I’ve often said in conversations with Bitter than the reason our political system is so hopelessly messed up is because no one in their right mind would subject themselves and their families to what is required to be successful.  With that in mind, Sarah Palin has decided to resign as governor.  More coverage here and here.
I think this means her political career is pretty effectively over. Those who were hoping for Sarah in 2012 I think will be disappointed. I’m disappointed. But I don’t blame Palin. She’s a normal, well adjusted person, which means she does not have what it takes to survive in national politics. When you think of the implications of that, God help us all.
UPDATE: Here’s what disappoints me the most about this:
That spurred this terrifying thought: The lesson that the ruthless corners of the political world will take from the rise, fall, and departure of Sarah Palin that if you attack a politician’s children nastily enough and relentlessly enough, you can get anybody to quit.
It would be wrong to ask anyone to carry the kind of burden the Palin family did. But the snakes which are so predominant in politics won. Big time. That doesn’t give much reason to celebrate this 4th of July.
Another victory for “le petite Chavez” Barack Hussein Obama II.
Wish the media had spent 1/10th the energy on Obama…
I think someone had something major on her. More serious than Sanford. Especially since this came out at the beginning of a three day weekend, meaning someone wanted to bury this in the news cycle.
Otherwise why would she resign with 2.5 years left on her term? Plus, there really hasn’t been much attention paid to her in the media, except for Fox News, and there it’s basically all positive.
To me this is just another example that defending yourself against the media is a full time job.
“Plus, there really hasn’t been much attention paid to her in the media”
Huh?
That’s what I was wondering, Stacy. :)
Very very sad.
Lesson learned. Attack attack attack.
Not Biden or Obama or Clinton. Or even their families.
Make David Letterman’s kid cry all the time
Make Jon Stewart’s wife afraid to leave the house.
Make Chris Matthews parents contemplate suicide.
It’s the only way.
I can’t believe Chris Matthew’s parents haven’t considered it without help a time or two. ;)
Just a couple points of precision. She’s got just under a year and a half left on her term, she’s 2.5 into it, and if anyone “has something on her” on the Left resigning certainly won’t keep them from releasing it.
I’am hoping now that she’s not governor she’ll not be held back from ripping the left a new asshole.
The best reason I can think of is that she is flat broke and needs to go make some big bucks to pay all her legal fees.
Anything else is probably bad news.
When I ponder on the question, why did Palin resign? It occurs to me the bigger question is why did Palin decide she would not run for another term as Governor? If she had won reelection, by the time 2012 rolled around Alaska would be sitting pretty while America under Obama would be a basket case. Whether she wanted to run for President or other office in 2012 or later, staying a successful two-term Governor would have been the best choice.
But now I see that once she decided not to run for reelection, that resigning right now is actually a powerful choice for her, since she chooses (by the ascension of the Lt. Governor) who will follow her, and will probably remain Governor of Alaska after the 2010 election. Clever girl that Sarah.
There have been calls from all over for her to run for President in 2012. I wonder if this was a maneuver to reduce or remove that pressure – since, if I was her, the absolute last thing I would do is expose my kids to that kind of media attention again.
Obama’s kids got left alone, except for a couple of feel-good fluff pieces. Even McCain’s kids got left alone (except for Meghan, I believe, and she was starting to get into the political side of things herself). Palin’s family was immediately attacked and used against her, in a manner that had been unthinkable in politics up till then.
“The lesson that the ruthless corners of the political world will take from the rise, fall, and departure of Sarah Palin that if you attack a politician’s children nastily enough and relentlessly enough, you can get anybody to quit.”
Exactly. Up until Palin, the consensus had been “leave the kids alone.” Now that the door has been opened, what will the next election look like?
Palin’s family was immediately attacked and used against her, in a manner that had been unthinkable in politics up till then.
Not really. Candidate’s children haven’t really been off limits historically speaking. The unique thing about this was the VP on the ticket had a pregnant, unwed, 17 year old daughter. To the best of my knowledge nobody’s been dumb enough to try that one before. Consequently the commentary with a bit more personal than we’re used to.
Oh really, Justin? Have you heard attacks on Gore for his problem child or Biden for his problem child? Of course you haven’t because the press, pundits and comedians haven’t gone after them. The fact is Sarah Palin IS subject to a huge double standard.
The left wing tested the waters with some attacks against W’s kids, but that was mild stuff compared to what they have done to Palin’s family.
I agree with J T Bolt. Now the gloves come off and there are no limits. It would be stupid to continue to let the left wing attack without suffering any retaliation.
