Saturday, March 6, 2010

I Guess It's Bad to Get Rich....If You're Sarah Palin

Austin Hill at Townhall.com raises an interesting question - Do conservatives begrudge Palin her success? You would think so from the stink raised over Palin's speaking fees and her book tour.

One complaint mentioned in that article is the pictures. I like what this commentor had to say:
Okay, on the pictures. The woman was doing sometimes two signings a day miles away from each other to crowds of 1,000 and up. From our viewpoint, it may not seem fair that we don't get to take our own pictures. From hers, there just simply isn't time.

The lines already had to wait three or more hours to get through the 1,000 people. Imagine how long it would have taken if everyone got to stand around and snap photos.

The pricing is more than likely for the photographer. Not everyone is going to buy the prints. Any print you buy off of a photo website like Photoshelter is pricey.

Incidentally, the pics from the signings are here - http://www.photoshelter.com/c/shealahcraighead

The individual signings are listed on the right side. You can click through all the pics, but they average 1,000 or more per event. A simple ctrl+Print screen and a paste into Paint will get you your picture.

So everybody quit whining already. Sheeesh.
As for the speaking fees, this previous post says it all.

For example, take last night's speech in Calgary. Some were concerned that Palin was invited just to embarrass her. Not at around $200 a ticket, she wasn't. If you have to actually shell out money, you're more likely to take it seriously.

Oh, and Palin donated her recent fee for the Ohio Right to Life event right back to the event.

Some people seriously need to grow up. Sarah Palin is a good businesswoman and she's entitled to sell as long as people are willing to buy. To give her book or her appearances all away for free would be foolish. That's right, foolish. And a fool she is not.

If you want to snap a picture, you're more than free to do it if you bump into her on the street, or if you go to an event, like PatrickinOH did:

Grow up, people.

3 comments:

Doug Brady said...
This comment has been removed by a blog administrator.
John B. Hefmier said...

I attended the book signing in Richland, WA (last Thanksgiving weekend). Shealah Craighead, the photographer who accompanied Sarah during the campaign, also accompanied her on the book tour. She was able to snap not only one good pic. of me with Sarah, but TWO. I purchased both pics., and I had both of them framed. I have no buyers remorse. I have never felt a strong admiration in a political figure than Sarah Palin, and I am proud to have travelled 4 hours and spend 18-19 hours in line for 20 seconds of her time.
(Cont.)

John B. Hefmier said...

I can understand why Sarah had a professional photographer at these signings. In the case of the Richland, WA signing, there were 2,300 people in line to meet her and to get their books sign. With only 2 hours available, the lines had to go quick, and whatever photos people wanted to take of her had to be candid. There was simply no time for posed pics. I tried taking 2 pics of her with my camera: one close-up and one from a distance. I was only successful with the latter (I also got Trig in that picture :^). There was simply too many people in the way for a close-up picture. For that reason, I believe that is why Sarah elected a professional photographer like Shealah to accompany her, and to better the chances of admirers to get their picture taken with Sarah.