172 Comments

1. RT:

breaks my heart, but i have to agree with you her disqualifying herself for higher office.

dammit, sarah, you coulda been a CONTENDAH!!!

Jul 3, 2009 - 2:55 pm 2. Pajamas Media » Palin Steps Down: Is it Over for Her?:

[...] Read the entire article here. [...]

Jul 3, 2009 - 2:58 pm 3. Tom the Redhunter:

I really don’t think Sarah cares about higher office anymore. Unless we hear something definitive to the contrary, we should take her at her word, which was basically that she’s tired of the nonsensical attacks.

Can’t say I blame her.

Jul 3, 2009 - 3:05 pm 4. Lily:

I dunno about letting down the people of Alaska. I think that it will come out that thanks to all the “ethics” violation suits and the hoopla around her due to all the personal attacks against her, Alaska wasn’t being served by her staying there. That is what I took out of her remarks. That Alaska will be fine with a person who isn’t a lightning rod in the top office. I think it is kind of refreshing to see a politician who would be willing to step down and doesn’t think they have a mandate to stay there rather than do the right thing and step out of the way.

Jul 3, 2009 - 3:08 pm 5. Anneke:

She made a comment that she didn’t want to go through all of the political b.s. of a lame duck campaign. If she resigns now that will be a boost for Sean Parnell to run as a sitting governor. That’s quite magnanimous of her, if it’s the case.

Jul 3, 2009 - 3:12 pm 6. TexEd:

Very, very clever!
The Pubbies have no leader, no spokesman. Now, they do.
Every time Obama or one of his fellow travelers weakens America (lots of opportunities!), Palin can attack and her attack will be carried in the captive media. They won’t treat her fairly, but they’ll cover her because (1) they’ll be ordered by the White House to defend The One and (2) they hate her. Obama will tell some glib lie and more than half America will say, “And what does Sarah think about that?”
Look at the differences in style. Obama is slippery and reads from a teleprompter. Sarah is fact based and is good on her feet. She needs some educating but Obama is proof that you don’t have to know anything to get elected.
And, now, she doesn’t have to worry about working for Alaska. She works for herself and can make some bucks writing a book, delivering speeches, serving on boards and political fund raising.
As a first step, I see a trip or two outside the country to get some international cred. How about Sarkozy, Brazil, Tokyo and, maybe, Saudi. As a long shot, Cuba.
No, Sarah’s done a smart thing!!

Jul 3, 2009 - 3:13 pm 7. Sherab Zangpo:

I think she is playing with the idiot media, they are compelled to keep her in the spotlight.
If she can keep playing them like that, she will succeed in cracking the wall of the regime’s media.
If she succeeds in reaching the American people with her message, 2012 will be a real battle.

Thank you for the opportunity to comment.

Jul 3, 2009 - 3:21 pm 8. mbs:

Or, it might be the $500k in personal legal fees that she needs to figure out how to pay, the fact that 80% of her time and the time of her staff is spent fighting frivolous legal attacks, and, due to those things, she really believes it is not the best thing for Alaska for her to stay in office. I wouldn’t count her out just yet, but I’m no expert.

Jul 3, 2009 - 3:22 pm 9. Doug Mataconis:

RT,

Palin was never going to be a serious contender for the Presidency. She blew her debut on the national stage, and you just don’t come back from that. Exhibit A — Dan Quayle.

And Steve is right, this is an immensely stupid move on her part.

Jul 3, 2009 - 3:24 pm 10. dan:

How many times after the election did I find myself with my morning coffee in hand, watching Morning Joe on MSNBC (I’m ecumenical when it comes to morning news), hearing that slut Mika Brezsinski and thinking “AGAIN WITH THE F-CKING SARAH PALIN!?” They trashed her all. the. time. For months. She had over a dozen ethics violations brought and then dismissed against her. I didn’t think she was right for higher office, but this is just pure character assassination and death-by-lawsuit-suit/investigation of a good woman with lovely common sense values. This is a bad day for our country. The Bolsheviks are coalescing quickly now.

Jul 3, 2009 - 3:24 pm 11. Ralph:

She is doing the right thing for the right reasons. However,in this sick, crazy age, that isn’t enough to insulate her from ridiculous amounts of criticism.
Our Dear Leader got elected to the Senate, served slightly more than a hundred days, gave himself a larger than normal congressional staff with our tax dollars, and then began lying (oops!) running for president full-time, and that was virtually never criticized, except by a few of us crazy right-wingers.
Sarah Palin is a person of principal and when she acts in a principled manner, it is so unusual that the pundocrats don’t have a clue how to deal with it.

Jul 3, 2009 - 3:29 pm 12. Strawman:

Lets wait until the other shoe drops. Something tells me that you’re not even in the neighborhood.

Jul 3, 2009 - 3:30 pm 13. Steve:

I’m glad she stepped down. I like her. She should be a mother first and foremost for the next few years.

However, I don’t know if she understands the threat Islam poses to our country. Has she read the Islamic texts? Doubt it. None of our talk show hosts, journalists or politicians have either. Would she stop ALL Muslim immigration into the US? Why not. They are all obligated to impose Sharia law and wage jihad upon us.

Can she fight the voter fraud that will destroy our country along with the Black Panthers, ACORN, Obama and his wife, the unions and all the other slime behind it?

Obama is a Black Liberationist and Marxist. That means he’s a black supremicst and communist. Does she have the guts to make this obvious case? Never has.

I think we need a MAN with the guts needed to save this country. We may not find one.

Sarah Palin is a good person and I’d take her over ANY Democrat.

Unfortunately, SHE is not the person needed to win this war against our country.

Jul 3, 2009 - 3:32 pm 14. bobbcat:

It did not take me long to figure out that this lady did not have what it takes to sit at the helm of the WH. Reading this in-depth story that provides many details of the process by which the McCain camp picked her for veep, plus the dismal performances she displayed in those notorious interviews with Katie Couric and Charlie Gibson prompted second thoughts in my mind about this woman’s ability to juggle the demands the job of POTUS requires. Now, it would seem that she is not even up for the demands of being Alsaka’s governor.

I wish her well though, in her future endeavors (which I hope will involve things other than politics).

Jul 3, 2009 - 3:32 pm 15. Strawman:

I think it is kind of refreshing to see a politician who would be willing to step down and doesn’t think they have a mandate to stay there rather than do the right thing and step out of the way.

Agreed (***cough Sanford cough ***).

Jul 3, 2009 - 3:33 pm 16. Tracie:

You people kill me…she had more experience running for vice president than obama did! LOL she knows what she is doing. Just wait you will eat your words! LOL

Jul 3, 2009 - 3:36 pm 17. Jack:

The timing is also boneheaded. Given it’s a Friday afternoon just before a holiday.

That’s a classic “bury the story” release.

If she wants out of politics then, she’s out.

However, if she wanted to go into any other office this just has her look flaky.

If she wanted to campaign instead of govern, she could have waited until the end of her term, but she did not.

Resigning now does not give her much in the way of advantages. More available time pales in comparison from quitting from an executive position currently held.

Hopefully, she simply wanted out of politics.
That’s the best option really.

Jul 3, 2009 - 3:39 pm 18. Blarty Blarckleblart:

Not only could she not cut it in the big leagues, she couldn’t even cut it governing a low-population state like Alaska.

Don’t let the door hit ya on the way out, Say-rah.

Jul 3, 2009 - 3:47 pm 19. Ziv Zulander:

“She wants to protect her family? Heat, low tolerance, kitchen, stay out of. And again, if she wants to be President, how doe she think her family would fare in the White House?”

Let me make rape jokes about your CHILDREN and see how long you tolerate it. What has been done to this woman is beyond the pale. America doesn’t deserve Sarah.

Jul 3, 2009 - 3:49 pm 20. Emphasis:

Agree with Lily, I see a different type of politician, and I really welcome it.

Jul 3, 2009 - 3:52 pm 21. John:

1. This move is the end of her political career. Period. No pol can survive serving half a term in office to QUIT. They can and often do serve some part of a term to take on a higher post in government (appointment, higher elected office, etc.) but no one quits to go back home, and comes back. Sarah Palin’s political career is over.

2. Calling it stupid is probably one of the things that caused her to consider this “move”. IF her ambitions are for higher office then the move is unwise, ill-advised, and or poorly considered. Stupid is a judgment call about one’s basic understanding of the functions of life. It is not “stupid” of her to get sick and tired of being personally attacked and destroyed at every turn. Look in the mirror and call your self “stupid” a few times and consider how it feels.

3. I get the feeling that SaraH Palin pulled the plug on her political career because she has a tad more class, and care for her family than your average or even above-average pol. Given the tone and tenor of the personal attacks, and false charges leveled against her from both sides of the political aisle, I figure she and her family had about had it with politics.

The observation about Dan Quayle (who was a superior VP, and was and excellent young Conservative politician with a bright future) is very apt.

Does anyone notices a pattern here? Or are enough people at the feeding frenzy finding some sort of subsistence from the carnage to be blind to the effects.

This happens to every bright, promising young Conservative politician. Dan Quayle was notable, but then is George Allen, and now Sarah Palin. The Left gets frightened that a young attractive person will actually win as a conservative, and attract more young talented conservatives to the process. The Left and the Establishment cannot defeat such attractive candidates, so they are destroyed personally, professionally, and politically.

Sarah could have finished out her governorship, run for the Senate or House, and within 8 years been a contender for the Presidency. Now I suspect that she’ll lay off for a while, get her life in order… you might see her sit on the board of a few companies (the dreaded oil and gas companies) and write a book about some such thing.

And the GOP will be the poorer for it.

1 less candidate for 2008… The GOP is going to get stuck with Establishment mush-pie Romney… and we will live through 1996 all over again.

r/John TMF

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:01 pm 22. Morton Doodslag:

The evil scabrous scum won big today. Sad.

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:02 pm 23. cedarhill:

She is as close to a normal American-politician as possible compared to Politician-american (and for Obama, Politician-Politician). She’s spent 80% or more of her time answering unfounded ethics complaints and attacks from every media blowhard and hasbeen in the universe including those that died (their careers) decades ago.

Compare how the media and hysterical partisans treat Obama, presumably the most news worthy, visible, and power person on the planet to Palin. Go do some internet research all the jokes told about raping Obama’s kids. You’d compare zero to a few hundred thousand. How about jokes about Obama’s mental challenged kids? Downs syndrome jokes are highlighted on Maher.

I hope she’s doing this to protect her family. However, some have told me she is likely so concerned about where Obama is “taking the country” that she’s going to go full-time of the speech and fundraising circuit to try to protect her families future.

One thing for sure, she’s certainly more of a maverick than the McCain. And has a lot more character than the McCain folks hiding in the shadows tossing out the stink bombs and afraid to be identified.

