HBO says no political agenda behind Palin film

PASADENA, Calif. (AP) — In a politically polarized country, the people behind HBO's upcoming movie on Sarah Palin's vice presidential campaign are being careful not to take one side or the other.

"There is no agenda here," Danny Strong, writer of the film "Game Change," said at a news conference Friday. Filmmakers said they sought historical accuracy.

The movie debuts March 10. It is based on John Heilemann and Mark Halperin's book about the 2008 presidential campaign, but focuses specifically on Palin. Director Jay Roach said he wrote a long letter to the former Alaska governor seeking an interview with her to help the film, "but I got a very quick email back from her attorney saying, 'I checked, she declined.'"

Roach and Strong were the team behind HBO's Emmy-winning "Recount" about the disputed 2000 presidential election.

"I don't think this movie is going to change people's minds one way or another," Strong said. "People are very polarized. It's not designed to change people's minds."

Actress Julianne Moore looks strikingly like Palin in her depiction. Asked what she thought of Palin after getting so close to the story, Moore said she had "profound respect" for the historical nature of the candidacy.

"There was a tremendous amount of pressure," Moore said. "That was what I was trying to capture, the pressure that she was under."

Actor Ed Harris portrays John McCain. Although the resemblance to his character isn't quite as sharp as Moore's, it's pretty close.

One unusual casting was Woody Harrelson, who plays McCain campaign strategist Steve Schmidt. The film's story is largely seen through Schmidt's eyes. Harrelson, who describes himself politically as "probably more an anarchist," said he met Schmidt and liked him.

"The concept of playing this guy who I think ideologically couldn't be any farther away from me felt like a real challenge," he said.

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Film casts Palin as resentful grudge-holder (AP)

TORONTO – A documentary about Sarah Palin depicts the Tea Party idol and former vice presidential candidate as a woman with enormous personal charm but merciless vindictiveness.

Director Nick Broomfield's "Sarah Palin: You Betcha!", which is playing at the Toronto International Film Festival, offers a glimpse of the former Alaska governor from interviews with family, including her parents, and former friends and associates. It screened Friday for reporters ahead of its official festival premiere Sunday.

Palin comes across as a woman known for ruthlessly firing people and holding spiteful grudges, leaving many Alaskans worried to talk about her for fear of reprisals, whether from Palin or her supporters.

"I think that beneath the charisma, which she undoubtedly has, and her ability to engage with people, which she undoubtedly can do, there was a sense of fear about her vindictiveness," Broomfield said in an interview before the festival. "That she would go to the ends of the earth once you became an enemy to vilify you. Not to just fire you from a job but make you unemployable anywhere."

Several former supporters say the phrase often used in Palin's circle was throwing people "under the bus."

Broomfield spent 10 weeks in the winter in Palin's hometown of Wasilla, Alaska, where she was mayor before being electing governor and becoming Republican presidential contender John McCain's running mate in 2008.

In Alaska, Broomfield interviewed Palin's parents, along with supporters, former friends and longtime enemies. Palin appears in book signings and other public appearances, and the film gets its title from Palin's catch-phrase — "You betcha" — which she echoed when Broomfield asks her for an interview and she replies, "I'll betcha I could do that."

Palin never did give him an interview.

Broomfield, whose previous films include the musician portraits "Biggie and Tupac" and "Kurt and Courtney," said he approached Palin with an open mind, intending to make the film a diary of his findings "rather than going out to nail her."

"I think what you get is an unauthorized portrait of her from the people who know her best. Friends and family and colleagues," Broomfield said. "I think you get a very accurate portrait of her way of being and working."

It's not a flattering portrait. Former friends and colleagues say Palin is a master of engaging with people one-on-one but that once elected governor, she was disinterested in legislative business, spending her time in meetings texting on her Blackberrys.

Broomfield digs up footage of Palin playing high school basketball, competing in beauty pageants and muffing a TV sports report in college, when she aspired to a broadcasting career.

