For Palin, a Short Ride With Lots of Rumbling

OFF THE WIRE
For Palin, a Short Ride With Lots of Rumbling
Sarah Palin, right, made an appearance at the annual “Rolling Thunder” rally in Washington on Sunday.

Sarah Palin made a grand entrance at the Rolling Thunder biker rally on Sunday, wearing a black Harley-Davidson helmet and visibly enjoying herself as a crush of reporters and bikers swarmed her motorcycle.


Ms. Palin, the former governor of Alaska, was joined by her husband, Todd, who was wearing a matching helmet, and her daughters, Bristol and Piper. Their arrival at the Pentagon North parking lot turned the lazy Sunday morning into a celebrity affair.

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. At one point she could be heard discussing “the missing,” a reference to the soldiers still missing in action — a key part of the Rolling Thunder cause.

Her plans for the day had been a closely guarded secret among those in her small circle of advisers. Rumors flew for most of the morning that she was on her way, and that she would ride a motorcycle with the Rolling Thunder bikers.


That’s exactly what she did. Ms. Palin rode on the back as another woman drove her motorcycle. Todd Palin drove another motorcycle, with Piper on the back, and Bristol rode on a third with another driver.

Organizers for the rally said the Palins would not be among the speakers during the Rolling Thunder rally on the National Mall later in the afternoon.