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:04 pm 24. Greenberry:

Apparently, everyone punditing miraculously divines the future. Such a rush to remove the woman from sane discussion, both from the right and left. I cannot divine. However, I can vote, and, despite the seers, presume her to be politically viable. Oh, I forgot….I’m watching the ‘news’…Michael Jackson…Michael Jackson, Michael Jackson….

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:04 pm 25. Rachel:

I think you should just leave her alone.

Did she EVER say that she wanted to be president? NO! You guys Obama-ized her; you tried to make Gov Palin into what YOU wanted, not what she actually was. She may have been burnt out…have you seen the most recent Vanity Fair cover? Grayson Carter and others is STILL dissing on Palin and the Dems won last year! She is hunted down like an animal and has been placed into the Quayle Zone because she is not part of the hippest political party.

No, I think she’s burnt out on politics. People are still nasty to her, people who claim they are tolerant. And the side that she relied on for comfort were planning her future for her. Did anyone bother to ask HER what she wanted?

It’s no one’s business but her own, anyway. Besides, people are so busy trying to find a Reagan that they have forgotten about creating a solid alternative to the dreck Pres. Obama is allowing to happen ( I say “allowing” because I think he has no idea what he is doing and is relying on others to do the work for him).

I think it’s truly independence day for Gov. Palin. Good for her. She never deserved this nonsense from either side.

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:08 pm 26. Dutch1949:

I don’t know, but I am suspicious, especially regarding her tenacious past. I suspect that, yes, she was tired of all the attacks but, she is pissed-off. She has proven she will go after dishonest office holders irregardless of party affiliation. That scares the “good ole boys,” and most of the mainstream media. I say she lays low for awhile, writes a scathing book on politics, and makes a run for the presidency. After Obama is through ruining the country, the time will be right for truly fresh and honest politician, at least I hope so. She is quite able to run the country. Obama is not running the country, his handlers are. Pelosi and Reid and others of their ilk wrote the so-called stimulus bill, Hussein merely signed it. Read a recent “Rolling Stone” article and you will find who else is running things – Goldman Sachs anyone. Palin scares the h*ll out of the establishment. I hope she is the fighter I think she is.

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:09 pm 27. GClarke:

Whatever the Governor’s motivation, to their discredit, the Left will likely interpret this to mean that the template works. Anyone they don’t like can be drummed out of public life if they apply the heat long enough and loud enough, and with a sufficient dose of vile and venom, delivered in unrelenting fashion. Truth is not likely to be a factor for them, as they plan their future campaigns.

As one of her stalwarts, I wish Gov. Palin and her family some well-deserved peace and dignity, and new success in whatever she does.

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:13 pm 28. zanne:

One less big “distraction” for team obama to use. They have to be sick.

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:14 pm 29. Reader:

If Palin as a serving governor increased her activities and presence in the lower 48 doing things that any candidate for national office would do this early in the process, I think she would be subjected to even more contrived, frivolous ethical accusations by the hypocritical democratic hacks in Alaska. I think this should free her from that.

I hope she also receives large speaking fees, just like public figures admired by the Washington establishment, such as Colin Powell. I think there are a lot of people out there like me, who support her all that much more every time the media has a hissy fit about her!

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:15 pm 30. Mongoose:

Well what is really sad is that she has been attack so vociferousness that she feels that she has to do this. Has any Republican Governor ever been attacked the way she has. These bogus ethics charges have been shameful, and there is somethinbg like 64 still coming. You can bet that they are all funded by the Democrats one way or another.

Rather than piling on her we shoudl reflect what this means. Intense attacks on political opposition to the Democrat Party. They will now go after everyone that opposes them.

They stole an election right out in public n Minnesota.

We are headed for a on party, wocialist totalitarian state.

You people expect her and her family to take all this abuse, but would you?

WHo knows, maybe her family is being threatened.

She has done much more good than harm.

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:16 pm 31. Kingston53:

I guess if you live with your head up your ass you could have missed the mood of the traditional American middle class today. Been to a Tea Party lately? Palin is a perfect match for this growing movement – a common sence political leader with values, guts and a sence of duty to do what is right – not what is popular or expedient. Sarah is not over by any stretch of the imagination.

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:16 pm 32. Mongoose:

Oh, and she has already done the Nation a great service: She has taken Michael Jackson off the MSM for the 4th of July weekend.

A deeply patriotic act if ever there was one.

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:23 pm 33. Air2air:

Agree with #4 Doug and #5 Jack. I am not convinced she wants to be a lifetime career politician. She has nobler aspirations; motherhood. She is just not sleazy, conniving and slick enough like a Hillary to want to spend irreplaceable hours wrestling with lib loons.

We all know politics is a tough business, but I struggle to know just what drives people to actually want it. In her case, she had a great and inspiring journey. I think she decided “Enough” at a certain point.

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:24 pm 34. "progressive"watch:

Of course it’s not over. Or it doesn’t have to be. Palin’s move is not stupid. It does depend on further developments. Wait and see. She isn’t turning her back on the people of Alaska; she is saving them millions.

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:25 pm 35. Blaine:

I have to agree that her chance for another office is done. But I believe that is what she is saying. If the leutenant governor is qualified then there should be no worries. Sorry to see her go, it was refreshing to see her attitude.
Blaine

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:27 pm 36. Marie Claude:

seems that all these events happen together, Mickel Jackson and this big wave of mourners, then the Sanford Watergate, it was too much on the party Madonna’s shulders, or may-be, only MJ’s death made her realise that a life of representation is vanity…

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:31 pm 37. harry:

I believed she was unjustifiably maligned during her VP campaign but quitting the governorship midstream just gives more strength to her detractors. I believe there are several better Presidential candidates beside her regardless of her decision to step down.

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:31 pm 38. John Pazzesco:

WOW, I think you are SO wrong on this. I think it’s a brilliant move and more importantly, it’s the right thing to do.

Who’s taken more heat than Sarah Palin?

I believe she’s proved more than tough enough to hold any job. Going against conventional wisdom here simply highlights her toughness and independence. As long as she’s sitting in the Governor’s Office, Alaskans are also taking heat. She’s putting her constituents first. Isn’t that what our elected officials are supposed to do? Has it been so long since we’ve seen a politician with integrity that we forgot how they behave?

It’s an unconventional move by a citizen politician. By 2011 the last thing voters will be looking for is a politician who goes with the flow.

Sarah Palin *gets it*

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:35 pm 39. RJ:

Pay attention to her basketball story of knowing when to pass the ball…for victory.

You keep thinking this woman is dumb, which I think is really stupid of you.

How many big shot politicians stood up for her when those attacks came on her family, etc.?

I think she has her game plan in place, as to whether it includes running for national office, we’ll all see.

At least for now she is free to counter these attacks from her turf and not that of Alaska’s governor’s office.

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:37 pm 40. Meryl:

Mrs. Palin had a good life before national attention, and I expect she’ll have a good life without it.

Now, since the left has been so merciless and vicious about what a terrible person she is, it seems we should expect their attacks to continue. (because she doesn’t become a wonderful person just because she resigns the governorship)

Oh. What’s that you say? They never really thought she was that awful? They just had to destroy her if they could??

Well, isn’t that a nice howdy-do. Then I guess the final commentary is indeed on THEM, isn’t it, and not her?

I still remember how stupid Joe Biden looked just being side by side with her in the debate. But of course, he and his ilk all get a pass. Earlier this week, he couldn’t fill a hundred chairs in the midwest.

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:40 pm 41. Professor Guvinoff:

Maybe for some politicians power isn’t everything after all. Fred Thomson’s self-imposed term limit was quite remarkable, and laudable in my book, but she did go a step further!

The argument that she was not good enough for politics has never rung true for me. I rather thought she is too good for politics, and hardly know how she could have “improved” by joining the rush to the pinnacle of snake oil virtuosity.

Sorry, we’ll have to do with the slick willies, as usual. After all, politics is like other pursuits in one important way: Don’t stick with an activity which is not a good reflection of your personality. The only explanation is that she is looking for something more gratifying. My wife thinks talk radio is in her future. Who knows?

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:46 pm 42. Charlie (Colorado):

I suspect you guys are about to get surprised.

Here’s what strikes me:

(1) she now dominates all political news all weekend when everyone expected nothing much.
(2) she’s now saving herself about a million dollars a year in personal legal expenses; the AK ethics law, while well-intentioned, has become a weapon against her and boded to let the DNC make a real attempt to ruin her life and reduce her to penury.
(3) she’s still a big draw in GOP events. I’d expect to see her making a big book deal, and campaigning in a lot of swing districts until the 2010 election. If she continues to be a big draw, and some of those folks win, she’ll have a bunch of IOUs. If not, she’s at least not been bankrupted by the legal fees.
(4) every time the resignation comes up, she’ll be able to refer to how “politics as usual” led to it, and she’s pretty skillful at inserting the needle where it most hurts. I’d expect to hear a fair bit from her directed exactly at Obama’s promises to change the dialogue.

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:49 pm 43. hawg-farmer (Colorado):

Amen Charlie

I believe she will be low key at first but we will then see a blitz never before!!!

She recently drew a crowd of 20.000 people and Biden the VPOTUS drew 100!

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:55 pm 44. shau-jan:

i seriously doubt she is out of politics.

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:56 pm 45. fear Obama:

Now that Huckberry is working for FOX news Mitt Romney is the only Republican worth voting for.

After 4 years of Bambi,
religion will be number 10 on voters lists.

Jul 3, 2009 - 4:59 pm 46. Pray for Sarah. | Little Miss Attila:

[...] II: Ed Morrissey has some more blah blah blah. And, blah, adds Steve Green. And those are two of the smart guys we’ve got. [...]

Jul 3, 2009 - 5:02 pm 47. Benson:

Charlie of Colorado, I agree with all the points you made.
Besides her own money I saw reported that Alaska has spent almost a million to fend off false attack against Palin. So whose fault is it? Since they were false I guess its the Dems and their attack machines.I’ve heard she’s leaving the state in good hands and it will certainly help the L. Gov. in any upcoming election to have governed for awhile.
But oh! now they can call her a quiter. That is possibly the mildest name any lib has called her since this all began. No matter how it turns out we haven’t heard the last of Sarah.

Jul 3, 2009 - 5:05 pm 48. Elle:

I believe that this is the exact right move if Palin wants to seek national office (and I think that Alaskans most likely understand this and do not think that she has abandoned her obligation to them.). She needs time to prepare and organize a national campaign. By the time the next presidential election cycle comes around the nation may be so sick of the piece of cr-p that now occupies the White House that we may well be ready to embrace this terrific woman, one of the few honest politicians in the nation.

