Reports Of Sarah Palin's Bracelet 'Blunder' At Tea Party Convention Incorrect

CORRECTION: An earlier version of this post misstated the color of a bracelet Sarah Palin wore during a Tea Party appearance. Palin's bracelet was not black, as was reported by several news outlets, and is not meant to memorialize her son Track Palin, but rather to honor his service, according to Herobracelets.org.

Sarah Palin did not commit a faux-pas last weekend by wearing a bracelet with the name of her son Track Palin, who served in Iraq in 2008, as some news outlets reported.

In a guest article in Wednesday's Yale Daily News, Eric Robinson, a first-year Yale graduate student in international relations and a veteran of both the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, asserted that Palin's bracelet was black -- a choice that he found troubling:

This brings me back to my issue with Palin. The name on her black memorial bracelet -- one, like the gold star, a demonstration of a friend or associate who was killed in action -- is that of her oldest son, Track. Track served honorably in Iraq, and both he and his parents should be thanked for his selfless service to his country. He is also alive.

Other blogs, however, reported that the wristband she wore was actually a "deployment bracelet."

Comments

[MarsAmbassador]

06:34 PM on 02/12/2010

I am so sick of people wearing their causes on their arms and on their vehicles in the form of bracelets and those ribbon stickers/magnets. Give us a break, already! Besides, Track is no hero. He served in Iraq for 2 reasons:
1) to avoid jailtime and a record for cutting the brake lines to the entire Wasilla school bus fleet (he was caught with 2 other people)
2) to keep him and the above out of sight and out of mind and out of the papers while his Mommy pretended to be a politician on the Big Stage

I also can't wait until this tax evasion thing picks up steam. The onus is on the homeowner to report any errors with the assessments. And those windows are EXACTLY the same as the ones that ended up on their house...and both sets are inconspicuously the exact same as the windows on the arena/rec center that Palin rammed through town council (putting Wasilla $20 million in debt as a result). Why they haven't been taken to task over that yet is beyond me. The facts are in and they are indisputable. Todd has even admitted in a televised interview with Greta Whatshername that he "built it with the help of some contractor friends".

[floridagal2]

09:26 AM on 02/13/2010

Are you correct about her son? That sounds like a scandel to me. Why hasn't he been outed? I'm serious. That's just the kind of thing that would make the baggers furious.

[JUSTSAYING--]

10:59 PM on 02/14/2010

Good question, why aren't her scandals brought out to the light of day?? Here are some no-one cares to cover,these are the reasons she'll NEVER run.http://www.palingates.blogspot.com/

[avila]

04:22 AM on 02/15/2010

I think there's a law of diminishing returns. You can only claim so many scandals about a candidate before people stop believing in them and the candidate becomes immune to it. I for one, have become very skeptical of scandals whether their aimed at Obama, Palin, or anyone.

[wldone]

07:50 AM on 02/12/2010

I am just curious ... is an army corps man the same thing as an army corpse man lol... the shame the shame... maybe Obama needs to writes some notes on HIS hand lol

[RBLRDR]

08:30 AM on 02/12/2010

What ... no "teleprompter"? You're slacking.

[wldone]

09:47 AM on 02/12/2010

I think he had his teleprompter. that was the problem... . maybe he needs to use his hand.. for notes that is.. lol

[goodpyr]

06:05 PM on 02/12/2010

In the Navy and theMarines a corpsman is a medic.In the army they are called Medics.
With whom did you serve?

[solopico]

10:15 PM on 02/11/2010

Just curious.. is this the same HP owned and operated by the lady who decried Glenn Beck and claimed that there are standards in journalism?

Uh.. yeah.

[Low On Prozac]

05:51 PM on 02/11/2010

Nah, nah, naah, nah, naaah, naaah! You lefties are soooo precious! Sarah is prettier than AiryHeaded, too!

[nicole473]

08:15 PM on 02/11/2010

take your meds_.

[RBLRDR]

08:29 AM on 02/12/2010

blah blah blah gibberish word salad mish and mash and this and that also too. Other than that I totally dont' agree with you.

[VailBeach]

04:28 PM on 02/11/2010

Heckuva job, Huffpo.

[GoldStarMom]

04:02 PM on 02/11/2010

I'm most definately NOT a Palin supporter.

However, I was one of the first people to point out here on HP that if Palin's bracelet were Bronze -- to honor her son's service -- then she was not insulting those of us who HAVE had a loved one or family member killed in Iraq.

