here and here, wrote the following in an article for Human Events:

By 11:58 p.m. on November 20, 2009, over one-hundred people were already seated in pull-out chairs or nestled in sleeping bags and tents on line at the Borders bookstore at 1000 Hylan Drive in Rochester, NY. Sarah Palin was not set to appear for her book-signing until 6:00 p.m. the following evening.

By 1:00 a.m., the line included approximately 250 people. By 9:00 the next morning, hundreds more excitedly awaited their opportunity to receive the wristband that would entitle each customer to two books signed by the former Alaska Governor.

[...]

Hours later, I spoke briefly with Palin as she signed my very own copy of Going Rogue. She expressed great gratitude for my time spent with the grassroots supporters: “I am so appreciative of that. They are so important. Thank you so much for doing that.” When I pulled out a copy of my review of Going Rogue, despite the fact that we were told not to carry anything up to the table where she was seated, I declared “I know I’m not supposed to do this, but what can I say, I went a little rogue.”

“Right on!” she replied with a warm laugh. Palin greeted everyone with a smile as country music danced through the store speakers. She asked their names and listened intently as they expressed whatever it was that they wished to disclose. What struck me most was the manner in which -- despite so many distractions -- she focused her undivided attention on each and every person: she really was listening to what they were saying.

Read the rest of her article here. You can also read coverage from the local paper in Rochester, NY here.


Day 5: Sunday November 22, 2009

On November 22, Governor Palin had an 11:00 AM book signing at the Barnes & Noble in Roanoke, VA followed by dinner with the Rev. Billy Graham later that day at his home in Montreat, NC. Prior to the Roanoke book signing, Governor Palin actually stopped by the previous night to greet those camped out in the parking lot. Mel Bryant has much more information on the Roanoke visit here. Denise Spencer wrote the following at ServantsHeartConservative:

How does one begin to describe the experience of 1800+ people who turned out to see Sarah Palin. My latest adventure began when Billy and I traveled five hours to sleep in the cold (30-40 degrees) to wait in line for a chance to see Sarah and have our copies of Going Rogue signed. We arrived at the Valley View Mall in Roanoke Virginia at 5 pm on Saturday November 21,2009. To our surprise there were already two dozen people in line in front Barnes and Noble, some of whom had chosen their spots as early as 8 am. By 7:00 pm, there where at least 150 people with lawn chairs, sleeping bags, heavy coats and big smiles.

To me all of this seems more like a line for concert tickets then a book signing! As the night went on, Billy and I distributed fliers for 2012 Draft Sarah Committee and talked to the many others who were dedicated enough to wait it out. I also spent the time twittering my experience and talking and texting with friends back in Wasilla.

Read the rest of Spencer's very interesting account of the book signing in Roanoke here. After Roanoke, Governor Palin boarded a plane for North Carolina and dinner with Rev. Billy Graham. Before dining with Rev. Graham, Governor Palin landed at the Asheville, NC airport where she had a short, impromptu press conference with local media. More on Governor Palin's meeting with Rev. Graham here.


Day 6: Monday November 23, 2009

Governor Palin had two book signings on the 23rd. The first was at the army base in Fort Bragg, NC at 11:00 AM. Fox News has an account of her visit to Fort Bragg here. An excerpt follows:

Sarah Palin drew a crowd of over 4,000 on Monday to her book signing at Fort Bragg, though the former Alaska governor kept her appearance from turning into the kind of "political platform" that some military officials were concerned about.

Palin did not give a speech during her three-hour stop at the North Carolina Army base, apparently living up to her pledge to tone down the event after Fort Bragg officials expressed concern that the visit could prompt grandstanding against the Obama administration.

"It was just a peaceful crowd -- orderly, no one making any strange comments that I know of," a Fort Bragg official told FoxNews.com. The official said close to 4,500 people showed up, many braving the cold and rain as they waited for hours to meet the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee. The official said about 500 people had to be turned away when Palin had to leave.

"It was a very excited crowd," the official said.

