Signs vetted at Palin event

You can leave your political signs at home, kids.

That's what event officials at today's Sarah Palin rally in Coachman Park told a group of eighth-graders from St. Cecilia's Catholic School in Clearwater. The 53 students had filed into the park two by two wearing their light-blue school uniforms and carrying their homemade signs.

The signs appeared to be of a nonpartisan nature, some with pro-America messages on them. But officials at the gates singled them out, and the signs joined a growing pile by the entrance.

"It's not that we are for Republicans or against Republicans, said Marcia Aurebach, an American history teacher from the school who was escorting the children. "We're here to see history being made."

Some homemade signs appeared to be making it into the rally area. Some items, like umbrellas, were banned.

In anticipation of Palin's 9 a.m. speech, Congressman C.W. Bill Young (R-Indian Rocks Beach) warmed up the crowd. He asked rhetorically whether a woman was tough enough to lead the country. He then gave three examples of strong women leaders: Golda Meir, former Israeli prime minister; Margaret Thatcher, former British prime minister; and his wife, Beverly.

Addressing Palin's qualifications, Young said that a lot of people wondered about former President Bill Clinton when he was running, because he was just the governor of a small state.

He pointed out that Palin is the governor of the nation's largest state.

Jonathan Abel and Luis Perez, Times Staff Writers

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