So, no, not everyone who doesn't support her is either "out to destroy her" or is "willing to say anything to make her look bad."

She does quite an effective job on her own in making herself look bad. This ironically will cause her ultimate political destruction.

[PostModernPatriot]

02:53 PM on 02/11/2010

I don't care what color it is, all her rah rah crowing for the troops is exploitive.

She would love for all moms in the USA to be wearing black bracelets for the sons and daughters she & her chicken hawk allies are frothing at the mouth to send to Iran and the extended never-ending undeclared wars we are already waging.

[solopico]

10:10 PM on 02/11/2010

You are s.i.c.k.

[RobDoub]

02:44 PM on 02/11/2010

This correction should be placed on the front page for the day.

[solopico]

10:11 PM on 02/11/2010

cosign.

[zona9]

01:52 PM on 02/11/2010

Wow, on the very day you trash Gingrich for not getting his facts straight and smearing Obama, you post an article that doesn't get it's facts straight and smears Sarah Palin. Hypocrites! I can't help but notice, you removed all links from the front page to this article, trying to make it disappear and hide your shame. Pathetic

[PostModernPatriot]

02:54 PM on 02/11/2010

Sorry, Palin's plastic bracelet is not as important as the facts on how our govt deals with terrorism.

[wizegeye]

12:25 AM on 02/12/2010

Ideological rationalization. Sweet!

[Vetinari]

12:15 PM on 02/11/2010

to the poster who claims sara is playing chessa nd the libs are playing checkers:

1. The left laughs and ridicules sara, relying on the oh so predictable rightie response of complete opposition.

2. The more the left calls sara out, the more the right supports her and tries to lift her up and start to idolize her (martyrdom)

3. More sara support means more sara speeches, means more sara bashing (but jsut stright reporting of her words). This is essentially a self feeding loop.

4. right wing sara frenzy puts her in the running for president, and all independents and those few thinking people on the right see sara for what she really is and votes democrat

End result: righties spend all their time and money candidating for a complete dud. Democrats win.

now who is playing chess and who is playing checkers?

[solopico]

10:44 PM on 02/11/2010

Incorrect.

Palin has made miscues and is not completely prepared. Fair enough.

However, the mockery from the left will only strengthen her resolve. Additionally, the increased support from more who see the Progressive's behavior for what it is will only embolden her, because every new supporter she gains will be a loss for the Progressives.

She may not ultimately wish to run for POTUS - at least not in 2012. She has stated that she may just be a voice to help others, and right now she is a huge draw and can help the right people gather large sums of money.

She is intelligent enough to understand that she is in an uphill struggle, but with perseverance and dedication she will only become stronger and work harder to do all she can to stop the Progressive agenda.

Checkmate.

[Counterglow]

12:37 AM on 02/12/2010

You're intelligent enough to know Sarah Palin would probably flunk Grade 10, and is utterly incompetent to hold any high office. The fact that you are trying to make her look like a viable candidate simply proves that you're morally bankrupt, and unfit to discuss matters of import in a forum of ideas.

[goodpyr]

05:47 PM on 02/12/2010

solopico: Resolve? Explain to me again,why they call her "The Quitter"?

[bogues]

11:49 AM on 02/11/2010

First year Yale graduate student in international relations, Eric Robinson, who is also a veteran of both wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, mistook the bracelet for black. He explained the meaning of wearing a black bracelet like that and questioned why Palin would be wearing one with Track Palin's name on it. The guy was respectful to Palin and her son's service. This was not an attack, it was an observation. Palin and her followers have mastered the art of playing the victim. Palin is a politician and a TV reporter. She attacks others with precision and goes for the jugular vein. When the recipient of her attack returns the favor, she cries, "I'm just a poor helpless little woman and those mean people are picking on me. It really is something to watch!!

[RobDoub]

02:41 PM on 02/11/2010

Eric Robinson absolutely DID attack her - and he was wrong. Here is a quote from his article:

"Commemorating Track’s service by wearing a a black memorial bracelet which is reserved for those dead or even a red bracelet for those missing in action, demonstrates a horrifying contempt for those who gave their last full measure of devotion or an almost unbelievable ignorance of the importance of symbols in American history.

Unfortunately, given Palin’s reputation and frequent public statements, I assume it is the latter."

