It wasn't too long ago that political rallies for George W. Bush would be heavily screened for supporters and only those sympathetic to Bush or Republican causes would be allowed to attend such pep rallies. Detractors would often be kept at arm's length so as to give the impression that all was well with the Republican Party and in the country.
Forget about human beings. A new threat involves tomatoes and Sarah Palin
J.D. Crowe, Mobile Register, Buy this cartoon
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Tomatoes Removed for Palin
The Salt Lake City Costco removed all tomatoes from the store before a Sarah Palin book signing, reports the Salt Lake Tribune.
"It turns out that Palin had been pelted with a tomato at an earlier stop on her book tour and the management at the Costco was determined it wouldn't happen here."
That's not the end of it. Whenever Palin is in town for a book signing, there are unintended consequences and a few benefits too -- particularly if you're a Democrat
Palin Does Costco
Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune, Buy this cartoon
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Unintended Benefits
Rappaport stopped at the Salt Lake City Costco to do some shopping, unaware that Palin was scheduled to be there for a book signing.
So Rappaport, after noticing the parking lot full of cars, was pleasantly surprised at how easy it was to maneuver her shopping cart through the store with hardly anybody in the aisles. She also got a prescription filled with no wait.
While going through the check-out lane, again with no wait, she told the clerk she forgot to get some grape tomatoes, which she loves, so she would be right back.
That's when the bells went off.
The clerk told her they had no tomatoes that day.
No tomatoes? At Costco?
As she was leaving, she noticed a man with a store manager's name tag and asked him why they had no tomatoes. He informed her the store did have tomatoes, but they were taken off the shelves for a few hours...
The manager told an employee to go into the storage area and get Rappaport some tomatoes, which he gave her for free.
So, because of Palin, Rappaport not only got to shop with no lines, she got free tomatoes.
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Cam Cardow, Ottawa Citizen, Buy this cartoon
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In other news yesterday, George W. Bush gave one of his "motivational lectures" to admiring crowds at the Richard Nixon Library in Yorba Linda, California. As a precondition for attending the event, all attendees were asked to remove their shoes prior to entering the auditorium.
Shoes have long played a prominent role in both international and domestic politics.
Paresh Nath, Khaleej Times, UAE, Buy this cartoon
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Meanwhile, back in Salt Lake City, the Palin entourage dismissed news that they had stiffed a local hairdresser
Check from Palin in the mail?
Sarah Palin not only annoyed leaders of the Utah Republican Party when she didn't have time for them during her book signing stop in Salt Lake City last week. She also took off from her hotel after arranging for a last-minute hair appointment without paying the hairdresser and leaving her to cover her own valet parking...
When the valet attendant got her car, he said that would be $10. She said she was with the Palin party and assumed they would take care of parking. That was news to him, so she had to fork over the $10.
She says her friend has contacted Palin's assistant and was told to send them an invoice.
She did get a book and some nice pictures, though.
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A few other recent highlights from Palin's national book tour that you may have missed during this tumultuous debate about the future of Healthcare Reform
Sarah Gump
J.D. Crowe, Mobile Register, Buy this cartoon
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Sarah Palin brought her book tour to Alabama this week with a stop in Birmingham. I thought we'd welcome the Wasilla Winker with a down home Forrest Gump reference...
I guess "Going Rogue" means never having to take responsibility for your actions, as Palin blames everybody but herself for the gaffes of the 2008 presidential campaign. Alabamian Winston Groom's Gump character mused how "life was like a box of chocolates."
For Palin, life is like a book of excuses.
Bless her heart. She is a cartoonist's dream girl.
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David Fitzsimmons, Arizona Star, Buy this cartoon
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Mammoth Book Tour
Pat Bagley, Salt Lake Tribune, Buy this cartoon
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Paul Szep, Comics.com
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Now, back to your regularly scheduled programming... 'Is Joe Lieberman the Devil?'... 'Is Global Warming a Hoax?'... 'Is Obama Still the One?'... and 'Whither, Afghanistan?'
Tony Auth, Washingtonpost.com
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Paul Szep, Comics.com
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John Sherffius, Comics.com
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Paul Szep, Comics.com