Jul 3, 2009 - 5:06 pm 49. TurfMonster:

She could still do well as a Senator from Alaska. She’s much better than either of the current Alaskan senators, though I would prefer to see her oust Begich before Murkowski.

Jul 3, 2009 - 5:07 pm 50. KDW:

Palin’s departure only makes sense if she is leaving public
service. The biggest drawback Palin had in the fall was
lack of experience. One way to get the necessary experience
is to SERVE OUT YOUR TERM! Had she finished this term, been
re-elected and then continued to do a stellar job, Palin
would have taken the experience issue off the table. Now
the lack of a lengthy record of service will still be the
key issue.

If leaving office was truly motivated by wanting to spare
her family ongoing attacks, I say god bless. Maybe she
just lost her interest in the bloodsport known as politics
especially as it is practiced by the current crop of
Democrats. That said she has pretty much thrown away any
chance she had at the Presidency.

Jul 3, 2009 - 5:08 pm 51. Aleena:

I could not disagree more with this article. No one knows how this will play out. As for if you can’t stand the heat stay out of the kitchen garbage, you ought to be ashamed of yourself. I am in my sixties, and I have never seen any poltician attacked the way they have attacked Sarah Palin, and the way they have gone after her family is beyond any reasonable standard of journalism.

President Obama was never vetted. The press gave him a pass on issue after issue and never made any serious attempt to find out who he really is. If both of them had been treated equally, I would feel it was fair. But if you cannot see the disparity of the way these two people have been treated, you have been living on a isolated island with a bag over your head!

Jul 3, 2009 - 5:10 pm 52. roseannie:

I’m thinking Mrs. Palin might be in the cat-bird seat and ain’t nobody lookin! She’s stepping aside for the Lt. Gov. and my what a chit that will be some day. She smart, has spine and is georgious to boot. I’m saying Mrs. Palin can do a lot for America by not being yoked and yanked by the MSM and our lousy REP party and pathetic Demos. But I’m thinking she can do some might powerful yoking and yanking in a newsworthy capacity. I think she is smart. Why stick around for the likes of D. Letterman and etal. Sarah can give em hell in other ways. I’m just smiling and grinning. GO Sarah, you have the ball, now run with it. Sc**w the rest.

Jul 3, 2009 - 5:14 pm 53. Sarah Palin Resigns « A Conservative Wanderer:

[...] Stephen Green agrees with me, that it’s over for her. [...]

Jul 3, 2009 - 5:16 pm 54. seansarto:

Now the Donkey’s can woo her…an’ be “Ready to make nice”, Lori Drew style.

Jul 3, 2009 - 5:26 pm 55. Rashputin:

Aleena (51)

I agree with you 100%, Aleena. Without being able to use the machine they have in Alaska, the democrats haven’t any way to go after her in ways that cost her thousands of her own money and control part of her schedule. She may become more involved not less involved, and do it in a way that surprises everyone. I wouldn’t write her off as some here do. She isn’t doing things the same old way, but the same old way isn’t working, now is it?

Whether she runs of higher office or not, I think she’ll be making more of a difference than the vast majority of the pundit types who will now write her off.

Regards

Jul 3, 2009 - 5:30 pm 56. ManBearPig:

Disagree…

People will be looking for spine and character in the next election.. This last part of her term is offset completely by the reasons why she chose to do it… Every other conservative candidate that I know of that will likely be in the race has folded under 1/100th of that *already* at some point in there known careers… Sarah Palin has decided to take a break from it…

Quitting is what you do when you don’t have a better option…

Conservatism is something we’ve all preached loudly about, for generations, yet conservatism effectively died in 2008…

Anyone who thinks that a smiling DC man in a Brooks Brothers is going to bring it back is off-their-rocker… But the thing is, after 2008 a whole new cross-section of Americans finally *see* that…

Republicans can give Palin the boot if they want… Either way, if she chooses to be a part 2012 she will be the deciding factor… If she chooses to stay out of the whole thing, then you might as well tally-up another couple million votes for Obama’s second term…

I think we fundamentally disagree about what *today was*

Jul 3, 2009 - 5:33 pm 57. Wynne:

Gov. Palin has a lot going for her, but probably nothing better than being underestimated.

Jul 3, 2009 - 5:42 pm 58. Strawman:

I’ve never, ever, ever heard of anyone complaining about a politician resigning an elected office for any reason whatsoever until now. WTF is up with this?

Jul 3, 2009 - 5:43 pm 59. NorthPolePundit:

As an Alaskan, this is a sad day for me. Sarah Palin is a decent, honorable, and capable public servant. The malicious and vile personal attacks that have been directed against her by the punditry and her political opponents have truly been unprecedented in modern politics. These attacks have been unrelenting. Though saddened by it, I appreciate her decision. This is a good woman. She deserved better. And I don’t think Sarahcuda is done yet. Stay tuned.

Jul 3, 2009 - 5:50 pm 60. BC:

While I’m not exactly a Palin fan, I haven’t been to thrilled with the way she’s been treated. She was thrust into the national spotlight basically unprepared and rather abruptly, and she handled herself rather well I thought, especially in giving a little hope to the oddly mismanaged McCain campaign. She struck me as sort of a smarter, more ambitious Peggy Hill — maybe someone fun to tease, but not relentlessly and especially so cruelly (before anyone says something like “That’s what liberals and Democrats do,” I can point to right wing/conservative publications and blogs like this one as demonstrating even more dumb cruelty when it comes to all things Obama and his wife.) And it’s laughable how so many Republicans have been dissing her for not being a serious candidate or being a lightweight or such — as if any of the Republicans who ran for President at some point during the last election cycle would be a better option given they way they so stupidly and cluelessly ran their own campaigns. And being a good President usually means knowing who to hire and who to listen to.

While I do believe Obama is head and shoulders above any candidate the Republicans can muster by the next election cycle, I rather it not be a walkover — you need a good opponent to keep you sharp and on your toes. Granted that American politics has gotten so polarized that a donkey would get at least 40% of the vote, it would be nice to see a relatively healthy Republican party bringing something, anything to the table in terms of real debate.

Jul 3, 2009 - 6:03 pm 61. Mortrey:

I think she’s got something up her sleeve–she’s brilliant and she’s got the b*lls that are missing in the republican party. She’s gonna come back strong and try to help with the mess this country’s gonna be in soon.
Oh, tell your “representatives” to support H.R. 1503—proof of citizenship for the next election, 2012. Maybe a fraudulent “re-election” campaign will get caught in the “net” next time.

Jul 3, 2009 - 6:11 pm 62. McGehee:

My initial reaction was the same as Stephen’s — but in 2006 when Palin was nominated to run for governor against Alaska’s most popular Democrat, I wrote her off as out of her league.

So, who the hell knows? In July of 1977 I was no great fan of making Ronald Reagan the next President of the United States.

Jul 3, 2009 - 6:13 pm 63. JVDeLong:

Palin is an unusual politician on the contemporary scene in that she is not a narcissistic monster who will sacrifice anything to hold an office as proof that she actually exists. She is a grounded person with a rich and many-faceted life and a desire to actually do things other than posture.

So I am with #42, #47, #55 and others who want to take her at her word. The Left has mounted an all-out ethics assault, a tactic that has worked very well for them (viz, Newt.) She cannot deal with this, be governor, and deal with national politics. So she is cutting the Gordian knot; by resigning as Governor she leaves herself free to focus. As to future office — she can live with or without it; she does not NEED it like an Obama or a Clinton.

As to the “quit” stuff — that is easily turned into an attack on the Soros-funded Dems for using bogus ethics charges to drive someone who represents ordinary citizens out of office by financial pressure.

So I think it was a very shrewd move. Right down to the timing — by doing it at a time when the reporters could not cover it, she kept them from dominating the event with nastiness.

Go Sarah! (And I am actually not with her on the social issues at all, and very wary of her as a Republican standard-bearer.)

Jul 3, 2009 - 6:16 pm 64. noreen:

Frivolous lawsuits at every turn, taking time and money. Hard to do a good job when you are compelled to defend yourself constantly. I think the last straw was the attack on her retarded child. I think she is done and it is a shame.

Jul 3, 2009 - 6:20 pm 65. Morrisminor:

I guess there is always Huckabee for the fundamentalist reactionary dimwits to rally around, he is funnier but not as good looking.

Jul 3, 2009 - 6:26 pm 66. Tony R.:

Wow, even whe she resigns from public office people can’t stop themselves from taking a dig at a successful working mother. Take a look in the mirror guys….. you are very small.

Jul 3, 2009 - 6:28 pm 67. LeighB:

All I can say is hooray for Sarah and for her family. I think she gave the real reasons for getting out now. We have not heard the last from her and I can’t wait to see what she does next.

We need more Sarah-types a far fewer Sanfords, Dodds, Franks, Clowns from MN, Pelosis, Spitzers, etc.

Jul 3, 2009 - 6:29 pm 68. Marc Malone:

#32 Mongoose – Hilarious! Spot on! She deserves a Freedom Medal. Post of the day award to you!

Jul 3, 2009 - 6:31 pm 69. sallie v:

Sarah will do just fine. I hope she works in the private sector, and by passes all the government b.s., that wants to hurt her and her family. At every point they say terrible things about them.
This has not happened to another politician. The Dems are afraid of this woman and need to be, she’s great!!

If she had been a Democrat,she would have be president by now….

NOW etc cannot stand the fact that Palin is a happy , accomplished, family WOMAN..

GO SARAH!!!

Jul 3, 2009 - 6:42 pm 70. Marc Malone:

Mr. Green, I think you are way off on this one. You should have had a few before writing.

Is it over for her? Only if she wants. She QUIT! OMG! It’s the END! Please. If she continues the meme that she could no longer be an effective Governor because of all the lawsuits, and so, had to step down for the good of AK, even if it cost her her political future, she wins.

Suppose she decides to compete for chair of the AK Pub Party in order to “clean out the rot”? She’d surely win. Nah. Small potatoes.

Suppose she does huge fundraising nad campaign events for Republicans across the country at 20,000 supporters per rally? Can anyone else do fundraising and draw crowds like her? The politicians will be lining up at her door cup in hand, because they could never draw such a crowd. They will OWE her. She could become a one-woman army as she helps the Pubs retake Congress. She could own Congress. Now, that’s more likely.

She is too big a star. AK has become too small to hold her.

Jul 3, 2009 - 6:44 pm 71. Войска ПВО:

#6 TexEd writes:

“Very, very clever! The Pubbies have no leader, no spokesman. Now, they do..”

Dammit, Ed! You always come up with the best nuance, you do! I salute you!

..but what can one suspect fromthe person who coined THE VERY BEST sobriquet for The Boy King? (Chimpy, the Kenyan. See? I remembered.)