The film includes embarrassing moments of Palin as governor, too, among them a holiday newscast shortly after her and McCain's 2008 defeat in which Palin discusses the fun she had in a turkey-pardoning event, while other turkeys are being bloodily slaughtered right behind her.

Throughout the film, Broomfield persists in seeking an interview with Palin. He finally went to a Palin event with a question-and-answer session, where he shouted out to her, "Do you think your political career is over?"

After a swig from a water bottle, Palin gestured at her supportive crowd and said, "Ask these people."

The crowd cheered, and Broomfield was escorted out by security.

___

Online:

Toronto International Film Festival: http://tiff.net

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Analysis: Palin boosts political influence, buffers brand (Reuters)

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Sarah Palin may not be officially seeking the Republican nomination for president, but she is making sure she stays within the party's public eye.

Whether visiting the Iowa State Fair the day before the closely watched Iowa "straw poll" or roaring into Washington at a motorcycle rally to honor veterans, Palin has orchestrated her appearances in the focus of the Republican faithful.

Her political fund-raising has lagged, but polls show the former vice presidential nominee has retained a strong core of support as she flirts with entering the presidential race -- and makes millions from books and television.

"She desperately wants to remain a national figure, who can engage on issues, who can have a real impact," said Republican strategist Matt Mackowiak, adding that Palin sees her role partly as someone who keeps party rivals honest.

Although she has not thrown her hat into the ring, Palin is third in the Republican nomination fight, according to polls compiled by Real Clear Politics, behind front-runner Mitt Romney and Texas Governor Rick Perry, and narrowly ahead of Representative Michele Bachmann.

If she did enter, Palin would be the best-known Republican in the field, and one spared months of intra-party fighting, media scrutiny and expensive campaigning.

"Like every other Republican who potentially will run, she's keeping her name out there, keeping her brand name but generally staying out of the debate, to avoid making any mistakes," said Princeton University professor Julian Zelizer.

"At a minimum, she keeps the Palin brand name going for other reasons," he said.

The former Republican vice presidential nominee made a surprise stop at the Iowa State Fair in Des Moines Friday -- scheduled neatly between a debate between declared Republican contenders and Saturday's Ames straw poll, an unofficial test of campaign strength.

"She's still contemplating whether or not she's going to run," said Ford O'Connell, who was an advisor on the McCain-Palin campaign in 2008. "Her appearance in Iowa, which is the center of the political universe, shows that she is politically relevant."

It was Palin's second high-profile trip of the summer to Iowa, which will hold the first contest of the Republican race for the nomination to oppose Democratic President Barack Obama's 2012 re-election bid. She is also due to speak to a Tea Party movement rally in Iowa early next month.

SEPTEMBER DEADLINE?

"I think there is plenty of time to jump in the race," Palin said at the fair Friday. "Watching the whole process over the last year certainly shows me that, yes, there is plenty of room for more people."

September would probably be her decision deadline. "I don't want to be perceived as stringing people along," she said.

Since John McCain made her his surprise vice presidential selection in 2008, Palin has made millions. She has become a contributor on Fox News Channel, written best-selling books and starred in a reality television show.

Palin also enhanced her political influence during the 2010 midterm election season by campaigning for candidates in congressional and state elections backed by the Tea Party grass-roots conservative movement.

Fueling speculation about her plans, the former Alaska governor reportedly bought a house in Arizona where she could base a campaign and has traveled overseas to boost her foreign policy credentials. On Memorial Day, she roared into Washington on a motorcycle and then embarked on her "One Nation" bus tour to historic sites along the East Coast.

However, Palin has slipped in one area essential to any political candidate -- the money race.

Palin's primary fund-raising committee, SarahPAC, raised a paltry $1.6 million in the first half of 2011, far below the amount needed to fund a campaign staff and travel the country.

Romney, the Republican money leader, raised more than $18 million in the second quarter alone.

Palin's appeal has also been usurped by Bachmann, a Tea Party movement leader who appeals to many of the same anti-Washington voters. Perry is also popular with Tea Party movement backers.

