Pages

Thursday, June 23, 2011

Letter from Paul Revere to Jeremy Belknap, circa 1798

This is a copy of the actual letter

to description and overview | image navigation




Dear Sir,
Having a little leisure, I wish to fullfill my
promise, of giving you some facts, and Anecdotes, prior to
the Battle of Lexington, which I do not remember to have seen
in any history of the American Revolution.
In the year 1773 I was imployed by the Select men of the
Town of Boston to carry the Account of the Destruction of the
Tea to New-York; and afterwards, 1774, to Carry their dispatches to
New-York and Philadelphia for Calling a Congress; and afterwards to
Congress, several times.* [This asterisk points to a note in the left margin written by Jeremy Belknap: "Let the narrative begin here." ] In the Fall of 1774 & Winter of 1775 I was
one of upwards of thirty, cheifly mechanics, who formed our selves in to a Committee
for the purpose of watching the Movements of the British Soldiers,
and gaining every intelegence of the movements of the Tories. We
held our meetings at the Green-Dragon Tavern. We were so carefull that
our meetings should be kept Secret; that every time we met, every
person swore upon the Bible, that they would not discover any of
our transactions, But to Messrs. Hancock, Adams, Doctors Warren, Church,
& one or two more. About November, when things began to grow
Serious, a Gentleman who had Conections with the Tory party, but was
a Whig at heart, aquainted me, that our meetings were discovered, &
mentioned the identical words that were spoken among us the Night
before. We did not then distrust Dr. Church, but supposed it must be
some one among us. We removed to another place, which we
thought was more secure: but here we found that all our transactions
were communicated to Governor Gage. (This came to me through the
then Secretary Flucker; He told it to the Gentleman mentioned above). It was
then a common opinion, that there was a Traytor in the provincial Con
gress, & that Gage was posessed of all their Secrets. (Church was a member
of that Congress for Boston.) In the Winter, towards the Spring, we fre-
quently took Turns, two and two, to Watch the Soldiers, By patroling
the Streets all night. The Saturday Night preceding the 19th of April, about 12
oClock at Night, the Boats belonging to the Transports were all
launched, & carried under the Sterns of the Men of War. (They had been
previously hauld up & repaired). We likewise found that the Grenadiers
and light Infantry were all taken off duty.


[Page 2]

From these movements, we expected something serious was [to]
be transacted. On Tuesday evening, the 18th, it was observed, that a number
of Soldiers were marching towards the bottom of the Common.
About 10 o'Clock, Dr. Warren Sent in great haste for me, and beged
that I would imediately Set off for Lexington, where Messrs. Hancock
& Adams were, and acquaint them of the Movement, and that it was
thought they were the objets. When I got to Dr. Warren's house, I found
he had sent an express by land to Lexington - a Mr. Wm. Daws.
The Sunday before, by desire of Dr. Warren, I had been to Lexington, to Mess. Hancock and Adams, who were at the Rev. Mr. Clark's. I returned
at Night thro Charlestown; there I agreed with a Col. Conant, & some other Gentle
men, in Charleston, that if the British went out by Water,
we would shew two Lanthorns in the North Church Steeple;
& if by Land, one, as a Signal; for we were aprehensive it would be di
ficult to Cross the Charles River, or git over Boston neck. I left Dr. Warrens, called
upon a friend, and desired him to make the Signals. I then
went Home, took my Boots and Surtout, and went to the North part of the Town, where
I had kept a Boat; two friends rowed me across Charles River,
a little to the eastward where the Somerset Man of
War lay. It was then young flood, the Ship was winding, &
the moon was Rising. They landed me on Charlestown
side. When I got into Town, I met Col. Conant, & several others;
they said they had seen our signals. I told them what was
Acting, & went to git me a Horse; I got a Horse of Deacon
Larkin. While the Horse was preparing, Richard Devens, Esq.
who was one of the Committee of Safty, came to me, & told me, that he came down the Road from
Lexington, after Sundown, that evening; that He met ten British Officers, all
well mounted, & armed, going up the Road. I set off upon a very
good Horse; it was then about 11 o'Clock, & very pleasant. After I
had passed Charlestown Neck, & got nearly opposite where Mark was
hung in chains, I saw two men on Horse back, under a Tree.
When I got near them, I discovered they were British officer.
One tryed to git a head of Me, & the other to take me. I turned
my Horse very quick, & Galloped towards Charlestown neck,
and then pushed for the Medford Road. The one who chased
me, endeavoring to Cut me off, got into a Clay pond, near
where the new Tavern is now built. I got clear of him,