That is precisely how she will serve: as a stalking horse and a very effective lightening rod. If she gets shot at and hit, she will draw sympathy from the NORMAL, middle class people in fly-over country and the more dastardly the attacks are, the more sympathy she will receive and that will translate into support of the Anti-Obama crowd until two years from now when the crop of challengers to The Dear Leader emerges.

As a plus, she can campaign and do fundraisers without so much as a hint of worry about ethics violations. True, she will not be dining at the WaPo owner’s house much, but there are plenty of venues where she can be legitimate and effective.

And, if all this translation into a following for her, then she has a jump on everyone for 2012..

..except for Barry, the Bumbler who is in perpetual campaign mode.

Jul 3, 2009 - 6:48 pm 72. usafirst:

Why do people constantly whine about how ‘unfair’ Palin is always ‘attacked’ by the media. She is given the same heat anyone else who puts themselves out there is given. And when she invites further criticism, its given freely. It might not be right, but its a fact of life in politics. If you can’t take the heat….

Consider the heat Obama gets…. he’s black, not black enough, he’s a Muslim (until he’s a member of a radical anti-American Christian church), he’s not a ‘real’ American (where is that birth certificate? nevermind he’s been cleared by the secret service/FBI etc), he’s a terrorist/Marxist/socialist, hell he’s even Hitler!
What Palin gets is mild compared to this, yet she never misses an opportunity to be the victim. Well boo-hoo, we don’t want a victim for president. At least Obama has a pair, he just lets it roll off his shoulders and move on.
McCain dumped his first wife for his second, and then they played it as a fairy tale love story at the convention. He and Palin graduated at the bottom of their classes. Palin’s daughter had a child out of wedlock after she paraded her around as an example of family values and abstinance only education. If any of these things would have applied to Obama it would have been the end. Talk about a double standard.
Palin is a quiter. She’s through. Why would anyone vote for someone who might just quit, and not even give a valid reason? Good ridance!

Jul 3, 2009 - 6:48 pm 73. Войска ПВО:

..and props to Marc Malone who makes some excellent points as usual.

Is she popular? Does she attract attention? Well, let’s see. This post by V.P. has been up only a short ime and it’s already attracted over 70 lengthy and competent replies.

No doubt she excites!

Jul 3, 2009 - 6:51 pm 74. The White Peril 白禍 » Blog Archive » 辞職:

[...] Palin’s stepping down as governor of Alaska. Vodkapundit’s take is this: I can describe this move in three words: Stupid, stupid, stupid. And the reason doesn’t [...]

Jul 3, 2009 - 7:04 pm 75. Strawman:

I’m still waiting for somebody to explain the talking point about her having a duty to finish the term. Where did that come from? Media matters? Obviously the people complaining about this aren’t her fans, so why do they insist that Alaska needs her?

Hmmm?

Jul 3, 2009 - 7:10 pm 76. Skye:

I believe the martini swilling author needs to down a few more and rethink his post.

Sarah has just trumped Sun Tzu with this announcement. She will be a more formitable weapon for conservatism as a private citizen and activist.

She was honest about her decision to step down, unlike our quisling in chief who has broken nearly every campaign promise since his coronation. She is not playing the game of politics as usual – playing that game made her a target for frivolous lawsuits by the dem opposition in Alaska. She just changed the rules and the opposition is now blind and off balance. Good.

I look forward to her role in bringing America back to good.

Jul 3, 2009 - 7:10 pm 77. Gozer the Carpathian:

I was totally blindsided by this. Never figured she’d just leave like this. Not run for re-election, sure, but quit mid term? Odd…

Even more odd is, as mentioned, that there’s nothing new leaking out. Normally we’d be hearing all sorts of at least inuendo of a new scandle or some other reason she left. But there’s nothing but silence. She must really have shocked everyone involved!

Now if she’s out of politics, so be it. I hope she takes good care of her family. She does have that new little one to deal with. I know how that is now!

Though I don’t think she’ll disapear. I look forward to seeing her book about the “Sheetstorm from the North” or something about how much flak she caught and how out of wack the Drive By Media became over her! O.O!

Jul 3, 2009 - 7:12 pm 78. Mike Murray:

Palin did something I never thought possible: She got my Democrat-wife to donate to a Republican.

Critics: Don’t count Sarah out.

Jul 3, 2009 - 7:17 pm 79. The Skizzerd of Waz:

I think stepping down as Gov is a wise choice, and it’s something Obama should’ve done as Senator. After all, Obama spent his Senate career basically running for the Presidency rather than serving the people of Illinois like he was elected to do.

As for the personal vitriol continually flung at her. maybe that does have a part in her decision? Critique her public record all you want, but the bull$hit directed her way by ALL of the talking heads and print scribblers was TOTALLY out of line. I’d love to see the cock$ucker$ responsible, like Sullivan et al, brought up on libel charges, but that’ll probably happen when pigs start to fly.

At any rate Sarah is now free to do as she wishes as a private citizen. I do hope she continues to be a conservative beacon, but I understand if she tells everyone to go to hell in a handbasket too.

You still rock Sarah!

Jul 3, 2009 - 7:18 pm 80. The Skizzerd of Waz:

72. usafirst:

You’re an idiot.

Jul 3, 2009 - 7:20 pm 81. sheesh:

Curious move. Too early to judge. If she’s smart, she’s doing it for the money.

Jul 3, 2009 - 7:23 pm 82. usafirst:

80. Skizzerd:

Is that the best you could come up with?
Go watch Fox News, they’ll tell you what to say, no need to use your brain.

Everything I wrote is true, true, true. Did it strike a nerve?

You right-wing GOPers have nothing going for you right now. Stop blaming everyone else and look in the mirror. The Repubs had complete control for 6 years and they screwed up everything they touched. Get your act together and you’ll be back in the fight, as the Democrats will screw everything up soon enough. But if you don’t take stock and admit the truth, you’ll be the party of losers and whiners for a long, long time.

Jul 3, 2009 - 7:28 pm 83. The Skizzerd of Waz:

82. usafirst:

Everything you wrote is misogynistic bull$hit, and you wouldn’t know truth if it jumped up and bit your fat a$$, you memebot!

Admit it you toadie, strong women scare the bejeebers out of your fascist hide. Or maybe it’s white women scaring the bejabbers out of your racist hide? At any rate you’re a presumptuous bigot with a carbon footprint that would shame Bigfoot itself.

How do you sleep at night, you deviant?

Jul 3, 2009 - 7:36 pm 84. sheesh:

OK, I just watched the whole speech. And I think I can safely say that is THE speech of her political career. Boys, if you’ve ever wondered what a woman looked like in the middle of a complete breakdown, that’s it.

I’m not gonna go off . . . right now. There’s plenty of time for the later. I’ll leave it with three little letters . . . WSC. If you don’t know what they stand for, my guess is you will in a day or so.

Jul 3, 2009 - 7:43 pm 85. Palin Soon to Be the Hottest Ex-Governor in American History | All American Blogger:

[...] Green at Vodkapundit sums his thoughts up: I can describe this move in three words: Stupid, stupid, stupid. And the [...]

Jul 3, 2009 - 7:43 pm 86. Strawman:

Curious move. Too early to judge.

Uh-oh. I’d better have a few more. I’m actually agreeing with the troll.

Crap.

Jul 3, 2009 - 8:01 pm 87. Palin Resigns « Obi’s Sister:

[...] Tinfoil hat Smitty and more Smitty – sphincter alert, the Obama dy-nasty and lame lefties Stephen – it’s over Jim and more Jim – God bless her Don – would love to see Obama [...]

Jul 3, 2009 - 8:14 pm 88. KCL:

I think ultimately this is the right decision for her and her family. This might be what distinguishes male and female politicians; women think of their family first. When it gets too much, you take your babies and go back home. Can’t say I blame her. Sanford is acting shamefully, but does he consider how devastating all this is on his sons? She’ll make more $$ with the book deal and public speaking. Plus, she’ll become a regular commentator in the conservative media. Does anyone notice how all the 2012 GOP contenders are getting picked off? Is this just making more room for Romney?

Jul 3, 2009 - 8:30 pm 89. Dutch1949:

Skizzerd, leave usafirst alone. Let him enjoy his apparent day in the sun – it will not last. I think America needs to go down first and Obama, Pelosi, Reid and company are the people that will do it. They didn’t do it alone, the American people voted them in. Americans have become too lazy and complacent, and we believe everything the MSM says. Not until a catastrophe strikes do people change. I linked an article below that people may find interesting. I doubt Sarah Palin would take any of that crap sitting down, which is why they are so afraid of her. They fear Palin because she is one of us.

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/28816321/the_great_american_bubble_machine

Jul 3, 2009 - 8:30 pm 90. momof3:

She has been subjected to the most horrifying personal attacks, as have her children. Hurray for her for deciding she didn’t care to live in the sewer anymore, if indeed that’s what happened. Democrats and the media are below feces-eating bugs. Our founding fathers would burn our country alive if they could see it now.

Jul 3, 2009 - 8:31 pm 91. Frank Logan:

#6 Texas Ed has it exactly right. Conservatives have had no spokesperson, now they do. Sarah said that she would talk about limited govt, lower taxes, self sufficient energy policy, etc. on the national stage and then pass the ball to the next one (the nominee). Depending on the circumstances at that time, it may be her. If not she has moved from a state governor to a leader with a big following on a national level. Not Bad.

Jul 3, 2009 - 8:49 pm 92. mshatto:

I like Sarah Palin but I think this should be it. I agree with her on nearly every political topic and find her to be a very attractive person. She strikes a nerve with conservatives like no other in recent years and has done some good things for Alaska but quitting before the end of her term is too strange. This is Sanford on the “Appalachian Trail” stuff. It doesn’t add up.

I think conservatives should be realistic and move on. She was not ready for prime time and her selection/acceptance of the VP slot was wrong. She was not ready and was needed at home. Had she declined the offer, her family issues, particularly Bristol’s pregnancy and bravery/morality would have been a plus. Gov. Palin could have spent the last few years building up her credentials, instead of fighting the rabid attacks of the democrats, and then came out guns blazing. Sadly,the issues in her home and Alaska meant she was spending much too much time defending her family and gave the left all the ammunition they needed.

If she did this for family fantastic. I could not agree with her more but the troll with multiple personalities is correct. There will be more coming out in the next few weeks.

Jul 3, 2009 - 8:49 pm 93. The Skizzerd of Waz:

89. Dutch1949:

OK Dutch, I’ll clam up. I just couldn’t resist the urge to go Alinsky on his a$$. I used as many Alinskyish insults I could think of at the spur of the moment; misogynist, racist, memebot, bigot, carbon hog, fat, liar. It was refreshing, in a moronic sort of way.