Palin's Iowa visit was not the first time this summer that her travels have stolen the limelight from declared Republican candidates. In June, Palin's went to New Hampshire on the day Romney launched his presidential campaign.

And she was in Iowa for the premiere of her documentary "The Undefeated" as Obama visited the state on June 28, the day after Bachmann announced there that she would run.

"She enjoys, in a way, big-timing the announced candidates. She enjoys going into markets where people are doing things and making them see that she's a bigger political figure," Mackowiak said.

(Additional reporting by John Whitesides in Des Moines; Editing by Kristin Roberts and Vicki Allen)

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Palin stokes 2012 speculation with Iowa appearance (Reuters)

DES MOINES, Iowa (Reuters) – Republican Sarah Palin rolled into Iowa's state fair Friday, stealing the spotlight from the party's presidential contenders and sparking a new round of speculation about her plans for 2012.

Palin's visit to the cattle barn at the fair attracted a crush of photographers, reporters, fans and onlookers who swarmed the former Alaska governor, alarming the cows and bringing activity in the barn to a temporary halt.

The timing of the visit, a day before a straw poll that is a big early test of campaign strength for the 2012 Republican presidential contenders, renewed questions about whether she will jump in the race.

Palin, who stopped to talk to reporters and fans outside the barn, said she was still uncertain of her decision but there was time and room for more candidates to join the race.

"I think there is plenty of time to jump in the race," she said. "Watching the whole process over the last year certainly shows me that, yes, there is plenty of room for more people."

She said that "practically speaking" September would probably be a deadline for her decision. "I don't want to be perceived as stringing people along," she said.

Palin joined a half-dozen declared Republican presidential candidates who visited the fair Friday to speak at a local newspaper's stage, make a traditional visit to a life-size sculpted butter cow and eat fried Oreo cookies or meats on a stick.

The fair visit is a traditional rite of passage for presidential contenders, and Palin's timing Friday stole the spotlight from potential rivals, including former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and U.S. Representative Michele Bachmann.

Palin, the 2008 vice presidential nominee, denied that was her intention. "I don't think I'm stealing any spotlights," she said. "We're very thankful to have been invited by friends and I'm glad we could make it."

Talk about Palin's entry in the race had slowed after she ended a bus tour of several states in early June. As the 2012 race heated up, speculation focused on other new entries, like Texas Governor Rick Perry who plans to declare his candidacy on Saturday.

PHOTOS AND AUTOGRAPHS

Dressed in black jeans and a white t-shirt with a cartoon stick figure woman and hearts on the front, Palin posed for photos with fans, signed autographs and petted a calf that was led to her through the media mob.

She dismissed suggestions that if she gets into the race she is on a collision course with Bachmann, another conservative woman who is popular with members of the Tea Party movement and attracts heavy media attention.

"That's so passe to say that just because there may happen to be two women in the race that they would, you know, get in the mud and engage in some catfighting," said Palin, who was accompanied by her husband Todd.

"That's ridiculous, it's even a sexist notion that two women would duke it out. If I'm going to duke it out I'm going to duke it out with guys," she said.

Bachmann leads polls in Iowa and is an early favorite in Saturday's straw poll, a nonbinding mock election that tests the strength of campaigns and traditionally winnows out some losers from the field.

Republican front-runner Mitt Romney is not participating in the poll but will be on the ballot. Bachmann is being challenged by Pawlenty, who has campaigned hard in Iowa and needs a good showing to prove his viability.

Palin said Thursday night's debate involving eight of the declared Republican candidates in Iowa was "great." She welcomed the entry of Perry into the race but said it would have no bearing on her final decision.

"It adds to the debate, it adds another voice for Americans to consider," she said.

During her visit Palin ignored a shouted question from Alaska resident Tamara Roselius of Fairbanks, who asked why she gave up on the state. Palin resigned as Alaska governor with 18 months left in her first term, in part to escape ethics probes that had drained the family finances.

Palin's husband Todd approached Roselius and asked "when you have all that hanging over your head ... what would you do? Bankrupt your family?"

