It's official: SarahPac paid for Palin family personal vacation!

According to National Park Service Director John Jarvis, Palin's stop at places like Gettysburg National Military Park, during her recent "bus tour," was a "personal, family visit," according to Palin's staff. That's straight from the horse's mouth, Palin's staff!

When Piper Palin told a Time magazine reporter, “Thanks for ruining our vacation,” she wasn't kidding.

Now, it's official. According to CBS News:

While the tour was billed as a "family" trip, Palin's political action committee SaraPAC spent tens of thousands of dollars on it, according to the PAC's Thursday filing with the Federal Election Commission. As much as $13,700 was spent just on wrapping the "One Nation" bus with images of the Constitution and the American flag. The PAC also spent thousands of dollars for hotels, flights and rental cars on dates surrounding the trip. ...

... Derek Schlickeisen, a spokesperson for [Oregon Representative Earl] Blumenauer, who had "questioned whether federal resources were improperly used for Palin's "partisan, political tour," said the congressman appreciated receiving the Park Service's reply and that his office would "leave it to others to decide whether they think a family vacation paid for by a federal PAC is appropriate."

I don't know what "others" think, but I think Sarah Palin's supporters are fools for donating to SarahPac. Can't Sarah Palin afford to pay for a vacation on her own?

Anyway, we now know that the bus tour must really be over. Don't all vacations end? Like Real Americans' vacations end?

Debate in New Hampshire: Palin conspicuous by her absence

A debate between candidates for the 2012 Republican nomination will occur in New Hampshire tonight and be televised on CNN at 8 PM (eastern).

Sarah Palin will not be there. Michele Bachmann, who is poised to steal Palin's conservative support, and Ron Paul, the clear heir to her libertarian support, will be there.

The Los Angeles Times' "It's Mitt Romney and the rest as candidates debate in New Hampshire" has some interesting polling news, and CBS News' "The Republican debate: 10 things to watch," where this post's photo was obtained, attempts to size-up the debate before it occurs. Vanity Fair's "Tonight’s Republican Debate Podium-Order Rationale Revealed" states that the candidates polling the best will be placed in the middle of the on-screen lineup.

Will the other candidates go after Mitt Romney or will all of them gang-up on President Obama? North Carolina's Times Union reports that the President was in N. Carolina today, working on what may be his only obstacle to re-election: Jobs.

The debate, tonight, will be especially interesting to Republican activists and primary voters, who are searching for a good-looking and good-sounding candidate. Those people will decide who the nominee will be and will be comparing what Romney has to say about the issues important to them with what Pawlenty and the other candidates have to say about them. If Palin isn't there, she won't figure in those discussions.

Update: "Michele Bachmann announces presidential campaign" -- CBS News

Update: CBS News' "GOP debate: The winners and losers" has some opinion about the debate, as well as links to several other debate stories.