[Page 3]

and went thro Medford, over the Bridge, & up to Menotomy.
In Medford, I awaked the Captain of the Minute men; & after
that, I alarmed almost every House, till I got to Lexington.
I found Mrs. Messrs. Hancock & Adams at the Rev. Mr. Clark's; I told
them my errand, and inquired for Mr. Daws; they said he had
not been there; I related the story of the two officers, &
supposed that He must have been stopped, as he ought to
have been there before me. After I had been there about half
an Hour, Mr. Daws came; after we refreshid our selves, we and set off
for Concord, to secure the Stores, &c. there. We were overtaken by a young Docter Prescot,
whom we found to be a high Son of Liberty. I told them
of the ten officers that Mr. Devens mett, and that it was pro-
bable we might be stoped before we got to Concord; for
I supposed that after Night, they divided them selves, and that
two of them had fixed themselves in such passages as were
most likely to stop any intelegence going to Concord.
I likewise mentioned, that we had better allarm all the In-
habitents till we got to Concord; the young Doctor much ap-
proved of it, and said, he would stop with either of us, for the
people between that & Concord knew him, & would give the
more credit to what we said. We had got nearly half way.
Mr Daws & the Doctor stoped to allarm the people of a House:
I was about one hundred Rod a head, when I saw two men,
in nearly the same situation as those officer were, near
Charlestown. I called for the Doctor & Daws to come up; -
were two & we would have them in an Instant I was
surrounded by four; - they had placed themselves in a Straight
Road, that inclined each way; they had taken down a pair of
Barrs on the North side of the Road, & two of them were under
a tree in the pasture. The Docter being foremost, he came up;
and we tryed to git past them; but they being armed with pis-
tols & swords, they forced us in to the pasture; -the Docter jum-
ped his Horse over a low Stone wall, and got to Concord.


[Page 4]

I observed a Wood at a Small distance, & made for that.
When I got there, out Started Six officers, on Horse back,
and orderd me to dismount;-one of them, who appeared
to have the command, examined me, where I came from,
& what my Name Was? I told him. it was Revere, he as-
ked if it was Paul? I told him yes He asked me if
I was an express? I answered in the afirmative. He
demanded what time I left Boston? I told him; and
aded, that their troops had catched aground in passing the River,
and that There would be five hundred Americans there
in a short time, for I had alarmed the Country all the way up.
He imediately rode towards those who stoppd us,
when all five of them came down upon a full gallop;
one of them, whom I afterwards found to be Major
Mitchel, of the 5th Regiment, Clapped his pistol to my head, called me by name,
& told me he was going to ask me some questions, & if I
did not give him true answers, he would blow my
brains out. He then asked me similar questions to those
above. He then orderd me to mount my Horse, after
searching me for arms. He then orderd them to advance,
& to lead me in front. When we got to the Road, they
turned down towards Lexington. When we had got about one
Mile, the Major Rode up to the officer that was leading
me, & told him to give me to the Sergeant. As soon as
he took me, the Major orderd him, if I attempted to
run, or any body insulted them, to blow my brains out.
We rode till we got near Lexington Meeting-house,
when the Militia fired a Voley of Guns, which ap-
peared to alarm them very much. The Major inqui-
red of me how far it was to Cambridge, and if there were
any other Road? After some consultation, the Major


[Page 5]

Major Rode up to the Sargent, & asked if his Horse
was tired? He told answered him, he was - (He was a Sargent
of Grenadiers, and had a small Horse) - then, said He,
take that man's Horse. I dismounted, & the Sargent
mounted my Horse, when they all rode towards
Lexington Meeting-House. I went across
the Burying-ground, & some pastures, & came to the Revd. Mr. Clark's
House, where I found Messrs. Hancok & Adams. I told them of
my treatment, & they concluded to go from that House
to wards Woburn. I went with them, & a Mr. Lowell,
who was a Clerk to Mr. Hancock. When we got to the
House where they intended to stop, Mr. Lowell & I my self returned to
Mr. Clark's, to find what was going on. When we got
there, an elderly man came in; he said he had just come from
the Tavern, that a Man had come from Boston, who said
there were no British troops coming. Mr. Lowell & my
self went towards the Tavern, when we met a Man
on a full gallop, who told us the Troops were coming
up the Rocks. We afterwards met another, who said
they were close by. Mr. Lowell asked me to go to the
Tavern with him, to a Bit a Trunk of papers belonging to Mr. Hancock. We
went up Chamber; & while we were giting the Trunk,
we saw the British very near, upon a full March.
We hurried to wards Mr. Clark's House. In our way,
we passed through the Militia. There were about 50.
When we had got about 100 Yards from the meeting-House the British Troops
appeard on both Sides of the Meeting-House. In their