Roselius replied: "It's not there anymore is it? Sellout."

(Editing by Paul Simao)

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Ethics complaint against Sarah Palin dismissed (AP)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – Alaska officials have dismissed an ethics complaint filed against former Gov. Sarah Palin that alleged she violated state law because the TLC docu-series "Sarah Palin's Alaska" took advantage of a state film production program she signed into law.

Malia Litman of Dallas filed the complaint. She also alleged Palin benefited from the production of the eight-part series in violation of a two-year moratorium that bars former officials from being compensated for assisting others in dealing with the state.

Film office documents show producers of the reality program received nearly $1.2 million in tax production credits after spending about $3.6 million in the state.

The complaint dismissal says there's no basis for the grievance.

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Family in Palin stalker case files complaint (AP)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – The family of a 19-year-old man accused of stalking Sarah Palin is alleging harassment by a Pennsylvania state trooper in connection with the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate.

A private criminal complaint filed this week in Tamaqua, Pa., says trooper Thomas Powell showed up at Shawn Christy's McAdoo, Pa., home last week and asked the teen if he was planning to attend a book signing featuring Palin and her daughter Bristol at the Mall of America in Bloomington, Minn. The complaint says Powell told Christy, "You would never go to Minnesota, would you?"

The family said the visit occurred shortly before the event was to start and after Christy called mall security, indicating he might attend. He did not go.

An Alaska state magistrate recently extended a restraining order for Palin against Christy and issued one against his father, Craig Christy, who was accused of barraging Palin's parents with antagonizing telephone messages. Under the orders, which also cover Palin family members, the Christys can attend and protest Palin events, but must stay 1,000 feet from her.

That's an order the Christys have honored, according to Shawn Christy's mother. The Christys do not have an attorney.

"I want people to stop harassing us for crimes we have not committed," Karen Christy said. "If this did not involve a person by the name of Sarah Palin, if this was an ordinary person, a Jane Doe out there, would she be getting the same type of protection?"

Powell's visit to the Christy home was done at the request of Bloomington police, who wanted Pennsylvania authorities to see whether Shawn Christy was there, according to Pennsylvania trooper David Beohm, an agency spokesman. He said the teen was home, but Craig Christy became upset by the visit, and later called Powell's station in Frackville to complain.

"The father was not happy that we were looking for Shawn," Beohm said. He declined to address the allegations in the complaint, which was filed in Craig Christy's name.

Palin — a possible presidential candidate — and her friend, Kristan Cole, originally obtained restraining orders against Shawn Christy last year, stating in court documents that he threatened them, sent a receipt for a gun purchase and said he was buying a one-way ticket to Alaska. This year, Christy flew to Alaska on Palin's February birthday, spending just one day in Anchorage — about 40 miles from Palin's hometown of Wasilla — before returning to Pennsylvania. Authorities monitored the visit.

Palin also has said she feared Christy's parents because of their contentions that she had a sexting relationship with the teen in 2009.

The protective order for Cole was not extended, although she is covered by the restraining orders against Shawn and Craig Christy.

Shawn Christy recently filed a request to dissolve his restraining order. His father also plans to file a request, Karen Christy said.

Palin's attorney, John Tiemessen, declined to comment on the request.

Shawn Christy has said the threats were "stupid pranks" and that he deals with complications from Lyme disease.

He also has acknowledged sending threatening messages in 2009 to President Barack Obama, and to Republican Sen. John McCain, who chose Palin as his running mate in the presidential race the previous year. Christy was apprehended by authorities in Washington, D.C., two years ago. At the request of the Secret Service, he underwent a psychiatric evaluation, which concluded Christy had a sense of grandiosity that "could turn somewhat paranoid," according to court papers.

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Bristol Palin puts Arizona house up for rent (AP)

PHOENIX – Bristol Palin didn't stay too long in her house 35 miles south of Phoenix in Maricopa. A real estate agent has confirmed the daughter of possible presidential candidate Sarah Palin is renting out the 4,000 square foot house.