Jul 3, 2009 - 8:50 pm 94. Marc Malone:

#73 Boiska PVO – Thanks. Kind words, indeed.

Jul 3, 2009 - 8:51 pm 95. Marc Malone:

Voiska, not Boiska. Damn.

Jul 3, 2009 - 8:51 pm 96. Jack:

It’s our chance to put her to bed and get a real fiscal conservative up for the next Prez candidate. Let’s do it!!

Jack

Jul 3, 2009 - 9:02 pm 97. Kingston53:

Obama and he coterie get away with things that would have embarrashed Baghdad Bob. They can do this because the media is in their pocket. However, they are a sitting duck if we can just get the right spokesperson. Someone that talks plainly and has Common Sence. Someone that can get enough air time to expose all the lies. The problem is that no one on the Repub side can get media attention unless they are trashing another Repub. Enter Palin, everything she does will ingnite the press. Hang on. Things could get interesting.

Jul 3, 2009 - 9:04 pm 98. alex:

Governor Palin was attacked by elements within the Republican party, namely the McCain campaign. This is still playing out in MSM, so lets be accurate regarding truth. It was the leaks, not so subtle comments regarding her mental stability that did her in the last several weeks of the campaign, Bill Krystol and Mr. Schmidt and the rest of the gang are still trying to upstage each other. But lets be honest she did not have support of the McCain Campaign and in this is the crux of her issues today. It was a terribly managed election campaign.

Secondly she was woefully unprepared for interviews. The interviews were a disaster regardless how we feel about Governer Palin as a person. She should never have accepted the interviews, or at least had her team control them better.

Third, she accepted the nomination with her eyes wide open. She cannot have it both ways;

1) Governor Palin was the right person for the job and much smarter than we give her credit for, she will overcome as she is brighter than we know. She is tough and can take on all comers and runs circles around her opponents.

2) Governor Palin is being treated unfairly, her feet should not be held to the fire, she should not be tested by the trials and tribulations of a presidential campaign.

Pick one and stick with it.

Submitting resignation is only smart if she never intends to run for office again. The Political Battlefield does not allow for resignation of Office, then applying for position as commander again. Loyalty to the troops is the foundation for successful strategy. If she never intends to run for Office again, then bravo, she has finally taken control of her destiny.

Jul 3, 2009 - 9:06 pm 99. Steve Ducharme:

I’m 93 comments late to this discussion so I apologize if it’s been brought up already (and considering the talent on here I’m sure it probably already has) so let me just jay that I completely agree with whoever already said that the republicans have what may be the worst leadership void since… since… er… (ever perhaps?) and that this is a perfect time to kick the dead stagecoach driver over the side, take the rains and begin straightening out this wagon.

She is so damn polarizing that the cameras will stay on her regardless. The key will be for her to perfect her message and more importantly STAY ON IT regardless of the heat In a year she could have a major influence on the 2010 election not to mention the party platform. Hell.. heat makes light and light attracts attention. Give her Ron Paul as a running mate and By 2012.. who knows.

That or someone else is pregnant again… whatever… LOL

Jul 3, 2009 - 9:11 pm 100. frank martin:

A few notes:

1. Aint it funny how someone willingly stepping down from power is met with immediate suspicion and derision, but someone who hangs on to their appointment to public office like grim death elicits no concern at all? I’m not sure what it says about her, but it sure as hell says something bad about us. When a politician gives up power our response should always be a polite “thank you”, not to point and ask “what is wrong with you”? Lets understand that its in our best interest to breed a culture where everyone who gets elected gets points for leaving office and no points for trying to make it a lifetime or family vocation.

2. We should all be down on our knees thanking her for knocking the “Michael Jackson Death March” out of the headlines. For that alone, she gets my vote and my heartfelt thanks.

3. Consider this: If we allow our elected officials to be hounded out of office in the same way that Sarah Palin has been viciously assassinated( sorry, there is no other word for it ), then what hope have we as a Democracy to survive.

I understand people not liking her, but I cannot comprehend the hate that people have generated for this woman and her family. What exactly did she do to be so despised? I hope she is leaving to run for office and to serve the country and to reform the Republican Party but what I fear is that she is leaving because of what has happened to her family during her service and the impact of near daily assaults and baseless charges of ethics violations have done to her ability to govern. We have laws against assault, we have laws against harassment, but it seems that if you don’t fit the mold of leftist politics that you are on the same level as someone who leaves a cult church, you are fair game for anything that can be done to destroy you. That aint right kids, it just aint, and just because you dont happen to agree with the target or you dont like the target, dont make it right. I wouldn’t do what they have done to her to Al Gore not because I like AL Gore ( I dont) but because it would be – wrong.

Consider this: If they can get to her in this way, what hope do you have? Go ahead citizen, stick your neck out politically by saying what you believe and let’s see who cuts it off in the future. Do you have a Obama/Biden sticker because thats what you believe or because it provides you with a modicum of protection to your property. Where will we live if everyone is afraid to stand up or speak their minds because to speak outside of the correct mindset is to be attacked at every turn?

What if everyone starts to feel the need to conform to a norm more than they feel compelled to speak what they know to be true? Is that really what we want?

Jul 3, 2009 - 9:38 pm 101. J. Robertson:

Gosh…maybe she wants a little privacy !!!
God Gosh Almighty…what about that as an idea?

Maybe public life isn’t what she wants anymore??
Gosh Almighty..what about that as an idea?

Maybe family is MORE important than you folks !!
Good GAWD ALMIGHTY !! WHAT AND IDEA !!!

and ya know…she may be right !!!

she can come back anytime she wants too !!!!

Oh you of little faith !!! And ideas !!!

Jul 3, 2009 - 9:51 pm 102. vivo:

Sarah Palin = Machiavelli’s Il Principe

Jul 3, 2009 - 10:03 pm 103. Hal Sandro:

S. Green
Could you be any dumber?

Jul 3, 2009 - 10:22 pm 104. Dave ll:

To say her political career is COMPLETELY over is nonsense. Quayle is a bad example. Think more like Nixon (“You won’t have Nixon to kick around any more, because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference”) in 1962…and there are others who have come from “the dead” to arrive again on the national stage.

All she needs is a book, a TV show, or some other news worthy engagement to keep her name in the public’s mind. Is this her thinking???

I don’t know. Maybe she truly is sick of politics….and it wouldn’t surprise me.

It’s funny to think that line is SO TRUE for libs right now though:

“”You won’t have Palin to kick around any more…”

OMG!!..no Bush, no Palin…what WILL THEY DO WITH THEIR “SYNDROMES” NOW?????????????

Jul 3, 2009 - 10:53 pm 105. Robohobo:

“…a case of vicious personal attacks (the worst I’ve ever seen) driving a public figure back into private life…”

And having to listen to sneering pundits like Stephen Green trash her. Palin is regular people who does not want to wallow in the mud with the likes of the professional political class and the 24/7 drunken pundits who have an inflated self worth.

Ask yourself, Stephen, how many regular folks do you hang out with? You know, mechanics, construction workers, engineers? That’s what I thought.

Useless tools are going to self identify now between Palin’s resignation and the Jackson Freak Show.

Jul 3, 2009 - 10:57 pm 106. John Moore:

Palin is not a typical pol, and she is an out-of-the-box thinker.

Hence judging her by the usual political rules is dangerous.

She is no Dan Quayle (who himself was a very bright guy) – Palin can overcome the nonsense the left and the media (redundant) heaped on her.

It’s also clear she intends to keep playing in the political sphere.

She’s young and she may intend to do a lot more before running for higher office – fund raising (as the usually right Charlie IC said) and being a spokesperson for the mainstream American people. She could also serve in other ways – appointee in a Repub administration, for example. She may also seriously intend to avoid the high levels of commitment required of a national level pol until her family is a bit older. She has the time to wait.

Don’t write Sarah Palin off yet. If her goose is cooked, it’s because she wants it that way. Otherwise… she’s off to do other things in the public arena.

Jul 3, 2009 - 11:07 pm 107. Casey:

Y’know, downstream a few articles ago, I jumped all over frank martin cuz I thought he was a Muslim-hater. Hell, I still think he is.

That said, he’s 100% dead-on here. Sarah Palin and Fred Thompson are two of the sanest politicians I know, yet they’re also two of the most reviled.

I just don’t get Stephen’s bizarre idea that Governor Palin is letting people down by resigning. Isn’t that a Good Thing for libertarians? There’s a Lieutenant Governor -who is I presume qualified- who is perfectly capable of succeeding her. Ms. Palin will presumably be off the state payroll on the date given for her resignation. She leaves office, someone else takes the reins, and gets the paycheck. So why is this a problem?

As for establishing validity by finishing her term as governor, does anyone with an above-room-temperature IQ think that cuts any mustard with the MSM?? For the slow learners, they’ve gone after Sarah Palin with guns blazing from top to bottom, and the mainstream talking heads will NEVER be satisfied until she is whipped from public life in the most humiliating manner possible. Even Mister Green has noted Auntie Andy’s Sarah-psychosis, and the HuffPo/Kos crowd is not far behind. What the MSM/dextrosphere has done to that woman makes the 1964 Barry Goldwater “Daisy/countdown” commercial seem positively homey.

Just why should Sarah Palin finish her term as governor? So the mainstream media can slime her for two more years? So the moonbat left can publish yet even more disgusting photoshops? So “power glutes” Aunty Sullivan can slaver over the latest Trig rumors for the next couple-dozen lunar periods?

What normal human being wants that kind of crap thrown at his or her family for even six months, much less a couple of years?

Do all the right-wingers and libertarians here remember how that freakshow “liberal” Deb Frisch stalked Jeff Goldstein’s child, and how that freaked them out? Now take that outrage, and try to imagine how Sarah Palin’s family felt.

Jul 4, 2009 - 12:01 am 108. Sally:

Too funny really, all this talk about how it’s over for her now because she’s a quitter. Probably a lot of those who are saying that are the same people who denigrated her experience as Governor of Alaska because it’s just not an important state and doesn’t have very many people and is out of the mainstream.

But she made a commitment! Really? She made a commitment to have her life torn apart, her children publicly ridiculed and demeaned and criticized? Where’s that part in the Governor’s oath? She is the only politician, indeed the only public figure I can think of in politics or out, whose children were attacked and smeared so relentlessly, even the baby for heaven’s sake. But hey, that’s just tough cookies, eh? Can’t take the heat, get out of the kitchen.

Well let’s extend that to everyone who does anything in the public eye. Hmmm….let’s say anyone who’s writing for an online news and commentary site. Like this one. They want to be noticed, yes? They want people to pay attention. Well, why should such a person’s family be off-limits? Give us some info on your family, Mr. Green. I bet there’s some juicy stuff there. Or we’ll just make it up.