[Page 6]

In their Front was an Officer on Horse back. They made a
Short Halt; when I saw, & heard, a Gun fired, which appeared
to be a Pistol. Then I could distinguish two Guns, & then
a Continual roar of Musquetry; When we made off with the Trunk.
As I have mentioned Dr. Church, perhaps it might not
be disagreeable to mention some Matters of my own
knowledge, respecting Him. He appeared to be a high
son of Liberty. He frequented all the places where they met,
Was incouraged by all the leaders of the Sons of Liberty,
& it appeared he was respected by them, though I knew that
Dr. Warren had not the greatest affection for him. He was esteemed
a very capable writer, especially in verese; and as the Whig party
needed every Strenght, they feared, as well as courted Him.
Though it was known, that some of the Liberty Songs, which We
composed, were parodized by him, in favor of the British,
yet none dare charge him with it. I was a constant &
critical observer of him, and I must say, that I never thought
Him a man of Principle; and I doubted much in my own
mind, wether He was a real Whig. I knew that He kept
company with a Capt. Price, a half-pay British officer, & that
He frequently dined with him, & Robinson, one of the Commissi
-oners. I know that one of his intimate aquaintances asked him
why he was so often with Robinson and Price? His answer was, that He kept Company
with them on purpose to find out their plans. The day after
the Battle of Lexington, I came across met him in Cambridge, when He shew
me some blood on his stocking, which he said spirted on
him from a Man who was killed near him, as he was urging
the Militia on. I well remember, that I argued with my
self, if a Man will risque his life in a Cause, he must be
a Friend to that cause; & I never suspected him after, till He was
charged with being a Traytor.


[Page 7]

The same day I met Dr. Warren. He was President of the
Committee of Safety. He engaged me as a Messinger, to do
the out of doors business for that committee; which gave
me an opportunity of being frequently with them.
The Friday evening after, about sun set, I was sitting with
some, or near all that Committee, in their room, which was
at Mr. Hastings's House at Cambridge. Dr. Church, all at once,
started up - Dr. Warren, said He, I am determined to go into
Boston tomorrow - (it set them all a stairing) - Dr. Warren
replyed, Are you serious, Dr. Church? they will Hang you
if they catch you in Boston. He replyed, I am serious, and am
determined to go at all adventures. After a considerable
conversation, Dr. Warren said, If you are determined, let us
make some business for you. They agreed that he should
go to Bit medicine for their & our Wounded officers. He
went the next morning; & I think he came back on Sunday
evening. After He had told the Committee how things were,
I took him a side, & inquired particularly how they treated
him? he said, that as soon as he got to their lines on the Boston Neck,
they made him a prisoner, & carried him to General Gage, where He
was examined, & then He was sent to Gould's Barracks, & was
not suffered to go home but once.
After He was taken up, for holding a Correspondence with the Brittish, I came a Cross Deacon
Caleb Davis;-we entred into Conversation about Him;-He told
me, that the morning Church went into Boston, He (Davis) received
a Bilet for General Gage-(he then did not know that Church was
in Town)-When he got to the General's House, he was told, the General
could not be spoke with, that He was in private with a Gentle
man; that He waited near half an Hour,-When General Gage &
Dr. Church came out of a Room, discoursing together, like


[Page 8]

like persons who had been long aquainted. He ap
-peared to be quite surprized at seeing Deacon Davis
there; that he (Church) went where he pleased, while
in Boston, only a Major Caine, one of Gage's Aids, went with him. I was
told by another person whom I could depend upon, that he saw Church go in to General
Gage's House, at the above time; that He got out of the Chaise
and went up the steps more like a Man that was aquainted,
than a prisoner. Sometime after, perhaps a Year or two, I fell
in company with a Gentleman who studied with
Church -in discoursing about him, I related what I have men
tioned above; He said, He did not doubt that He was in the
Interest of the Brittish; & that it was He who informed Gen. Gage
That he knew for Certain, that a Short time before the Battle of Lexing
ton, (for He then lived with Him, & took Care of his Business & Books)
He had no money by him, and was much drove for money; that
all at once, He had several Hundred New Brittish Guineas;
and that He thought at the time, where they came from.
Thus, Sir, I have endeavoured to give you a
Short detail of some matters, of which perhaps no person but
my self have have documents, or knowledge. I have men
tioned some names which you are aquainted with: I wish
you would Ask them, if they can remember the Circumstances
I alude to.
I am, Sir, with every Sentment
of esteem,
Your Humble Servant,
Paul Revere
Col. Revere's Letter.
A Letter from Col. Paul Revere to the Corresponding Secretary [Jeremy Belkna

