Hundreds Line Up to See Sarah Palin on Day Two of Book Tour
In Fort Wayne, Indiana, Sarah Palin's fans starting lining up Wednesday evening.
FT. WAYNE, Ind., Nov. 19, 2009— -- Judging from the crowd lining up to see Sarah Palin in Fort Wayne, Ind., this morning, one wouldn't be able to tell that the former GOP vice presidential candidate lost a political race here.
At a Meijer superstore in the town this morning, a line of people snaked through the Christmas aisles and out into the garden center.
At 10 a.m., the store gave out 1,000 wristbands to people who were allowed to purchase up to two copies of Palin's new memoir, "Going Rogue: An American Life," and then have it signed by the former Alaska governor, who came to the book signing at noon.
If Wednesday night's book signing in Grand Rapids, Mich., is the model, Palin spent about five seconds with each customer.
Watch Barbara Walters' interview with Sarah Palin Friday, Nov. 20 at 10 p.m. ET on "20/20".
Debbie Coning of Portage, Mich., hadn't slept a wink. She arrived at the Meijer store at 4:30 p.m. on Wednesday afternoon to claim the first spot in line. She had driven all the way to Grand Rapids on Wednesday, only to be turned away because she got there too late. So she jumped in her car and drove another three hours to Fort Wayne.
"We worked real hard on the campaign. But the first time hearing Sarah I knew and my husband knew this is what our country needs," Coning told ABC News. "She's speaking from the heart and she is the one that potentially I really believe can bring our country back."
"We just want to thank Sarah," Coning said.
Just before 7 a.m. this morning, Coning and the woman who stood in the second spot in line, Marie Garver, spotted a serviceman in the crowd. They insisted he come up and take the first spot in line.
Army Specialist Karl Mavis, 21, returned from duty in Iraq in August. Mavis is shy and didn't want a lot of attention but he said he agrees with Palin's economic policies.
Another couple further back in line, Stan and Sandy Hauck, said they changed their Thanksgiving travel plans to get to Indiana sooner from their home in Tampa, Fla., -- just so they could meet Palin today.
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