Jul 4, 2009 - 12:27 am 109. Andre:

A sad day for Alaska, America, and the wider world and a salutary lesson to us voters. In Britain we are going through a bewildering parliamentary crisis as over half our members of parliament are revealed to have been fiddling their expenses. Decent people like Sarah Palin are leaving politics. The truth of the matter is Mrs Palin has had enough of intrusive PR and the press and democrats taking cheap shots at her and her family. She’s turning her back on the whole caboodle and heading back to the wild. Like many in Britain I wish her fair winds and god speed.

Jul 4, 2009 - 1:54 am 110. Flipside:

The petulant left can’t take the fact that the GOP may be first with a female president, you see only they can do that. They are the ones who gave us civil rights only by blocking such attempts by the GOP for years just so they could say they did it. Now they will have a Latina SC justice but stonewalled and blocked Bush’s future Latino candidate. Out of pure hate and lust they ridicule Plain and her family. I hope she makes millions, stages a comeback and enters the 2012 race.

Jul 4, 2009 - 2:11 am 111. lee:

While I like Palin, she’s not a good vice presidential candidate. She performed poorly in her vice presidential debate, and her hockey mom appeal did strike me as gimmicky sometimes.

If the economy hasn’t improved beyond a mild rebound in the next 3,4 years, the republicans will be on the offensive, just as Obama was during the end of the Bush term. Things are falling apart only 6,7 months into his presidency. The Iraq war is a distant memory, and there’s a limit to how much the dems will be able blame everything on Bush. We need a fire breathing fighter who can effectively slam the current president and sell our kind of change.

Palin wasn’t quite up for the job. I don’t like Romney or Huck, especially since the former has a state managed healthcare in his name, but they’re default forerunners at this point. I wish them luck.

Jul 4, 2009 - 2:25 am 112. kywrite:

Seem to be a lot of suspiciously Moby characters up in the early posts. . .

Y’all, those who think she’s done, you better wait. She has a growing PUMA following, and conservative women love her. If she tries working with the Tea Parties or something equally new, you betcha she’s not done yet!!

She has done both a selfless thing, and the smartest thing she could possibly do at this stage.

Jul 4, 2009 - 3:41 am 113. Susan:

I have three words for Stephen Green’s article and they’re the same ones he uses to characterize Sarah Palin’s decision to resign.

That even a poor article can generate thoughtful discussion, however, is proven by the many intelligent, generous, witty and imaginative posts one finds here.

Sarah Palin has singlehandedly changed the subject–and she has done so in spectacular fashion. Political courage as 4th of July fireworks.

She has pulled the rug out from under our expectations. She has sought to define herself, rather than allow herself (and family) to be endlessly (and viciously) defined and exploited by the media. She has once again shown her refusal of politics as usual.

Jul 4, 2009 - 3:42 am 114. Rose from Ohio:

Given a choice between my representative occasionally phoning in while campaigning for another office or resigning and turning the reins over to someone who will actually DO the job I will take the resignation any day. I do not fault Palin in the slightest for that one.

Was it smart? Time will tell.

Once upon a time, I would have bet that no one would be stupid enough to give Joe Biden a chance at the Oval Office again and yet, there he is.

Jul 4, 2009 - 4:44 am 115. El Gordo:

“She needs more time to run for President?”

She did not say that. She implied that she didn´t sign up for financial ruin and constant smears against her family.

She wants to protect her family? Heat, low tolerance, kitchen, stay out of. And again, if she wants to be President, how does she think her family would fare in the White House?

What heat? What kitchen? Most politicans get an easy ride compared to her. Didn´t you just write the attacks were “the worst I’ve ever seen”? The kitchen is one percent as hot for, say, the clown Al Franken, or the corrupt Chris Dodd or the neurotic Barbara Boxer or… the list goes on and on. Granholm was an awful governor, no? Michigan lost jobs when everyone else was creating them and the reward? She was being considered for the Supreme Court. Heat, kitchen, nonsense. Palin was selected and destroyed and we are the poorer for it.

Jul 4, 2009 - 5:39 am 116. Tomp:

Remember Nixon?
“You won’t have me to kick around anymore”.
Didn’t he end up as president?

Jul 4, 2009 - 6:06 am 117. Mo:

Maybe she’s sick and tired of the way she’s been treated – like the way she’s been treated in this column.

Sheesh.

Jul 4, 2009 - 6:12 am 118. polkabout:

The MSM press has blinders on, evidenced by their view & information presented. They focus on her with total abandon. The tea party effort would surge with her support. If the MSM continued to spotlight her, the ideals of the tea parties would be elucidated. Let their aberration be their downfall.

Jul 4, 2009 - 6:27 am 119. Gary Ogletree:

Smart, smart, smart. She explained her reasons at length. But bloggers and pundits have comprehension issues with Sarah Palin, maybe because they bought a lot of her enemies’ smears. She is free from the petty and expensive harassment from the Obama cult in Alaska. She accomplished what she promised Alaskans she would do, and has a record that should be the envy of any real public servant. Of course it’s regrettable that she didn’t first consult with Green and Driscoll. Her bad.

Jul 4, 2009 - 6:53 am 120. sheesh:

Headline ideas:

America Loves a Quitter.

The Only Difference Between a Pit Bull and a Hockey Mom is a Book Deal.

Sarah Barracuda Sleeps with the Fishes.

Sarah Surrenders

Palin Cuts and Runs

Don’t Worry, America Still Has a Tough Strong Woman – Named Hillary

I Love My Job, and I Love Alaska, So I’m Quitting.

Happy 4th of July

Jul 4, 2009 - 7:11 am 121. Jerry:

Good move by Ms. Palin. She will have her own show on Fox News.The Feds may back off on the house scandal (they have her and Hubby cold) and she won’t have to to the heavy lifting on the issues necessary to run for president.
PLUS SHE NOW HAS SOME TIME TO TRAIL RUN WITH ANOTHER SO TO BE EX GOVENOR.

Jul 4, 2009 - 7:53 am 122. Joef:

If Sarah Palin’s national aspirations are really over, then it is indeed our loss.

I lived for twenty years in Alaska, and the main reason I went there was to live and raise a family in the clean clarity of a vast near-wilderness where the politics were vigorous but manageable and only God and Nature prevailed. There was no possibility of a Messiah, the One, rising to power, for he would have been seen for what he was early on and laughed right out of the state. No such lame BS there.

With George Bush gone, Sarah Palin was the next target for the derangement-syndromers, and I can imagine just how peculiar and repugnant that may seem to the Palins. Alaska is a place with its share of oddballs, but mad drooling fiends are rare and kept pushed somewhere in the background where they belong — with the messiahs, I guess. You can keep them away from your kids, anyway.

If you saw Sarah Palin’s video, then you saw the lake and mountains in the background. She said that lake and all that lies beyond always lends perspective to her and her family and their decisions. I understand that. Every day on my way to work in Juneau I drove past a large wetland full of Canada geese, eagles, salmon, and myriad other wildlife. It informed my day, charged my imagination, and reminded me of our place on this earth.

The Alaska governors I knew –yes, you often actually meet your governor if you live there — held their office as a sacred trust. Unless you are a dysfunctional idiot, and there has never been one of those for governor of Alaska, you cannot occupy the office without feeling the responsibility and privilege of leading such an awesome state. Your constituents are your neighbors, for good or ill, and you do everything to help take care of them and their resources.

You can take Sarah at her word. Response to the unrelenting and degenerate vitriol following her VP candidacy was simply costing too much time and money — time and money that rightfully belonged to Alaskans, who never signed up for all that when they elected her as Governor. It was getting in the way of serving, so the responsible choice for Palin was simply to keep her head up and pass the ball. If you lived beside that lake of hers, or gazed at those mountains every morning, it would not seem a startling choice at all.

It’s been said that people get the government they deserve. It does not presage well for our country if we don’t deserve candidates as good as Sarah Palin.

Jul 4, 2009 - 8:34 am 123. Peggy:

Godspeed, Sarah. Forgive us for letting you take the heat alone. Don’t leave us here forever, though. The country needs you. Some of us just don’t know it—yet.

Jul 4, 2009 - 8:56 am 124. tom:

And she was protecting us from the evil Russian empire? And can’t even handle David Letterman.

Rofl.

Jul 4, 2009 - 8:57 am 125. Sapwolf:

Sarah has made a brilliant move.

As governor, she had already completed all the major changes. The ethics complaints cost the filer nothing and the Dems in Alaska and in DC were in effect pinning her down so she could not go 100% Full-time in the lower 48. Remember that the ethics complaints were hogging a tremendous amount of time from her but also other workers in the administration.

She now is free to fundraise for congressional candidates, study up on national issues, finish her book and promote it, and most important attack the Obama administration directly or indirectly to help galvanize Americans to stop Leviathan.

She is the Tea Party candidate.

She ain’t running from anything. She’s simply taking the fight to the national level and giving enough time for Sean Parnell to hit the ground running and set him up for election to his own term in 2010.

The country needs Sarah NOW! We cannot wait anymore given that the Hollow Man and the statists are pushing federal controlled healthcare, card check, Sotomayor, FOCA, VAT tax, ACORN, etc.

She knows she can’t wait any longer while the country implodes.

She has “A Servant’s Heart” and she will not stay as governor while there is more important business up the chain.

This is a brilliant move.

Remember what she said: “I do not want to disappoint anyone with my decision; all I can ask is that you TRUST me with this decision – but it’s no more “politics as usual”.

The old playbook that the Washington elitists and outsiders follow is gone.

Restoration = Sarh Palin + Tea Parties

Jul 4, 2009 - 9:02 am 126. Sapwolf:

Correction: The old playbook that the Washington elitists and INsiders follow is gone.

Jul 4, 2009 - 9:10 am 127. Sonny:

What surprises me is that more citizens in Alaska didn’t condemn the DNC for requiring Palin to spend 80% of her time fending off senseless lawsuits. If the public condemned the DNC sufficiently and ostracized them enough, they might have backed off. As it is, I didn’t see enough support come to the aid of this true American, but just left her high and dry to fight her own battles.

Palin didn’t abandon her state. Her state abandoned her. Good grief, she is a wife and mother. She was willing to lead her state, but without the support she needed, no one can expect her to fight alone.

Reagan had his “kitchen cabinet”. I didn’t hear of Palin having one. Where was her support group???

Jul 4, 2009 - 9:32 am 128. Edward A:

She couldn’t take the heat, so it is best she is out of the kitchen. Her weakness confirms she is a loser. Bad news just continues to harass the GOP.

Jul 4, 2009 - 9:33 am 129. Joef:

Tom, I thought SP handled Letterman with great dexterity! He was exposed as a degenerate and he, not she, was the one on TV stumbling through a not-so-adept apology.