Fark posted a link to some guy’s blog (http://www.bradblog.com/?p=7280) that claims Palin stepped down in an attempt to control damage stemming from some sort of embezzlement scandal. I consider it a nasty rumor until proven otherwise, but for once I’d like to see a politician actually be innocent. The GOP needs to get it’s act together, and yet another dirty politician ain’t gonna help very much.
I got the impression that being the Governor and the strict ethics and the frivolous complaints was constraining her too much.
She is taking a break and has set up the Alaska administration and leaving it in hands she trusts. She got the tasks she wanted done as Governor in record time and now can concentrate on other things.
For a normal politician this would be a career killer. But Palin is not a normal politician, She breaks the mold. She is an celebrity and she did not seek that. The interest in her is extreme. Since when would a Governor resigning not from a scandal get this much attention.
She hinted that she wanted more freedom to travel and to do fundraisers and help GOP candidates get elected. If she really wants to do that in time for 2010 she had to get out now to allow time to help the GOp for 2010.
I expect she will wait until September and then get out in the fundraisers circuit. If she plans to get Congress realigned in 2010 she will need to work more closely to the GOP headquarters. I expect that coordination with Steele will come soon and with the NRC Senate and Represenative committees. Also she will help governors and other candidates directly. She was extremely helpful for Chambliss in the fall. She was the strongest draw and ourtwieighs any other GOP presendential hopeful.
In retrospect I do not think this move hurts her at all. She certainly does not think like a normal politician but I belive that she puts her duty first and her new duty id too improving chances for a GOP realignmnet in Congress and Senate.
I expect that Spectre will regret this move of her and the GOP candidate for his seat will win with her help.
“I agree with J T Bolt. Now the gloves come off and there are no limits. It would be stupid to continue to let the left wing attack without suffering any retaliation.”
Any retaliation by the ‘right’ will be denounced by the entire media establishment while that same establishment continues to do exactly the same thing.
Hmmmmm.
1. Frankly anybody who speculates on an impending scandal without any supporting facts is an utter retard.
2. It’s clear that Palin + family = target and that being Gov of Alaska constrained her. Now she can go on national tv and tell people to go f**k themselves right to their faces.
3. She may or may not have lost the ability to be President. But with her status, support and ability to draw crowds and donations she certainly can determine who will win in primaries and elections =all across the country=.
Support from her could make or break almost any election at almost any level from the most mundane to the national level.
4. Steve Schmidt, Nicole Wallace and Wallace’s husband, former McCain/Palin staffers, are now experiencing a certain amount of “pucker factor”. And if they are not, they should. Palin could easily let it be known that if any campaign employs these twits then she not only will not support that candidate but will actively oppose.
seems like she probably didn’t want people to spend much time thinking about this since she announced it the Friday before July 4th
George Washington was reluctant to accept the role of President, and only acquiesced when the people demanded he assume leadership.
Like Washington then, America needs Palin now— a representative of the people, fair-minded, practical, and rational. I will vote for Palin (writing her in, if necessary) in 2012, unless someone more qualified appears before then.
I don’t pretend I have any idea what she might do now. As some have pointed out, it wouldn’t be unreasonable for a person who’s been subjected to such viciousness in the media to just say ‘eff you all, I’m leavin’.
Someone mentioned Meghan McCain, who is an adult and who stepped into the ring under her own power both before and after the election. I think there may have been a half dozen meaningful MSM pieces done on her, and the worst attack was that she’s a poor little rich girl dinking around in politics. Palin, on the other hand, still gets to have Letterman joke about her underage daughter getting knocked up – even months after the campaign, when we all supposedly have weightier matters to attend. As baleful as the precedent would be (I’d compare it to the Danish Cartoon War – just think about it for a minute) I couldn’t blame the woman for steering toward protected waters at this point.
That said, if I were a betting man I’d put some money on her running for Senate, a la Hillary, with any presidential run taking place not before 2016.
I do like Sarah Palin the problem is that she should have never ran with John McCaine. Reason why conservative voters where turn away from Palin because she was McCaine running mate.
True she was a great Govenor for Alaska and she made her people proud however, a Reagan conservative such as Palin does not mix with a Liberal Republican such as John McCaine.
Question is will Palin every be President? That depends.
What Palin needs to do is start off as Cabnet member that if
there is anyone good left in the Republican Party. The Republicans need to find a great canidate for 2012 or the Obama night maire will go on. Please give me your Oppinon
who will be the GOP nomainee for 2012? Some say Charile Crist others have said Rick Perry or Newt Ginwench.
Who do you think? Give me your pick and explain the person you pick will be a great choice for the GOP.
Please make this a frindely debate.