Read the rest here. Video of her arrival follows:



More from her trip to Fort Bragg here and here. When she finished at Fort Bragg, she headed to the Books-A-Million store in Birmingham, Alabama for a 4:30 PM book signing. WBRC, the local Fox News affiliate, reported on the huge crowd which showed up to have their books signed:

Thousands lined up in Birmingham for the chance to meet former Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin. Palin will be in Birmingham tomorrow to sign copies of her new book, but fans who want a chance to meet her had to line up Sunday for a place in line.

They came from as far away as New York and Mississippi, and waited patiently for hours all for an appropriately pink wristband that means they'll be guaranteed a spot in line Monday to meet Palin and have her sign a copy of her new book "Going Rogue."

"I got here at three this morning, and have been camped out ever since with blankets and hot chocolate," said one Palin reader. "I was number seventy-nine and it was well worth it, I'm gonna get my autographs."

Read the rest here. More, including video and pictures, here.


Day 7: Tuesday November 24, 2009

November 24th was Governor Palin's final day on the tour prior to taking a break for Thanksgiving. She was in Florida and packed three stops into the day. Her first stop was at the Books-A-Million in Jacksonville at 9:00 AM. Some people had lined up to get wristbands as early as 5:00 AM Sunday. You can read about it here. A rather hoarse Governor Palin addressed the cheering Jacksonville crowd, along with her parents, Chuck and Sally Heath:



More from Jacksonville here, here and here. After her stop in Jacksonville, Governor Palin next headed to The Villages for a 2:30 PM book signing at Barnes & Noble before finally winding up the first half of her tour at 7:30 PM at the Orlando Barnes & Noble. People again turned out in droves to see her and have her sign their books. Mark Schlueb and Stephen Hudak wrote the following for the Orlando Sentinel:

Former Republican vice-presidential nominee Sarah Palin rolled through Central Florida on Tuesday, finding raucous fans in a conservative retirement community before ending her day in Orlando to cheers of "President Palin."

It was part of the former Alaska governor's book tour to promote her just-released memoir, Going Rogue, but it had the feel of a political campaign. And though Palin has dodged questions about her political future, her devotees made it clear they want her on the 2012 ballot.

"I addressed her as 'President Palin,' " said Debbie McMillan of Orlando. "She said, 'I like that very much — I could live with that.'"

More than 1,000 people stood in line for hours at the Barnes & Noble at Colonial Plaza Market Center in Orlando for the chance to meet Palin. Many camped out the night before to get a wristband that, along with a book receipt, would guarantee a spot in line.

Read the rest here. More news on her stops at The Villages and Orlando here and here. The following video includes footage from both locations:



Governor Palin is taking a well-deserved break for Thanksgiving before beginning the second half of her book tour Sunday in Richland, Washington. In the meantime, she and many of her family members will participate in a 5K run for the Red Cross today before sitting down for Thanksgiving dinner.

While Governor Palin was busy on her book tour, she also took the time to conduct multiple interviews with the media. Sheya has painstakingly compiled an excellent roundup of all Governor Palin's "Going Rogue" interviews in order of air date. Enjoy.

Barbara Walters Interviews Governor Palin (ABC November 17-20 2009)

Rush Limbaugh Interviews Governor Palin (November 17 2009)

Governor Palin on Mark Levin Show (Nov 18 2009)

Governor Palin on Hannity Show (November 18 2009)

Governor Palin on Hannity (Foxnews November 18 2009)

David Brody Interviews Governor Palin (CBN News November 18 2009)

Governor Palin on Bill O'Reilly (Foxnews Nov 19-23 2009)

Governor Palin on the Laura Ingraham Show (November 19 2009)

Governor Palin on the Dennis Miller Show (November 20 2009)

Governor Palin on Greta (Foxnews November 23 2009)

Governor Palin on KTUU (KTUU November 23 2009)

Governor Palin on Fox & Friends

(Foxnews November 25 2009)

In part 2 of the Fox & Friends playlist, the sound is missing for 4 seconds at the 2:44 minute mark. After part 3 in this playlist, there is an alternative part two with the missing sound corrected, albeit low video quality.

* The Oprah interview is not available, but you can view some clips of the interview that were not shown on television here.

Last night Governor Palin wished everyone a Happy Thanksgiving. C4P echos her sentiments. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone!

Update by Doug: (H/T K. Carpenter) It's official. Going Rogue is a runaway best-seller in its first week of release.