As for protecting us from the Russians, it’s no contest between her and the current weak sister. A guy who bows down to the Saudi premier and does everything but wear a scarf on his head while apologizing for his country in front of the whole Middle East can’t be expected to protect anyone from anything.

Jul 4, 2009 - 9:36 am 130. Lou:

Steven,

I usually think your spot on, but maybe not this time.

Was she a lame duck Gov? Yes she was. With all the ethics complaints her time was being taken from the state and the people of Alaska, as well as the cost. Took some balls to step aside, she KNEW exactly the hoopla it would create.

What she does from here is anyone’s guess.

Jul 4, 2009 - 9:47 am 131. tom:

Bowing to the Saudi premier? oh no, not that. And if shaking a hand is a greeting custom in Germany, we’ll look weak there too if he shakes a hand. And what about a hug somewhere else? oh no not that too….

Jul 4, 2009 - 10:16 am 132. shau-jan:

121.pretty good…i would give you more credit if i was secure in the knowledge you hadn’t just ripped them off someone else.

WORK FROM HOME:energetic hard charging person needed to harass others online.must be dependable,willing to work long hours,adept at creative articulation, and be totally devoid of shame and immune to ridicule.mastery of post war “loony toons”dialect a plus.

happy fouth.

Jul 4, 2009 - 11:39 am 133. sheesh:

133. shau-jan:. . . “i would give you more credit if i was secure in the knowledge you hadn’t just ripped them off someone else.”

Secure in your knowledge? Not sure that’s something available to you . . . on anything.

Yep, they’re all mine.

Jul 4, 2009 - 11:43 am 134. Kabud:

I am shocked. I clicked on google add here at pajamas a second ago

http://www.russiatoday.com/Top_News/2008-09-05/McCains_running_mate_lays_into_Russia.html?gclid=CNjHkorSvJsCFRBM5QodLmy0BQ

McCain’s running mate lays into Russia

05 September, 2008, 08:26

Republican Vice Presidential candidate Sarah Palin has wasted no time in casting a cloud over Russia. In her keynote speech to the party convention in Minnesota, the Alaskan Governor accused Moscow of using energy as a weapon in its disagreements with the West.
Yahoo StumbleUpon Google Live Technorati
Scoop del.icio.us Digg Sphinn Furl Reddit

“With Russia wanting to control a vital pipeline in the Caucasus, and to divide and intimidate our European allies by using energy as a weapon, we cannot leave ourselves at the mercy of foreign suppliers,” Palin told supporters in St Paul.

The speech was crucial to the relatively unknown Republican, and her way of finally introducing herself to U.S. voters.

The pro-life, social conservative, received a thunderous reception from convention goers. But out on the streets, voters were quick to reject her credibility and social conservative views.

Thousands of opponents of the Republicans took their message to the streets this week. Repeated clashes between police and demonstrators led to hundreds of arrests, which critics say were unjustified.

Showing solidarity, activists set up a 24-hour vigil outside the jailhouse where civilians, journalists and medical personal were kept behind bars.

Jul 4, 2009 - 12:15 pm 135. shau-jan:

134.some of your rantings have been truly impressive in their creativity,so if you’re not cribbing then my hat’s off to you.

BTW,if you are going to question someone else’s grip on the issues,maybe you should man up and refute a point once in while.i know,it’s not what your here for…but egads man,show some fortitude.

Jul 4, 2009 - 12:22 pm 136. sheesh:

135 – I refute plenty. And offer even more for refutation, which doesn’t happen much, now what I’m sayin?

Jul 4, 2009 - 12:24 pm 137. Marc Malone:

Don’t feed the trolls!

Jul 4, 2009 - 12:39 pm 138. shau-jan:

136.just so we are on the same page:
http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/refute

jog my memory,when is the last time you engaged in this act?

137 mark malone.not really a troll…this one is useful as a moving target when practicing counter-moonbattery marksmanship.

Jul 4, 2009 - 12:55 pm 139. Russ Goble:

Is there anything short of a scandal to keep Romney from the nomination? And I’m not saying that’s a bad thing, but, I wanted some sort of battle. And we’ll hear more of the GOP = White Male, which is of course the very point of destroying Palin. Mission accomplished it would seem.

I actually hope the reason for this is her trying to get away from the spot light. If there is a political motive, it is a world class form of stupid. Which begs the question “what was the big deal to begin with.” Too bad. Really too bad.

Jul 4, 2009 - 1:00 pm 140. Bill Bekkenhuis:

I’m a liberal who has no particular use for Sarah Palin (though I applaud her decision to bring her Downs Syndrome child to term and to raise him. Bravo for that!).

When she announced her resignation, I thought three things – there’s a scandal brewing, she’s made a horrendous political miscalculation, or she’s making a shrewd personal / political vocational choice.

I read a bunch of Demo / Republican articles on the matter and am convinced it’s the third.

I believe she’ll become a talking-head – and probably not a bad one at that (if you like her take, which I don’t

She’ll take some heat (but if she doesn’t want to be president it really won’t matter), she’ll take some media pressure off her family, she’ll make more money and – hey – if the gods really ARE crazy – she could run in 2016. (She may have figured that no one – let alone her – is going to beat Obama for a second term.)

But 2016 is a long time from now… Who knows what’s possible then? Especially if she builds a national following a la Rush. (Heck, if a comedian from Minn. can do it, why not a talking – head from AK?

Remembering that I’d have to defect if she ever became president, I nonetheless avow that this may have been the first shrewd move I’ve seen from her.

Bill Bekkenhuis
Bethlehem, PA

Jul 4, 2009 - 1:10 pm 141. Marc Malone:

#139 Shau-jan – Counter-moonbattery marksmanship! Hilarious! Literally laughed aloud.

Jul 4, 2009 - 1:34 pm 142. Bumr50:

I find it interesting that all the “experts” are writing her off.

Why?

I love the move.

I guess I’m just an idiot.

Here’s to the idiots! We are the new America. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise.

Jul 4, 2009 - 2:46 pm 143. SunSword:

Something to think about is this. Republican Sen. Lisa Murkowski is a “legacy” Senator — her father, Frank Murkowski, resigned his Senate seat to become Alaska governor in 2002 and he appointed her to the seat. She squeaked out a win in 2004 but is considered a RINO by the conservative branch of the Republican party, and is not all that popular in Alaska.

Some more history on this — Sarah Palin ran in Alaska as someone against the “good old boy” network of politicians. This was the root of her popularity — that she came from a poor background, worked her way up, and opposed the party hierarchy. She ran AGAINST Frank Murkowski and defeated him in the primary, then become governor.

So as you might imagine, the Murkowskis and the Palins are not pals. Now it would be considered rather inappropriate for her to run against Lisa Murkowski in the Senate primary while she is a SITTING GOVERNOR — that is just “not done”. However, as a private citizen? Quite appropriate.

And she plays to her strengths — in Alaska — which is who will be voting. She gets to run again as (a) against the old boy network (e.g. Lisa getting handed the seat as a legacy) and (b) conservative versus RINO. She only has to beat Lisa in the primary — at which point she is up against a democrat contender who is also not an incumbent.

This is in fact a variation of the Hillary strategy. It would permit her to go to Washington as a Senator and gain that political experience. Assuming this is the case, she is positioning herself to run in 2010. Assuming she wins, after one or two terms in the Senate she might go for Secretary of State, or Secretary of Defense, or Vice President. Those who feel her major problem is lack of experience would be in favor of this — and those who just don’t like her never will anyway.

Thinking she is doomed by dropping out now might be quite an error. I am old enough to remember Nixon. He was laughed at and mocked. When he lost the Governor’s race in California in 1962, he said:

“You won’t have Nixon to kick around anymore because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference.”

Six years later he was President of the United States.

Jul 4, 2009 - 2:58 pm 144. myth buster:

Tom, the President of the United States bows ONLY to the Lord Jesus Christ. Bowing is a sign of submission, and the President is to submit to no mortal king.

Jul 4, 2009 - 4:21 pm 145. shau-jan:

going to repost this because it’s just that cool.as luck would have it:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-NUo_knsbhM

happy fourth everyone.

Jul 4, 2009 - 6:10 pm 146. AST:

I agree with SunSword. I can’t count her out in the future. Stranger things have happened. I wasn’t counting on her for 2012 anyway.

I only hope that conservatives never forget, nor let the nation forget, the viciousness of the media-progressive complex in going all out to destroy her. The hypocrisy of the left is an indicator of how dangerous it is to give them access to power.

Jul 4, 2009 - 6:14 pm 147. wanderer:

SunSword said: “Thinking she is doomed by dropping out now might be quite an error. I am old enough to remember Nixon. He was laughed at and mocked. When he lost the Governor’s race in California in 1962, he said:

“You won’t have Nixon to kick around anymore because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference.”

Six years later he was President of the United States.”

This is exactly what went through my mind when I read these posts about how “quitting” has put paid to her political career. You beat me to it. Many Americans are quite ignorant of even recent history.

She’s either 1) going to run for Senator in Alaska in 2010, or 2) form her own little “l” libertarian wing of the Republican Party to take over from the RINOs for the 2012 election.

Jul 4, 2009 - 6:54 pm 148. Felix:

I can see one scenario: she got pissed off because nobody, not even us, her supporters, really supported her in this. She was under constant attacks, huge legal fees, and where was Republican party, representatives, rep governors???? I can imagine the thinking: I can’t carry this alone.
Why is that dems are always organized, but we are like sitting ducks. I don’t mean party affiliation, but people with common sense. Seems we are waiting for somebody, something. If you know history you can put parallels – 1917, 1938, resent history – they are grabbing power in Russia, China, but commonsensical people are nowhere to be seen. This is the biggest question of my life: WHY?
Are we that much expecting someone else to do heavy lifting?

Jul 4, 2009 - 7:55 pm 149. Freedom is Just Another Word:

As a female in my 40s who has a career and a family, I say this as a compliment to Sarah Palin. She reminds me of a certain Billy Joel song.

he can kill with a smile
She can wound with her eyes
She can ruin your faith with her casual lies
And she only reveals what she wants you to see
She hides like a child,
But she’s always a woman to me

She can lead you to love
She can take you or leave you
She can ask for the truth
But she’ll never believe you
And she’ll take what you give her, as long as it’s free
Yeah, she steals like a thief
But she’s always a woman to me

CHORUS:
Oh–she takes care of herself
She can wait if she wants
She’s ahead of her time
Oh–and she never gives out
And she never gives in
She just changes her mind

And she’ll promise you more
Than the Garden of Eden
Then she’ll carelessly cut you
And laugh while you’re bleedin’
But she’ll bring out the best
And the worst you can be
Blame it all on yourself
Cause she’s always a woman to me
–Mhmm–

Bridge

CHORUS:
Oh–she takes care of herself
She can wait if she wants
She’s ahead of her time
Oh–and she never gives out
And she never gives in
She just changes her mind

She is frequently kind
And she’s suddenly cruel
She can do as she pleases
She’s nobody’s fool
And she can’t be convicted
She’s earned her degree
And the most she will do
Is throw shadows at you
But she’s always a woman to me
–Mhmm–

Jul 4, 2009 - 8:34 pm 150. nonny:

She’s counterattacking in court, right now. I don’t think she could really start suing people as Governor of Alaska, but she’s rolling now.

