Land of Lincoln -Sarah Palin

Land of Lincoln

Posted on August 14, 2011

We had a wonderful morning touring the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum in Springfield, Illinois. About a year ago, I was honored to give a speech before the Lincoln Memorial in Washington, D.C. for the Restoring Honor Rally. Standing in the shadow of that massive monument to the Great Emancipator might make one forget that this heroic leader came from very humble beginnings in what was considered at the time a very remote part of the country. In fact, the east coast establishment long dismissed Lincoln as just a frontier political figure, and he never really won over that establishment. But it was as a "prairie lawyer" in Springfield that Lincoln honed the oratory and debate skills he used to persuade and inspire his fellow Americans in freeing the slaves and preserving our Union. These heartland roots are what made him who he was.
It was truly inspiring to learn more about this great man from those who tend to his legacy with such devotion. We learned a wealth of information about the Civil War, the Emancipation Proclamation, and Lincoln’s life. Many thanks to the professional staff, volunteers, and historians at the Lincoln Presidential Library and Museum for all they do to preserve this important aspect of American history and educate future generations.
- Sarah Palin

Lincoln Museum - 08/14/2011

Posted on August 14, 2011

A Visit to "America's Hometown" - Sarah Palin

A Visit to "America's Hometown"

Posted on August 14, 2011

We spent a great afternoon in "America’s Hometown," as Hannibal, Missouri, is famously called. Of course, Hannibal plays an important role in American literature as the hometown of Samuel Clemens. This town on the Mississippi River and his boyhood adventures here were the inspiration for many of Mark Twain’s most famous works.
Mark Twain’s wit was evident when he spoke or wrote about Hannibal. Reminiscing about his humble origins here, he once said: "Now in Hannibal where I was brought up, we never talked about money. There was not enough money in the first place to furnish a topic of conversation."
I’m sure this town also instilled in him the decency and common sense that he would hold to all his life. As an old man far removed from his boyhood days, he famously told others: "Always do right. This will gratify some people, and astonish the rest."
- Sarah Palin

Visiting Reagan's Humble and Inspiring Beginnings -Sarah Palin

Posted on August 13, 2011

Ronald Reagan once said, “While I take inspiration from the past, like most Americans, I live for the future.” It’s because I believe in America's future that I take such inspiration from our past. We just visited Ronald Reagan’s childhood home in Dixon, Illinois. This beautiful small town along the Rock River is where Reagan learned the values that shaped him – the same values that have historically made America strong – thrift, hard work, fortitude, optimism, and courage in the face of adversity.
As a nation, we must reconnect with those values if we’re to truly restore all that is good and strong about the USA. Meeting the fine Americans in this small town on the river where Reagan saved 77 lives brought all this home for me.
Thanks to the wonderful volunteers who keep Reagan's memory alive. The restoration and tours of our beloved President's home are significant. Thank you, Dixon!
- Sarah Palin
P.S.: Allow me to share below the piece I wrote for USA Today’s special commemorative edition on President Reagan’s Centennial:


I had the privilege of coming of age during the era of Ronald Reagan. I like to think of him as America's lifeguard. As a teenager, Ronald Reagan saved 77 lives as a lifeguard on the Rock River, which ran through his hometown of Dixon, Ill. The day he was inaugurated in 1981, a local radio announcer famously declared, "The Rock River flows for you tonight, Mr. President."
The image of the lifeguard seems to represent what Reagan was to America and to the freedom-loving people of the world. He lifted our country up at a time when we were in the depths of economic, cultural and spiritual malaise. We were told that we must accept that the era of American greatness was over; but with his optimism and common sense, President Reagan held up a mirror to the American soul to remind us of our exceptionalism.
Reagan showed us that despite a deep recession, there could still be morning in America. He could speak to the economic troubles facing ordinary Americans because he understood what it was like to live through a Great Depression where families scraped to get by. And yet, he saw us recover from our Great Depression, and under his leadership we experienced the greatest peacetime economic boom in our history. He could speak to our fears that our years as a superpower were over, because he understood what it was like to see America at war and really fear that we might lose. And yet, he saw us win two world wars, and under his leadership we won the Cold War without firing a single shot. Reagan's belief in American greatness was rooted in historic fact, not blind optimism. He was a sunny optimist because he knew that our best days are yet to come.
Today, when we hear the worry in the voices of Americans wondering where the jobs will be for our children and grandchildren and wondering if the world will be safe and prosperous in the years to come, we should remember Reagan's faith in our inherent heroism and greatness. When we see people around the globe looking to the White House for leadership, we should remember Reagan's steel spine. He understood America's purpose in this world and what we need to do to secure liberty. As Margaret Thatcher said of him, "He sought to mend America's wounded spirit, to restore the strength of the free world, and to free the slaves of communism." He sought those things and he succeeded.
This year, as we celebrate the centennial of Reagan's birth, let's remember the lifeguard from the Rock River who rescued us with his optimism and common sense. We need more lifeguards like him.

Nothing Compares: An Inspiring Day At The Iowa State Fair -Sarah Palin

Posted on August 12, 2011

It was wonderful to be back in Iowa today to visit the historic Iowa State Fair! Thank you for the invitation and tremendous hospitality, Iowa friends. We had the opportunity to meet more great Americans from the heartland and talk about the issues confronting our country today and the sort of leadership we need to move forward. Iowans have big hearts and a great deal of common sense, which makes visiting here all the more inspiring and insightful. Like the majority of Americans across the nation, the good folks here know that our country is in need of a restoration of the free market and constitutional principles that have made us strong and free and will make us that again as we get our country back on the right track.
The work ethic shown here by these farm families is so encouraging. The kids involved in healthy activities like 4-H and FFA are proud, strong young Americans who’ll grow up to help feed the country and run the nation’s economic engine – our small businesses. Keep up the great work, farmers!
What an inspiring day with great Americans. Oh, and the butter cow really is amazing... as is the fried butter-on-a-stick, the fried twinkie, the pork chops, etc.!
- Sarah Palin
Sarah Palin on 'Hannity' on 8-12-2011 http://t.co/ZwlxubT