Letter from Paul Revere to Jeremy Belknap, circa 1798

Page Viewing Options NOTE

Jump:
    This item is also found on these pages:
  • Witness to America's Past: view
  • MHS Collecting History: view
  • MHS Gallery: Highlights from Our Collections: view
Letter from Paul Revere to Jeremy Belknap, circa 1798
In this undated letter, written at the request of Jeremy Belknap, corresponding secretary of the Massachusetts Historical Society, Paul Revere summarizes his activities on 18-19 April 1775: he recounts how Dr. Joseph Warren urged him to ride to Lexington (to warn John Hancock and Samuel Adams of British troop movements); how he had previously arranged with some fellow Patriots to signal the direction of those movements by placing signal lanterns in the steeple of Old North Church; and how he left Boston from the "North part of the Town," was rowed across the Charles River by two friends, and there borrowed a horse and began his ride.

The manuscript letter includes some interlineations, apparently in the hand of Jeremy Belknap. In printing the account in Collections of the Massachusetts Historical Society, 1st series, vol. 5 (1798), Belknap assigned to it the date of 1 January 1798. At the end of the document, Revere signed his name but then, apparently choosing to remain anonymous, wrote above it "A Son of Liberty of the year 1775" and beside it "do not print my name." Either he changed his mind or Belknap ignored his request, for the two phrases are crossed out in the original document, and the name is included in the printed version.
  Revere fills most pages of his letter to Belknap (pages 2-6) with the description of his ride. He writes of avoiding British soldiers and reaching Lexington, where he conveyed information to Hancock and Adams and where he met up with William Dawes. After Revere and Dawes set off for Concord, they were joined by Samuel Prescott, who helped them "allarm all the Inhabitents." Revere's ride ended when he was captured by British soldiers, interrogated, and eventually released in Lexington in time to hear the opening shots of the Revolutionary War.

It is interesting to compare this letter to the deposition Paul Revere wrote probably in response to a request from the Massachusetts Provincial Congress (see Paul Revere's deposition, fair copy, circa 1775; and Paul Revere's deposition, draft, circa 1775). Though fuller in some details and less detailed in others, the substance of the letter does not differ materially from Revere's account of his ride to Lexington in the earlier deposition.