Nate Martinez with RE/MAX Professionals says the five-bedroom home went on the market this week. She's asking $1,400 a month for the home she bought last year for $172,000.

Bristol Palin will be back on TV by the end of the year, starring in a reality series for the Bio Channel. The as-yet-untitled series will follow her move from Alaska to Los Angeles with her son, Tripp, to work at a small charity. She will live with actor brothers Kyle and Christopher Massey.

The Arizona Republic first reported that Palin had put her home up for rent.

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Alaska publishes Palin emails, media hunts nuggets (AFP)

LOS ANGELES (AFP) – Journalists and others began Friday rifling through thousands of emails by or to Sarah Palin, published in response to a freedom of information request into her correspondence as Alaska governor.

The northwestern US state released the mails in print form to a number of media outlets, keen to find nuggets as speculation grows that the Tea Party favorite and former Alaskan governor will run for the White House next year.

More than 24,000 pages of emails were published, although 2,415 pages the state deems privileged, personal or otherwise exempt will remain under wraps.

The media are not the only ones seeking nuggets in the Palin emails: the New York Times has asked its readers to help it sift through the huge mass of mostly banal material.

For anyone who wants to help in the hunt search engines were set up, including at http://palinemail.msnbc.msn.com/palin2011/allList.html.

News outlets including CNN and the Anchorage Daily News asked for Palin's emails to be released in 2008, after Palin became the surprise running-mate of Republican presidential candidate John McCain.

At the time officials said they could not be released because of the antiquated electronic databases they were stored on, complicated by the fact that Palin commonly used a Yahoo account to conduct state business.

The release comes as speculation mounts over whether Palin will run for the Republican nomination in next year's election against Democratic President Barack Obama.

Palin has kept the media guessing, including during a "One Nation" bus tour when journalists had to scramble to follow her, with no details given in advance about her travel plans.

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Palin a no-show for fans wanting Gettysburg view (Reuters)

GETTYSBURG, Pennsylvania (Reuters) – Sarah Palin has found a new way to keep her political faithful guessing.

Palin was a no-show for several hundred supporters, celebrity-watchers and media who turned out in hopes of seeing her at the Civil War battlefield of Gettysburg on Monday. She and her entourage arrived at a hotel outside the town late in the day and spoke to a smaller group of people gathered there.

The Republican vice presidential candidate in 2008 is on a tour of historic sites on the East Coast, renewing speculation she might be testing the waters for a presidential bid in 2012.

Palin remained noncommittal on whether she will run.

"I honestly don't know," the former Alaska governor said, CBS reported on its website.

There is one thing she does know but is not telling: her itinerary. That has left supporters as well as reporters guessing where she will pop up next.

On Sunday, Palin entered Washington on the back of a Harley-Davidson in a war veterans' motorcycle parade that is part of the Memorial Day weekend observance in the capital.

Rumors, then Twitter messages, then posts on her website showed Palin had also visited sites in and near Washington -- the National Archives, where the U.S. Constitution is on display, and Baltimore's Fort McHenry, where the "rockets' red glare" described in the national anthem took place.

A photo on her website late on Sunday showed the closing words of the Gettysburg Address delivered by President Abraham Lincoln after the 1863 battle. That was taken as a hint.

WHERE'S SARAH?

Several hundred people gathered at the Civil War site on a hot, sunny day for a glimpse of the woman who supporters hope will inject some life into a sluggish race for the Republican nomination to challenge President Barack Obama next year.

Some of those assembled there were puzzled by goal of the tour, which seemed designed to attract public attention despite a lack of information.

"In a way it's cool. In a way it's, 'Whaa?'" said John Hower, a baker who drove for three hours from Berwick, Pennsylvania, with two friends to see Palin. "She's trying to avoid the media. But I'd like to see the bus. We're, like, where's this bus?"

A charismatic and polarizing figure who resigned as governor, wrote a book, and became a Fox News commentator after the 2008 election, Palin's entry into the Republican field could spice up a race among candidates who so far have failed to arouse passion among core party members.

