NORWOOD, Ohio -- Friday is the day fans and supporters of former vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin have been anxiously awaiting. The political celebrity will be at the Rookwood Pavilion shopping center Friday afternoon, in the fourth stop of her national book signing tour.
As of 5:30 a.m., there are no lines yet outside of the Joseph Beth Booksellers, but that's because it's already sold out all of its line tickets for the Sarah Palin book signing, which starts here at 12 p.m. That was done to prevent supporters and Palin book buyers from camping out overnight in hopes of getting 'in line" at the last minute.
If you wonder why Palin is making Cincinnati and the Tri-state one of her stops on her 13-city book signing tour, all you have to do is look at her appearances here during the 2008 Presidential campaign.
Campaign appearances last fall in Wilmington, West Chester and Lebanon were extremely popular, bringing tens of thousands of people out to see her.
At an appearance in downtown Lebanon with running mate, Arizona Senator John McCain, hundreds of people came out just to see her, leaving even before McCain started speaking.
Palin will be signing at least 1000 books Friday during her three hour appearance.
Published reports indicate she may get into the Tri-state early to hold a private, invitation only reception for Republican donors and supporters at an undisclosed location.
The entire area around the Rookwood Pavilion and Commons shopping areas and Hyde Park will be extra busy all day Friday, because the new Nordstrom Rack Store will have its grand opening and its just across the parking lot from the Palin book signing.
A Norwood Police officer on early patrol tells 9News, his department has assigned at least eight officers to daytime crowd and traffic control between the Palin event and the Nordstrom Rack opening. Palin supporters are being asked to consider parking at Rookwood Commons or the Rookwood Tower parking lots and walking over to the Joseph Beth store.
We'll have it all covered for you, throughout the day, here at WCPO.com and later with stories on 9News at Noon and at 5 p.m.
