Bike Rally Rumbles as Palin Drops in

Organizers grumble, crowds gather as she kicks off bus tour
By Polly Davis Doig,  Newser Staff
Posted May 29, 2011 11:45 AM CDT
Sarah Palin Hits Rolling Thunder, Launches Bus Tour
Sarah Palin, former GOP vice presidential candidate and Alaska governor, greets supporters at the beginning of Rolling Thunder at the Pentagon Sunday, May 29, 2011.   (AP Photo/Alex Brandon)

Rolling Thunder turned into something more like Palinpalooza today when Sarah Palin turned up clad in black and causing a stir. And not everyone was gawking, notes Chris Cillizza for the Washington Post: "I’m very not appreciative of the way she came in here,” said Rolling Thunder honcho Ted Shpak , who has previously expressed his disdain for Palin's appearance. “If she wanted to come on the ride, she should have come in the back.”

“I don’t think she has any business having anything to do with Rolling Thunder ," says one attendee. "It’s not a political statement , so to speak. It’s not a Republican or a Democrat thing." Another was more forgiving of the military mom, noting "Her son serves." Palin was accompanied by husband Todd and daughters Bristol and Piper. Click through the gallery for photos—the AP even managed to take a few of the actual rally itself. (More Sarah Palin stories.)

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