"I think she'd kick the mix up," said Janita Carlton of Green Forest, Arkansas. "I think she's a smart lady and she has backbone."

By the evening, reports of her bus being parked at a hotel reached the crowd. Many stayed at the battlefield hoping she would visit the memorial as temperatures cooled late in the day. Eventually, after hours of waiting, the crowd thinned.

"I'm disappointed. Yeah, I would have liked to have seen her," said Sharon Danielski, who left after a nine-hour vigil.

Hower, the baker, described what drew him there.

"She's a big name, she's always in the news," he said. "She might be a future president. Maybe not this time but sooner or later she might get it right."

(Editing Doina Chiacu)

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Sarah Palin: From 'Mama Grizzly' to motorcycle mama (AFP)

WASHINGTON (AFP) – A Harley-Davidson-riding Sarah Palin, outfitted in black leather and heels, joined a massive annual motorcycle rally in a high-profile appearance amid speculation she will make a bid for the Republican presidential nomination.

Palin was at the "Rolling Thunder" Memorial Day holiday weekend rally, in which tens of thousands of motorcyclists ride through the nation's capital to honor US war veterans, at the launch of her "One Nation" tour up the east coast.

"There's no better way to see DC than on the back of a Harley!" Palin said after the ride, in a statement posted on her website.

Her presence, however, was not met with universal approval.

Rolling Thunder's national legislative director Ted Shpak told the Washington Post he was unhappy with the commotion surrounding her appearance at what has been a traditionally non-political event.

"I'm very not appreciative of the way she came in here," he said.

But some veterans said Palin was welcome, provided she was not attending the rally for political reasons.

"That's fine if she wants to come here and join in the festivities as a citizen of this country, not running for office or any political gain," Sheldon Wagner, a 65-year-old Vietnam veteran, told AFP.

The former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential candidate drew a crowd of photographers and well-wishers as she rode on the back of the Harley, amid a crush of motorbikes filling the streets of the US capital city.

"Riding with these patriots today reinforced that we must do all we can to remind all Americans that we owe our freedom to our vets and to those missing and to those who made the ultimate sacrifice to make this the greatest country on earth," Palin said.

Her statement, which included a quote from 1960s civil rights leader Martin Luther King Jr, also noted that she met with families of soldiers killed in action.

"My family may be used to snowmachines more so than motorcycles... but whether you're riding the open road or the frozen tundra, you're celebrating a free spirit. What could be more American than that?" she said.

According to Palin's website, the "One Nation" tour "is part of our new campaign to educate and energize Americans about our nation's founding principles, in order to promote the Fundamental Restoration of America."

Asked during her appearance if her upcoming events would be as loud as the eardrum splitting Rolling Thunder rally, Palin responded: "It would be a blast if they were this loud -- if they smelled this good. I love that smell of the emissions!"

Vietnam War veterans began Rolling Thunder in 1987 to bring awareness to prisoners of war and soldiers who went missing in action. It has since evolved, its website said, into an event to show "respect for soldiers and veterans from all wars."

Middle-aged bikers, many carrying POW and US flags, gathered in the parking lot of the Pentagon and their route brings them to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall.

"These politicians need to find out what the American families and the veterans are all about. It's a good thing for her to do," said 62-year-old Ray King, a retired law enforcement officer from New Jersey who has joined the rally for the past 23 years.

Palin, who was Republican presidential nominee John McCain's surprise running mate in 2008, joined the rally as she launched her bus tour, which is being funded through contributions to her political action committee (PAC).

Palin has not announced whether she will seek the Republican nomination to challenge President Barack Obama in next year's election, but her website includes campaign hallmarks such as links to make donations, videos, and patriotic slogans and images.

Palin also plans to debut a film documentary about her political career next month in Iowa, another key early presidential contest state.

McCain told Fox News Sunday that his former running mate can win the nomination and unseat Obama.

"Of course she can," he said.

