RALEIGH, N.C. — The Army now says it will allow media limited access to Sarah Palin’s appearance at Fort Bragg.
Army officials originally had said they would prohibit coverage of Palin’s on-post event, saying it would turn into political grandstanding against President Barack Obama.
The Associated Press and The Fayetteville Observer objected, and the military changed its position Thursday night. It will grant a pool of reporters restricted access to Palin’s appearance Monday.
Fort Bragg spokesman Col. Billy Buckner said members of the media will not be allowed to interview the 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee and will be barred from talking to her supporters on post.
Buckner said the setup will allow reporters their right to access while preventing the event from turning political.
Another spokesman, Tom McCollum, earlier told the AP that the military post’s garrison commander and other Army officials didn’t want the event to become a platform to express political opinions “directed against the commander in chief.”
Fort Bragg doesn’t hold many promotional events, especially not with political figures, McCollum said. Palin already has agreed not to give a speech at Fort Bragg, McCollum said. Officials said she will only sign copies of her new book, “Going Rogue,” and will not pose for photos or personalize the books.
Palin’s spokeswoman didn’t immediately return an e-mail message seeking comment, and a spokeswoman for Palin’s publisher, HarperCollins, did not immediately return a call.