Palin’s Twist on Paul Revere


June 6, 2011




Sarah Palin's much-ridiculed story of Paul Revere isn't entirely wrong, but it's badly twisted. Revere didn't ring bells or fire shots, and he was riding to warn two fellow rebels that the British were coming to arrest them, not to warn the British "that they weren't going to be taking away our arms."
That's what the former Alaska governor said in an offhand remark, caught by a TV camera at a June 2 stop in Boston:
Palin, June 2: [Revere] warned the British that they weren't going to be taking away our arms, by ringing those bells and making sure as he was riding his horse through town to send those warning shots and bells that we were going to be secure and we were going to be free.
Palin's mangled history was quickly dismissed by news reporters and comedians. But then Palinsaid on June 5 on "Fox News Sunday" that she "didn't mess up" the Paul Revere story, and that "I know my American history."
Fox's Chris Wallace: You realized that you messed up about Paul Revere, don't you?
Palin: You know what? I didn't mess up about Paul Revere. Here is what Paul Revere did. He warned the Americans that the British were coming, the British were coming, and they were going to try take our arms and we got to make sure that we were protecting ourselves and shoring up all of ammunitions and our firearms so that they couldn't take it.
But remember that the British had already been there, many soldiers for seven years in that area. And part of Paul Revere's ride — and it wasn't just one ride — he was a courier, he was a messenger. Part of his ride was to warn the British that we're already there. That, hey, you're not going to succeed. You're not going to take American arms. You are not going to beat our own well-armed persons, individual, private militia that we have. He did warn the British.
And in a shout-out, gotcha type of question that was asked of me, I answered candidly. And I know my American history.
So how does Palin's version compare with, say, Paul Revere's? Not very well. Revere, in the most complete account he gave of his famous ride, a letter written about 1798, stated that he rode to warn fellow rebels Samuel Adams and John Hancock that the British were coming to arrest them. This transcription, Revere's spelling mistakes and all, is posted on the website of the Massachusetts Historical Society:
Paul Revere, c 1798: On Tuesday evening, the 18th, it was observed, that a number of Soldiers were marching towards the bottom of the Common. About 10 o'Clock, Dr. Warren Sent in great haste for me, and beged that I would imediately Set off for Lexington, where Messrs. Hancock & Adams were, and acquaint them of the Movement, and that it was thought they were the objets.
Revere didn't mention firing any shots or ringing any bells, and neither does the account given by the Paul Revere House in its brief history, "The Real Story of Paul Revere's Ride."
Paul Revere House: On the way to Lexington, Revere "alarmed" the country-side, stopping at each house, and arrived in Lexington about midnight. As he approached the house where Adams and Hancock were staying, a sentry asked that he not make so much noise. "Noise!" cried Revere, "You'll have noise enough before long. The regulars are coming out!"
It's true that shots were fired and bells were rung, but not by Revere. According to David Hackett Fischer's 1995 book "Paul Revere's Ride," Revere rode to the house of Captain Isaac Hall, commander of Medford's minutemen, and it was Hall who triggered the town's alarm system. Fischer added (on page 140): "A townsman remembered that 'repeated gunshots, the beating of drums and the ringing of bells filled the air.' "
In Palin's defense, it's true that American rebels had stored arms and gunpowder at Concord, and that British Gen. Thomas Gage not only had orders to arrest the leaders, but had decided to seize and destroy those arms. Alerted by Revere, American militia members confronted the British at the battles of Lexington and Concord, the first armed encounters of the Revolutionary War.
It's also true that Revere spoke to British officers — though that was by no means his intent. He was seized by a British patrol before he got to Concord. Revere, under questioning, told British officers that 500 Americans were coming to confront them. As he told it in his 1798 recollection:
Paul Revere: [An officer] asked me if I was an express? I answered in the afirmative. He demanded what time I left Boston? I told him; and aded, that their troops had catched aground in passing the River, and that There would be five hundred Americans there in a short time, for I had alarmed the Country all the way up.
Another officer "[c]lapped his pistol to my head, called me by name, & told me he was going to ask me some questions, & if I did not give him true answers, he would blow my brains out," Revere recalled. He was still in British custody when the first shots were fired at Lexington, "which appeared to alarm them very much," Revere said. The British later released Revere, after taking the horse he had been riding. But Revere makes no mention of specifically "warning" the British against trying to seize arms. In fact, the Americans moved most of the arms before Gen. Gage's troops could find them.

You know how Sarah Palin said Paul Revere warned the British? Well, he did. Now, who looks stupid?