"Whether she'll even run or not, I don't know. A lot of things happen in campaigns. I was written off a few times and we were able to come back so it's going to be a roller coaster ride for all of them before we arrive at our nominee."

Recent polls suggest no great enthusiasm for any of the announced or potential Republican candidates, with even leading figures like Mitt Romney garnering less than 20 percent support.

Others like Minnesota's Tim Pawlenty, libertarian congressman Ron Paul and former House speaker Newt Gingrich have so far inspired even less excitement.

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Palin fuels 2012 talk with bus tour announcement (AFP)

WASHINGTON (AFP) – Sarah Palin announced Thursday a "One Nation" bus tour of the United States, fueling speculation that she will make a run for the US presidency in 2012 elections.

The trip, starting in Washington DC Sunday and going up through New England, will take the former Republican vice-presidential candidate "through our nation's rich historical sites" over the coming weeks, she said on her website.

"Our nation is at a critical turning point. As we look to the future, we are propelled by America's past. It's imperative that we connect with our founders, our patriots, our challenges and victories to clearly see our way forward.

"A good way to do this is to appreciate the significance of our nation's historic sites, patriotic events and diverse cultures, which we'll do in the coming weeks on our 'One Nation' tour," she said.

The announcement comes amid mounting speculation that the Tea Party favorite will throw her hat into the ring for the Republican party nomination to take on President Barack Obama in next year's White House election.

That talk was fueled this week by reports that the former Alaska governor has bought a large house in Arizona, seen as potentially a better base for a presidential campaign than her northwestern US home state.

Palin, who was John McCain's surprise running mate in the last White House election in 2008, has also authorized a feature-length film about herself, further suggesting she is preparing to raise her profile significantly.

Asserting her patriotic credentials, her campaign bus for the upcoming tour proclaims "One Nation" above the tag line "Under God. Indivisible. With Liberty and Justice for All," and "We the people" over a scroll of the US constitution.

"We'll celebrate the good things that bring Americans together; those things that will give us the needed strength to meet the heady challenges ahead," she said on her website.

"I?ve said many times that America doesn?t need a 'fundamental transformation,' instead we need a restoration of all that is good and strong and free in America!

"So, together let?s prepare ourselves for the days ahead by reminding ourselves who we are and what Americans stand for."

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Palin wants Penn. man's restraining order extended (AP)

ANCHORAGE, Alaska – A court magistrate on Monday will consider a request from Sarah Palin to continue a restraining order against a 19-year-old Pennsylvania man who the former Alaska governor says has been stalking her for more than two years.

A magistrate in Anchorage will consider extending the protective order against Shawn Christy of McAdoo by another six months.

Palin's father, Chuck Heath, and her friend Kristan Cole also have requested restraining orders against Christy. And all three have requested restraining orders against Christy's parents, Craig and Karen Christy.

Craig Christy is accused of leaving multiple harassing telephone messages for Palin's parents and contacting Cole's children on Facebook. Magistrate Jonathon Lack denied Cole's request for a protective order against Karen Christy last month.

Palin, the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee, and Cole obtained original restraining orders against Shawn Christy last year, saying he threatened them, sent a receipt for a gun purchase and said he was buying a one-way ticket to Alaska.

Shawn Christy flew to Alaska on Palin's birthday this year, in February, and the visit was monitored by authorities. He spent just one day in Anchorage — about 40 miles from Wasilla, Palin's hometown — before returning to McAdoo.

Temporary restraining orders were issued against the Christys last month, and Monday's court date will deal with the long-term orders.

The Christys, who do not have an attorney, say Alaska has no jurisdiction over them because they are from another state. Palin's attorney, John Tiemessen, said the Christys are misreading the law.

Shawn Christy has said a few dozen emails he sent to Palin's state office — including a threat — were "stupid pranks" to get attention. He said his life is difficult because he deals with complications from Lyme disease.

He also acknowledged sending threatening messages in 2009 to President Barrack Obama, and to Republican Sen. John McCain, who chose Palin as his running mate in the presidential race the previous year.

