Palin's Murky Murika Tour - Updated 2X

Thousands of aging bikers, tenaciously clinging to their wild youth, are assembling in DC today for the Rolling Thunder rally and most are eagerly awaiting the arrival of "real" Murika's most accomplished grifter, Sarah Palin, who invited herself via a press release. And ever the master of media manipulation, the Mistress of Mystique will arrive late and inform the minions of her plans whenever she damn well feels like it.

Ms. Palin, the former governor of Alaska, had yet to arrive by 9 a.m., and her aides did not offer any details about her participation in the event.

Maybe she and the Toddster will jump on a hog and ride with the boys. Maybe she'll deign to speak to the masses. Or maybe not. Me, I'm wondering if she'll arrive in full leathers and motorcycle boots or just stick to a vest, assless chaps and high heels.

Murika's most famous "true Patriot" invited herself to the rally under the pretense of launching an East Coast tourist trip clearly designed to generate photo ops and speculation about her presidential intentions. But in keeping with her prima donna persona:

The nature of Ms. Palin’s bus tour also remained murky even as it prepared to begin on Sunday. Aides would not say where, exactly, she would go during the next several days, saying only that reporters should keep an eye on her Web site. As of Sunday morning, a schedule of events could not be found on the Web site.

Nor will there ever likely be any. Our Narcissus of the North wants to maximize the media attention by forcing them to chase her, which conveniently also creates the illusion that the big bad liberal press is hounding her. As I've said before, you do have to give her credit for self-promotion. Every move she makes is calculated to maintain her fan base and build her brand.

Update: Well her Highness made a grand entrance visibly enjoying herself as a crush of reporters and bikers swarmed her motorcycle. Well it wasn't exactly her motorcycle but she did go for a ride of sorts:

Ms. Palin climbed aboard a chopper, assisted by a member of the Rolling Thunder staff, but was unable to move because there were so many members of the press snapping photos. Organizers eventually brought in police, also on motorcycles, to clear a path.

After moving just a few feet, Ms. Palin got off the bike to sign autographs and talk with the crowd.

As I've long said, Mooselini is incurious and uninformed but she's not stupid. What a perfectly executed photo op. As for her outfit, she wore a black Harley-Davidson helmet and a black leather jacket. Couldn't see her shoes in the photo. Assuming she wore boots with those black jeans.

Update Two: Not sure why I'm so obsessed with her wardrobe today but AP updates Palin's Rolling Thunder outfit. Apparently, the leather jacket was just a quick prop for the opening photo op. She spent most of her time in heels, black flair slacks and a short-sleeved black T-shirt. Also, too, Rolling Thunder organizers were unhappy about her grandstanding entrance and even some of her fans were somewhat disgruntled about her shamelessly using an event that is meant to focus on veterans as a vehicle for personal opportunism.