Sarah Palin
June 6, 2011 |  3:04 am
You may have heard recently something about that Sarah Palin telling a reporter that Paul Revere warned the British on his famous rousing revolutionary ride.
Now, that so many Americans have wallowed in their smug confirmation that Palin is an idiot unqualified for anything but Paul Revere thinks about something paulreverefactsdotcomrepeating sixth-grade history, how far, wide and fast do you think the contradictory news will spread that the former governor of Alaska was indeed correct?
That the Republican non-candidate, in fact, knew more about the actual facts of Revere's midnight ride than all those idiots unknowingly revealing their own ignorance by laughing at her faux faux pas? How secretly embarrassing this must be, to be forced to face that you're dumber than the reputed dummy.
As it happens, though, such phenomena are regular occurrences in American politics, reminding consumers of news to be wary when some fresh story seems to fit contemporary assumptions so absolutely perfectly.
The well-known fable is Revere's late-night ride to warn fellow revolutionaries that....
...the British were coming. Less known, obviously, is the rest of the evening's events in which Revere was captured by said redcoats and did indeed defiantly warn them of the awakened militia awaiting their arrival ahead and of the American Revolution's inevitable victory.
Palin knew this. The on-scene reporters did not and ran off like Revere to alert the world to Palin's latest mis-speak, which wasn't.
Like a number of famous faux gaffes in American politics, the facts of the situation no longer really matter.
The initial impression was eagerly grabbed by so many, starting with the reporter and millions of others gleefully sharing the story that reinforced their beliefs and/or desires.
This phenomenon is actually not a new one in American politics, although its immediate spread is obviously hastened by the Internet. Speaking of which, Al Gore did not invent it. Nor did he claim to, as often as you've heard otherwise.
In 1999, the hapless former journalist, who should have known to make a better word choice, told CNN that in Congress he "took the initiative in creating the Internet."
Democrat Gore never used the word "invented." That was part of another willful misinterpretation that fit expectations of Gore's boasts and was gleefully spread by opponents as further proof of his unseemly hubris. It lives on to this day.Sarah Palin boards her bus 6-1-11
Perhaps you remember how one day during a photo op President George H.W. Bush was overheard asking a store checkout clerk how this price scanner thing worked?
That quote was immediately transmitted as proof of how disconnected that Republican chief executive was, that he had no knowledge of something as ordinary as a checkout scanner.
The fact is, asking such inane and often obvious questions as "what are you doing here?" is a bipartisan ploy used by politicians to fill the awkward time void they are hanging around someone working while photographers snap their photos several hundred times.
President Obama likely said much the same thing last Friday in that Toledo Chrysler plant when for the benefit of nearby photographers he feigned interest watching assembly-line worker Anthony Davisinstall a dashboard instrument panel. (See photo below)
A classic example of this faux faux pas was in 1992 when Vice President Dan Quayle agreed to participate in a New Jersey classroom spelling bee.
Working from a placard, Quayle corrected one sixth-grader by telling him to add an "e" to "potato." Journalists gleefully noted the spelling misteak. And Quayle's dunce hat was glued in place.
Trouble is, that mis-spelled placard was actually written out by the classroom teacher herself, either through her own ignorance or, a few suspect, some sly political set-up. Quayle knew he hadn't written it and thought the error was the point of the lesson.
And because the classroom spelling bit was a last-minute addition, aides who would have foreseen the everlasting damage of their boss inexplicably adding a mistake to a student's work did not know what the placard said. Quayle subsequently forbade them from explaining the error to the media, for fear of embarrassing the teacher.
One of the immutable laws of public communications in politics and other fields is, if you have to explain something, you lose. Seeking to explain you were for something before being against it simply digs a deeper Obama watches Chrysler employee anthony davis work on assembly line 6-3-11hole.
This time the mistake for Palin, who used to be accused of dodging reporters' questions, was bothering to answer such an amateur media gotcha question in a noisy, moving crowd. Better would have been a simple dismissive and cheery, "You're kidding, right?" Such are the ongoing lessons for primary candidates. Which she isn't now, of course.
Early in a previous race for the Republican presidential nomination almost 12 years ago, then Texas Gov. George W. Bush was in a jammed New Hampshire airport meeting room, answering questions from local media. Apropos of nothing, one reporter (perhaps prompted by an opponent's camp) asked Bush his pre-written gotcha: Name the new president of Pakistan.
Obviously, Pervez Musharraf had nothing to do with New Hampshire issues and is similar to some Democratic candidates flubbing the name of Russia's then prime minister during 2008 debates (Dmitry Medvedev).
Bush didn't know the Pakistani leader's name that day and looked clumsy attempting to answer. He could have brushed it away by instantly asking the reporter some arcane political who's-who, laughing off their mutual ignorance and quickly taking the next question. But he didn't and took media lumps for several days.
As everyone now knows, such a splashy gaffe can effectively doom any chance a candidate has of winning two terms in the White House.

Sarah Palin's vacation from history



Her constant mangling of our history is indicative of nothing so much as the state of America's celebrity culture

Sarah Palin Reportedly Quits Bus Tour Halfway Through







Former half-term Gov. Sarah Palin has reportedly packed in her bus tour...halfway through.
Real Clear Politics is reporting that Palin and her family have returned to Alaska from their "One Nation" bus tour, despite tentatively scheduled stops in Iowa and South Carolina.
Though Palin and her staff never announced a timeline for the remaining legs of her trip, aides had drafted preliminary itineraries that would have taken her through the Midwest and Southeast at some point this month. But those travel blueprints are now in limbo, RCP has learned, as Palin and her family have reverted to the friendly confines of summertime Alaska, where the skies are currently alight for over 19 hours a day and the Bristol Bay salmon fishing season is nearing its peak.
Palin's intent to visit Iowa and South Carolina, as well as one stop in New Hampshire, caused some speculation that she was starting to get serious about a run for president in 2012.
The bus tour was launched over Memorial Day weekend, and was particularly scrutinized after one event in Boston where Palin badly flubbed the story behind Paul Revere's ride.