Christy said someone purporting to be a 15-year-old girl started texting him after he began sending these messages. He said he thought the texter was either law enforcement or Palin. His parents believe it was Palin, which set off the numerous phone calls to Palin's parents, according to court documents.

Christy was apprehended by authorities in Washington, D.C., two years ago. At the request of the Secret Service, he underwent a psychiatric evaluation, which concluded Christy had a sense of grandiosity that "could turn somewhat paranoid," according to court papers.

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Bristol Palin lands her own TV reality show (Reuters)

LOS ANGELES (Reuters) – Single mom Bristol Palin has landed her own reality TV show, and producers say she will allow cameras "exclusive access" into her personal life for the first time.

The small U.S. BIO cable channel said on Monday it had ordered 10 half-hour episodes of a documentary series that will follow Palin and her two year-old son Tripp as they move to Los Angeles and work for a small charity there.

Palin, 20, the unmarried elder daughter of Tea Party favorite Sarah Palin, became a celebrity in her own right last year by waltzing her way to the finals of "Dancing With the Stars" despite having two left feet.

Late last year she bought a five-bedroom house near Phoenix, Ariz., with her earnings from the show and as a spokeswoman for a teen abstinence campaign group. At the time, she was reported planning to attend college there.

But the as-yet-untitled TV documentary will see Palin moving in with two former child stars, brothers Kyle and Christoper Massey. She and Kyle competed on the same season of "Dancing with the Stars."

The series will follow her work for an as-yet-unidentified Los Angeles charity and is scheduled to air in late 2011, BIO channel said.

"Bristol is the kind of personality BIO is drawn to," said David McKillop, executive vice president of programing at BIO Channel.

"Her personal life has been playing out in the media for several years but this will be the first time she's opening up her real life, with her son and her friends the Massey Brothers," he added.

Monday's announcement follows speculation that Palin may have have undergone plastic surgery. Photos taken at an appearance by the young mom at a red carpet event in New York last week showed her with a slimmer, heart-shaped face and chin.

In March, Palin signed a deal for a book about her life growing up in Alaska in the media and political frenzy surrounding her mother Sarah, who grabbed the national spotlight when she was chosen as Republican vice-presidential candidate in 2008 elections.

Sarah Palin, who starred in her own reality series for TLC last year, is weighing a presidential run in 2012.

(Reporting by Jill Serjeant)

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Most voters say "no" to Palin or Trump in 2012 (Reuters)

NEW YORK (Reuters) – Nearly 60 percent of Americans would never support a Republican presidential bid by former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin or real estate mogul and reality TV star Donald Trump, according to a new poll on Wednesday.

Trump, who has been testing the waters for a possible 2012 run for the Republican presidential nomination, has said he would announce something before June -- after his reality TV show, "Celebrity Apprentice," ends its season on May 22.

Palin was the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee and is keeping her supporters guessing on whether she will run.

The Quinnipiac University poll of 1,408 voters found that about half would consider or be enthusiastic about backing former Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney or former Arkansas Governor Mike Huckabee in the November 2012 election.

"Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee are in the best shape. Sarah Palin and Donald Trump suffer from the reality that, as our mothers told us, 'You never get a second chance to make a first impression,'" said Peter Brown, assistant director of the Quinnipiac University Polling Institute.

Among the 613 Republican and independent Republican-leaning voters, the poll showed Romney as favorite to win the Republican presidential nomination with 18 percent, followed by Huckabee and Palin with 15 percent and Trump with 12 percent.

Indiana Governor Mitch Daniels and former House of Representatives Speaker Newt Gingrich each have 5 percent, while former Minnesota Governor Tim Pawlenty and Minnesota Representative Michele Bachmann and both on 4 percent.

The margin of error for that subset was plus or minus 4 percentage points.

The telephone poll, conducted between April 16 and May 1, was released on the eve of a debate in South Carolina among a handful of potential Republican candidates, none of them high-profile names.

The error margin for the larger group was 2.6 points.

(Reporting by Michelle Nichols; Editing by Doina Chiacu)

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