He openly judged her based on his beliefs about her reputation.

If would be accurate, however, for us to point out that Eric Robinson attacked Sarah Palin for something she did not do, without researching the facts. He prejudged her.

By the way, when I read this story yesterday I found the facts refuting it in about 30 seconds just by googling military bracelet...

I an no Palin fan. But in this case, 'those mean people' WERE picking on her...

[avila]

04:16 AM on 02/15/2010

Can you show any quotes where Sarah actually whined about this bracelet non-controversy story? I didn't see any.

[twopac]

10:10 AM on 02/11/2010

Wanna see Palin without glasses and her poofy hair?
If you seen her in the grocery store, you would not give her a second look.

You have to see this, :

http://www.koolass.com/palin.html

[foote49]

05:55 PM on 02/11/2010

And..............your point is?

[janeycat]

03:47 PM on 02/17/2010

That last one is pretty bad where she is not smiling ..... without makeup and her glasses she just looks like anyone else , just like you said....

I bet it would burst all of her supporters balloons to see her like that.... they all seem to have her on a pedestal like a movie star or rock star..... it does let the wind out of the sails to see them as a plain jane.... they would not take her so serious if they saw her as a normal woman and not set her so high up that when she falls she is going to land so hard.... pity

[FerrellGummitt]

09:52 AM on 02/11/2010

My wife wears a bracelet for her cousin serving in Afghanistan does this mean you think she should take it off as well?

IF Michelle Obama or Nancy Pelosi were wearing a bracelet would we even be having this conversation right now?

The lefties can’t debate Mrs. Palin on her words, so they go after some facet of her appearance.

This is very similar to a child losing an argument with another child and resorting to, “Well you’re a poopy head”.

[Shwazy]

10:22 AM on 02/11/2010

"The lefties can’t debate Mrs. Palin on her words, so they go after some facet of her appearance."

If she ever says anything that can be deciphered as substantive on policy issues, the debate can begin.

[FerrellGummitt]

10:48 AM on 02/11/2010

Can you reply to the first two points of the post?

"My wife wears a bracelet for her cousin serving in Afghanistan does this mean you think she should take it off as well?"

"IF Michelle Obama or Nancy Pelosi were wearing a bracelet would we even be having this conversation right now?"

[RJchoice]

11:42 AM on 02/11/2010

"the lefties can't debate Mrs Palin on her words"

only because you can't debate someone with a 14 yr old mentality who only speaks on FOX and face book.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xuBuZUJwNb0

remember this? LOL

she's too scared to give anymore real interviews.

[JustMeInNY]

09:46 AM on 02/11/2010

One thing is for sure, Palin gets a rise out of the left beautifully. Indeed she is playing chess while the rabid left on the HP is playing checkers. I for one am enjoying the rise each and every time.

[WOODSTOCKER51]

11:04 AM on 02/11/2010

CHESS!!!,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,,DONT INSULT BOBBY FISHER...MORE LIKE "PICK-UP-STIX".......

[Vetinari]

12:04 PM on 02/11/2010

her numbers are falling, she quits everyhitng she does, she has to buy her own book to have sales numbers...

besides, the left want her to run...

chess my donkey

[JustMeInNY]

12:47 PM on 02/11/2010

This is the mentality that I fail to comprehend. The Left wants her to run, the left calls her various names most of those names refer to how un-intelligent she is. I agree, she is all that. However, I am puzzled, if that is the case, what does it say about the Left that wants her to run? what does it say about the candidate that will ran against her? that he doesn't stand a chance unless she runs? :)

[JustMeInNY]

02:54 PM on 02/12/2010

Who cares about HER numbers? Shouldn't the Left worry about Obama's numbers?

[From the Raft]

09:33 AM on 02/11/2010

Your child goes off to war so you dress up with jewelry?

[WOODSTOCKER51]

11:05 AM on 02/11/2010

your child has a choice.go to jail.go to war...............

[foote49]

06:18 PM on 02/11/2010

Jewelry....Jewelry? I guess if you consider what the simple bracelets symbolize, maybe they are a very high-end and extremely valuable commodity. But to consider them as trinkets of vanity meant to adorn one's person, is extremely low-class and thoughtless, or just plain hateful. Mrs Palin was certainly not wearing the bracelet as " jewelry". I am really disgusted at a comment that suggests she was "dressing up", by wearing this bracelet.