WASHINGTON -- For sheer mastery of celebrity theater, Sarah Palin cannot be beat.
Palin, the former governor of Alaska, let the anticipation build for hours Sunday in the Pentagon's North Parking Lot, where thousands of bikers had gathered for the annual Rolling Thunder rally ahead of Memorial Day.
And then there she was: Palin, with husband Todd and the rest of the family. Wearing matching black Harley-Davidson helmets, they road motorcycles toward the front of the procession through a crush of cameramen, photographers, reporters and bikers, all jostling for a peek at the woman who might be president.
A traditional political appearance, it was not. She did not make any public remarks or shake hands with dignitaries. There was no news release accompanying her visit. And after the short ride to the National Mall -- she rode on the back of a volunteer's bike -- she sped off in a black SUV to points unknown to anyone outside her small circle.
Palin's visit -- to start her One Nation bus tour along the East Coast -- provided no clarity about whether she will run for the Republican presidential nomination this year. But it did reinforce the idea that if she does, her campaign will not be conducted in the usual way.
The first of those stops, the biker rally, was mostly friendly territory. Many said they would welcome a presidential campaign by Palin. "I think it's fantastic," said Richard Oldham, 71, who had ridden his motorcycle from Battle Creek, Mich. "She's a supporter of the armed forces. She's a patriot."
But others said they did not believe she would run for president. And some said they did not want her to run. Ron Kubowicz, 61, who rode from Scranton, Pa., said he would not vote for her. "I don't think she's qualified," he said. "And that's from a gun-toting, motorcycle-riding veteran..."
