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'One Nation's' Mixed Messages Obscure Palin's Presidential Plans

COMMENTARY | Sarah Palin's "One Nation" bus tour is making headlines. The former governor of Alaska has been seen visiting historic sites in the northeastern United States such as the Lincoln Memorial, Gettysburg and the Old North Church. The purpose of the tour, according to Palin's own political action website, is to "educate and energize Americans about our nation's founding principles."Palin's bus tour may seem like it's for show. Because it's funded by her political action committee and she's soliciting donations on her website, Palin's tour is all about politics whether she runs for office herself or not.Is Palin running for president, or is she gaining steam for other candidates who need donations in the 2012 election?Acting Presidential, Sort OfPalin has seemed to act presidential earlier this year. Yahoo! News reports she made a trip to New Delhi, India, where the former governor spoke to a business conference in March. She was paid handsomely for the appearance alongside India's political and business leaders.It was not an official state visit, unlike President Barack Obama's trip to India in 2010. Palin was thought to be a presidential candidate in February when it was announced she was going to India. Yet she was coy about her future plans and didn't say a word.Palin then visited Israel and met with Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu. She promised him to return for a more thorough visit, according to the Daily Beast. America isn't a very Jewish society and Jews don't form a huge voting bloc, but she visited anyway.Palin also spoke at the Ronald Reagan centennial celebration at the Regan Ranch in early February. She expounded upon Reagan's values as someone who wanted a smaller government. Yet she skipped one crucial speaking engagement in February: the Conservative Political Action Conference. Newt Gingrich, Mitt Romney, Tim Pawlenty, Ron Paul and Rick Santorum all spoke at the conference to woo conservative voters in the United States, as opposed to citizens overseas who can't vote in American elections.Current TourPeople go on bus tours throughout the country for one purpose. Traditionally, that means they are making stump speeches and getting ready to tell Americans what their platforms for candidacy are and what office they are seeking.Yet none of Palin's tour talks about the issues. She makes occasional appearances on Fox News; all she does is bash President Obama. Palin hasn't said anything about whether or not she's running for president.She has photo opportunities and has pictures taken of looking at some of America's cherished hallowed ground. She visited the Statue of Liberty, but not Ground Zero. She saw the Old North Church, but didn't help any of the victims of the tornadoes that struck western Massachusetts.Palin may be going to places that look good, but, as far as feeling good, she may have a way to go before she invokes any warm, fuzzy feelings with the true American spirit. The media love her tour because they are waiting for Palin to make some kind of announcement as to her candidacy.Reasons to Hit the RoadPalin isn't doing her tour to educate anyone. She wants a free vacation. No other pseudo-politician or celebrity does this at the expense of donors unless he/she is truly making campaign stops along the way. Palin isn't stopping at the Washington Monument to state reasons why she wants to be president.The media, which she has called the "lamestream media, " are following her and there are times she revels in the attention. When she arrived to ride on a motorcycle for the Rolling Thunder Memorial Day ride in Washington, D.C., Palin and the bikers were abuzz with all of the television cameras.Palin can't have it both ways. She can't use her political action committee to take a vacation, nor can she both abhor and love the media at the same time. There has to be a purpose behind her meanderings.Palin is using the tour to gauge her presidential ambitions. If she gets enough donations, she'll see it as a sign to run for president. Otherwise, she'll have to donate the proceeds to someone else's federal campaign in 2012. Palin's supporters don't want her to donate money to other people's ambitions -- they want her to take the reins and run for president.Palin won't be able to resist.DISCLOSURE OF MATERIAL CONNECTION:The Contributor has no connection to nor was paid by the brand or product described in this content.