Despite White House Stonewalling, New Details Emerge And New Questions Need To Be Answered About The DNC-Organized White House Meeting


Blue Room Bucks

June 2011
Posted by: Research


OBAMA’S MEETING WITH WALL STREET EXECS WAS “CLEARLY RELATED TO THE CAMPAIGN” DESPITE THE WHITE HOUSE’S CLAIMS

Just Before Announcing For Reelection, Obama Brought Two Dozen Long Time Donors To The White House. “A few weeks before announcing his re-election campaign, President Obama convened two dozen Wall Street executives, many of them longtime donors, in the White House’s Blue Room.” (Nicholas Confessore, “Obama Seeks To Win Back Wall St. Cash,” The New York Times, 6/12/11)
  • Obama Asked The Donors How To Speed The Economic Recovery. “The guests were asked for their thoughts on how to speed the economic recovery, then the president opened the floor for over an hour on hot issues like hedge fund regulation and the deficit.” (Nicholas Confessore, “Obama Seeks To Win Back Wall St. Cash,” The New York Times, 6/12/11)
  •  “The Event, Organized By The Democratic National Committee, Kicked Off An Aggressive Push By Mr. Obama To Win Back The Allegiance Of One Of His Most Vital Sources Of Campaign Cash …” (Nicholas Confessore, “Obama Seeks To Win Back Wall St. Cash,” The New York Times, 6/12/11)
“So Keen Was He To Get Their Cash That He Followed Up The Discussion With Phone Calls To Each Of Them Afterwards.” (Daniel Bates, “Obama Goes Cap In Hand To The ‘Fat Cats’: President Woos Wall St As He Gears Up For Election Run,” The Daily Mail, 6/14/11)
Press Secretary Jay Carney Said: “This Was Not A Fundraiser.” (Josh Gerstein, “Donor Meeting At White House Draws Fire,” Politico, 6/20/11)
  • But The Meeting Was Clearly Related To Obama’s Reelection Campaign, With One Attendee Noting, “[E]veryone Knew Why They Were There.” “Two attendees at the event who spoke with POLITICO on condition of anonymity said the event was clearly related to the campaign. ‘It was policy-focused, but everyone knew why they were there,’ said one attendee.”  (Josh Gerstein, “Donor Meeting At White House Draws Fire,”Politico, 6/20/11)
  • “The Same Attendee Said He Was Invited To The Event By DNC Finance Official Brad Thompson.” (Josh Gerstein, “Donor Meeting At White House Draws Fire,” Politico, 6/20/11)
The Campaign Legal Center Says That The DNC Sponsorship Implies At Least The “Cultivation” Of Donations. “‘There’s a pretty clear line — or there should be a clear line,’ said Meredith McGehee of the Campaign Legal Center, which presses for tighter controls on campaign finance. ‘I don’t have a problem with the president inviting Wall Street people to the White House to discuss policy, but why does it need to be DNC-sponsored? I think that’s what raises the eyebrows. Even if it’s not a fundraiser, it’s a cultivation.’” (Josh Gerstein, “Donor Meeting At White House Draws Fire,” Politico, 6/20/11)
The Blue Room Meeting Draws Comparisons To DNC Organized Events With Clinton That Turned Out To Have Fundraising Goals Attached To The Invitations. “At least on the surface, Obama’s Blue Room event seems to have parallels to dozens of so-called coffees President Bill Clinton and Vice President Al Gore held in 1995 and 1996. Most of those events also were organized by the DNC. Clinton aides initially said the events were not fundraisers, and there was no specific donation required for admittance. Documents later emerged showing the DNC had fundraising goals for some events and that some donors were told they could get invited for $50,000.” (Josh Gerstein, “Donor Meeting At White House Draws Fire,” Politico, 6/20/11)
Fred Wertheimer of Democracy 21: Given The Clinton Fundraising Scandals, “One Would Assume No One Would Want To Go Anywhere Near That Again.” ‘Anyone in politics is aware of what happened with the use of the White House for fundraising purposes during the Clinton administration, and one would assume no one would want to go anywhere near that again,’ said Fred Wertheimer of Democracy 21, another group pressing for tighter campaign finance rules. (Josh Gerstein, “Donor Meeting At White House Draws Fire,” Politico, 6/20/11)
  • Wertheimer: “If This Was Arranged By The DNC And Involved A Substantial Number Of Donors And/Or Fundraisers, Then It’s The Kind Of Meeting That Should Not Take Place In The White House.” (Josh Gerstein, “Donor Meeting At White House Draws Fire,” Politico, 6/20/11)

