Dana Perino, from FOX TV’s “The Five,” planned to be signing copies of her first book: “And The Good News Is…: Lessons and Advice from the Bright Side,” at Barnes & Nobles in The Villages Sunday afternoon — but early on Saturday, the store sold out their entire stock of the title, and Perino instead found herself signing labels to affix to purchasers’ books.
Barnes & Noble’s management handled the crowd artfully, guiding the line to snake around first one book shelf and then another, zig-zag style all around the store. When regular customers who hadn’t heard about the Dana Perino book signing event stopped into the store, they were amazed at the jam-packed parking lot, and even more surprised at the hundreds of people inside the store.
Village of Hadley resident William Kelley, in line with his wife, wanted a copy of Perino’s book because they watch her on FOX and really admire her.
“She is just wonderful,” he said, “and a great role model for women. We have four daughters and eight granddaughters, and we like that Perino is a very fair person. She is not locked into anyone or anything — she’s very open in her decision making.”
Kathie Lavine came all the way from Jacksonville to see Perino in person.
“I absolutely adore her,” Lavine said with enthusiasm. “She’s intelligent, beautiful, and I love her dog. She’s well spoken — she remains polite, even in tough situations — and has accomplished a lot in her life. She shares my conservative values and maintains her lady-like dignity and grace.”
Jeanette and Bill Tilley came to The Villages from Summer Glen in Ocala to meet Perino.
“We have followed her since her press secretary days, and admire how she always has a calm demeanor,” Bill Tilley said. “She’s just a real sweetheart,” Jeanette Tilley added, “and we love Jasper also — he’s the dog everybody wants!”
When Perino signed labels, she signed her own name, and next to it, she signed “Jasper” and made a small dog paw print.
Glenbrook Villagers Ann and Jerry Struck watch Perino every day on FOX TV.
“We agree with her politics,” said Jerry Struck a U.S. Navy veteran who served on the aircraft carrier USS Randolph CV 15, and helped install a weather station at the South Pole.”
Ann Struck said she was going to send Perino’s book to her sister for her 75th birthday.
“She lives in Gig Harbor, Washington, near Tacoma. My sister is a native Floridian, and although Washington is a very blue state, my sister has remained very conservative in her thinking,” she said.
Dana Perino served as acting press secretary for George W. Bush, when her predecessor, Tony Snow, was undergoing treatment for colon cancer. When Snow resigned for health reasons, Perino served as White House press secretary from September 2007 until January 2009. She was the second female White House press secretary. The first was Dee Dee Myers, who was press secretary during the Clinton administration. Perino subsequently joined Fox News as a political commentator and is one of the hosts on the popular panel program: “The Five.”
Perino’s book chronicles her early life in Wyoming and Colorado, and her hard work in political journalism and local TV while attending Colorado State University-Pueblo, and the University of Illinois for her masters degree. Perino wanted to write her story to share how determination and optimism can combine with luck to produce a successful career and a productive, satisfying life. The book outlines the ups and downs, the good and not-so-good times people must endure in life — and how important it is not to give up. She shares how to get your point across convincingly while allowing your own personality and grace to show through.