OBAMA’S WHITE HOUSE CLAIMS TO BE TRANSPARENT ABOUT ANY DNC RELATED EVENTS, BUT THIS ADMINISTRATION IS AS CLEAR AS MUD

Carney Said The White House Is “Very Transparent” About Any DNC Related Events. “Carney said Friday the White House is ‘very transparent’ about its DNC-related events.” (Josh Gerstein, “Donor Meeting At White House Draws Fire,” Politico, 6/20/11)
  • But Hasn’t Said Who Attended The Blue Room Meeting. “By press time, the White House did not respond to questions about DNC members and the White House staff who attended the event.” (Josh Gerstein, “Donor Meeting At White House Draws Fire,” Politico, 6/20/11)
  • The White House Logs Are “Missing The Names Of Thousands Of Visitors To The White House, Including Lobbyists,” And Donors. “Similarly, the logs are missing the names of thousands of other visitors to the White House, including lobbyists, government employees, campaign donors, policy experts and friends of the first family, according to an investigation by the Center for Public Integrity.” (Viveca Novak and Fred Schulte, “White House Visitor Logs Leave Out Many,” Politico, 4/13/11)
And The White House Hasn’t Answered Politico’s Question: “How Many DNC-Organized Events Has The President Taken Part In That Weren’t Listed On His Schedule?”  “The topic didn’t come up during White House press secretary Jay Carney’s briefing. We wonder: How many DNC-organized events has the president taken part in that weren’t listed on his schedule?” (“What About The Wall St. Meeting,” Politico, 6/15/11)
Obama Won’t Disclose Fundraising Totals For Each DNC/Obama For America Fundraising Event
“Pres. Obama's Re-Election Campaign Won't Be Disclosing How Much Money Is Taken In At The Individual Fundraising Events Attended By Pres. Obama. Neither Will The Democratic National Committee.” (Mark Knoller, “Obama Campaign Won't Reveal Fundraising Numbers,” CBS News, 4/19/11)
  • “Pres. Obama Often Trumpets That His White House Is More Transparent And Open Than Any Other. But It's Clear He Does Not Apply That Approach To His Political Fund-Raising.” (Mark Knoller, “Obama Campaign Won't Reveal Fundraising Numbers,” CBS News, 4/19/11)
  • Other Re-Election Campaigns Have Disclosed The Totals From Individual Events. “The Obama Campaign is not the first to adopt such a policy, although Pres. Bush's re-election operation in 2004 freely disclosed how much money was taken in at individual events.” (Mark Knoller, “Obama Campaign Won't Reveal Fundraising Numbers,” CBS News, 4/19/11)
Or How Much The DNC Reimburses The Government For The Costs Of Air Force One 
“Obama Is Entitled To Use Air Force One For Political Trips” But Must Reimburse Taxpayers For “A Relatively Small Portion Of The $100,000-Per-Hour Operating Costs.” “Being president cuts into a candidate's fundraising time, but it also facilitates travel. As chief executive, Mr. Obama is entitled to use Air Force One for political trips, though his campaign must reimburse the government for a relatively small portion of the $100,000-per-hour operating costs of flying aboard the 747-version of Air Force One.” (Mark Knoller, “Obama Seeks To Bring In Big Bucks For 2012 Campaign,” CBS, 4/4/11)
  • “For Two-Years, CBS News Has Been Trying To Get The White House To Disclose The Costs Of Political Travel By The President And The Amount The Government Is Reimbursed By The Candidates And Political Committees For Whom He Was Raising Money. For Two Years, The White House Has Declined To Disclose The Data.” (Mark Knoller, “Obama Seeks To Bring In Big Bucks For 2012 Campaign,” CBS, 4/4/11)
An Official Event Allows The Political Costs Of The Trip To Decrease, But We Don’t Know By How Much Since The White House Has Not Disclosed Its Formula. “By doing an ‘official’ event during the same trip as political fundraisers, the costs the DSCC and the Nelson campaign must pay to reimburse the government for Mr. Obama's trip to Miami is significantly reduced, although the White House has yet to disclose the formula it uses to arrive at the amounts to be reimbursed.” (Mark Knoller, “Obama To Raise $1M In Florida For Democratic Campaigns,” CBS News, 3/4/11)