She’s channeling Scarface: “Sue me? NO SUE YOU!”

Jul 4, 2009 - 8:41 pm 151. Freedom is Just Another Word:

Seriously,

I think she’s going to become a media mogul. She’s gong to be the next Rush for this party. She’d make millions and set her family for life. Rush, while he is right on most everything, Hannity, and Levin….well, they are all males. Laura is ok, but she doesn’t have the pizzazzzz factor like Palin. Like Hannity, I see Sarah on radio, tv, and raising money at big parties.

That’s what I’d do if I was in her shoes.

Freedom

Jul 4, 2009 - 8:42 pm 152. vivo:

126. Sapwolf:

“Remember what she said: “I do not want to disappoint anyone with my decision; all I can ask is that you TRUST me with this decision – but it’s no more “politics as usual”.”

Yeah, right.

Stop sucking your thumb, Sapwolf.

128. Sonny:

“Good grief, she is a wife and mother. ”

So is every other female Senator or Congresswoman. I said this before, she parades her family to get your pity. You just proved it.

130. Joef:

“Tom, I thought SP handled Letterman with great dexterity! He was exposed as a degenerate and he, not she, was the one on TV stumbling through a not-so-adept apology.”

You are right. Letterman probably can care less about Palin. He just went through the motions, probably by request of his management. You don’t have to stay that late anymore, just watch Leno.

138. Marc Malone:

“Don’t feed the trolls!”

Are you running out of hot dogs and burgers today?

Jul 4, 2009 - 10:24 pm 153. bobby bb:

Just a couple of thoughts. People seem to be forgetting that the most expensive of the ethics complaints was the one Palin filed against herself. Also the 3 panel committee who decides these complaints are 3 people chosen by Palin. Still, I agree many of these complaints seem overkill…perhaps the Alaska law should be revised. Regarding the attacks against Palin…yall all seem to say they are all from the left. That is so not true. Many are, but many are also from Repubs, just not the far right repubs. And when yall sy no one else has been attacked like this….have you forgotten that the Clinton’s were accused of murder??? Their daughter was called the “white house dog” by some, Hilary’s looks and clothing constantly attacked.Attacks are part of the game, and Palin can dish them out real well. She inflamed her audiences so much they were yelling out to “kill Obama”. Not once did she try to stop that. If she is going to dish them out, she needs to take it..even when they are untrue. Responding and reacting to every negative makes her look like a whiner. I don’t wish bad things for her, hope the rumors about a huge scandal are wrong. But she is not “poor Sarah”. She is strong and very calculating, and will be a multimillionaire very soon. No tears for her.

Jul 4, 2009 - 11:07 pm 154. jon:

When Michael Jackson died, there was a desperation felt by many to express how he was part of their lives, how he helped them identify some part of themselves that only a troubled and loving and artistic Michael Jackson seemed to understand, and a desire for all the negative stories to go away. Also, there were lots of bad jokes.

When Sarah Palin quit, there was a desperation felt by many to express how she was an important player in their conservative identity, how she helped identify some part of themselves that only an outdoorsy folksy down-to-earthy person such as Sarah seemed to get, and a desire to dismiss the negative stories swirling about. Also, there were lots of bad jokes.

The Queen of Pop(ulism) is dead. Long live whatever. Huzzah. Huzzah. Whatever.

Jul 5, 2009 - 7:46 am 155. Kabud:

To
152. Freedom is Just Another Word:

>I think she’s going to become a media mogul.
>She’s gong to be the next Rush for this party
——–
That would be nice. But i am not sure if she can talk that good. In my opinion Sarah’s image and appeal are tightly connected to her running with McCain in 2008

If you take it away plus her resignation- it is a whole different story

But she has a big chance in anything at the moment, may be she will turn all of it to her favour

I wish her luck

Jul 5, 2009 - 8:41 am 156. Joe:

On the flip side of Sullivan and MoDo’s schadenfreud, Ace laments the backlash on conservatives who think Palin made a bad move:

And I do think I am taking off the week. You guys only seem to want to talk about sarah palin and furthermore you only want to hear the same thing — she’s running, this is a great move, she’s now perfectly poised for the race, etc.

It’s nonsense. And I hardly need to blog about it, because you all seem to know the words to the song. So you don’t need me as part of the chorus. You can sing the same words well enough without me.

I am really tired of this relentless nonsense and occasional nastiness whenever someone is believed to have departed from the conservativey correct line.

Jul 5, 2009 - 10:45 am 157. Paul D.:

ditto TexEd above and may I add that she could have been just fed up with the David Lettermans and his ilk. Sarah Palin if nothing else is feisty and now that she has shed the restrictions of Chief Executive of the State of Alaska, she is free to respond and in essence take the fight to these brainless talking heads on TV and in print. The Obama administration has had little push back from Republicans in Washington DC and I sense there will be many more like Palin who are ready to stand up and fight for this country. And I say to her and hopefully others
Hit them hard and often!

Jul 5, 2009 - 1:20 pm 158. jbrookins:

I don’t think there is anything the disqualifies someone for President based on the current President and those running in last few elections.

Jul 5, 2009 - 3:12 pm 159. Cathleen:

Sarah Palin is no fool. She must have known that this move is political suicide, and made the decision anyway. Whatever it is, there is something going on in her life that is more important than high office. I do wish she weren’t so vague, though. Whatever the reason, it will surely come out at some point. Being mysterious just throws blood into the water and inflames the sharks.

I wish her and her family well. I hope we haven’t seen the last of her.

Jul 5, 2009 - 3:24 pm 160. mystercy:

I just read Sarah Palin’s resignation speech on her website (http://gov.state.ak.us). Wow what a powerful thinker! Just think, in 2012 she might be our point Gaurd and chief, leading us to freedom, VICTORY, smaller governmnet as usual and family values and like that.! I can only hope with GODs blessings and good old AMERICAN know-how ingenuity with patriots that are yearning to be free, like our Troops, that don’t quit because the full-court press that is streaming through this Great(!) country of ours, we have ta choose sides for our children and our family(s).
I hope she hunkers-down with W and stratigeries what it will take to get the best base in the business to move foward to victory!! Hell, I think she can make a run for the Whitehouse in 2010 with our support!!!

Jul 5, 2009 - 9:49 pm 161. sheesh:

161. mystercy: . . . Nicely done. Good pace, appropriately garbled syntax, genuine humor. Lost on folks around here for the most part. But don’t let that stop ya.

Jul 5, 2009 - 10:09 pm 162. ate mely:

Let’s wait and see who is stupid, stupid, stupid a year from now. And the reason does not matter.

Jul 5, 2009 - 11:30 pm 163. Rose from Ohio:

Mystercy,

Thanks for the laugh.

Not for what you obviously were trying to do, but for how badly you screwed it up.

Jul 6, 2009 - 3:38 am 164. Joe C.:

If I was a Palin-hater from the Media and McCain campaign, I’d be worried. This sounds more like a Charles Bronson “Deathwish” move than skulking into anonymity. Now she can do some damage of her own, and take over a weakened RNC. I think she’s going after Michael Steele’s job.

She righted the State of Alaska in only a couple of years, and turned it over to her hand-picked successor. The Palin camp is now freed from the bonds of political office and its required niceties to go on a truth telling spree, which will gain her cash and conservative cred. with options for the future. Target #1 should be John McCain — the candidate she saved from historic embarassment by signing on to his dysfunctional pathology of a campaign, only to have him turn on her.

Palin knows the truth: She brought this politically-decrepit gadfly to within weeks of a double-digit win, only to have him and his Keystone Kops of a campaign staff blow it with classically gutless “GOP moderate” aplomb, then try and hang it on her.

The Media already hates her, so that’s a wash; and making enemies of the GOP has-beens can only be a plus with Independents and Conservatives. It is about time that there is a Republican that is willing to play the “bloodsport” without conscience as the leftists do. It’s ironic that it may be a Conservative woman in the Thatcher mold that will revive the party of Lincoln and Reagan.

Jul 6, 2009 - 7:23 am 165. Oldguy:

Mrs Palin is now a private citizen and as such she frees up her legal team to bring libel suits against her enemies. By the time the presidential election rolls around she will have silenced her critics from spreading lies about her.
Watch it happen.

Jul 6, 2009 - 8:39 am 166. lica:

It doesn’t matter what Palin said in her speech. There will always be detractors to twist the words, meaning..etc

I hope she sues their drawers off and stuffs them in their mouths.

I could say all sorts of things like maybe Michelle looks pregnant all the time, Hillary looks like she has silly putty on her face, etcetcetc..The things said about Palin were seriously degrading and have no place in this country.

we have become a country of not caring what is said or how people are treated. Then one day you wake up and realize you have a government that laughs at you, takes your jobs and outsources them, raises your taxes, and then you’re not laughing because you allowed it to happen. You elected people that don’t give a flying fig about what you need.

If she does go for “blood sport” with the left…then we’re with her all the way!!! GO SARAH!!

Jul 6, 2009 - 10:07 am 167. What Everybody Ought to Know About Sarah Palin:

[...] Is Here to Stay,” “It’s Over,” “Playing the Victim,” “Maybe she has just had enough of the BS,” “Stupid, stupid, stupid,” and the list goes on [...]

Jul 6, 2009 - 10:10 am 168. Chris:

I hate to say it but I think Sara is damaged goods right now. Not that I don’t like her; I was impressed with her nomination speech and with her record in Alaska. It’s just that the Republicans have a reputation for choosing dark horse VP candidates (a la Dan Quayle) that no body knows anything about. That hands the media a blank canvas to paint whatever persona they want. It just takes a few sound bytes from a fumbled Katie Couric interview or a Tina Fey “I can see Russia from my house” skit to do irreparable to the candidate. Sara can repair this by being more visible in the public and spending more time in the “lower 48″. Perhaps she could run for a Senate or House seat. Perhaps that’s her plan. I hope she eventually returns to politics but I’m not sure 2012 will be the time for a presidential run.

The Republicans are at risk of fumbling a golden opportunity in the next 2-4 years. Obama’s downfall will be the economy and perhaps a foreign policy misadventure. They need to focus on this and try to find a viable candidate who appeals to a broader base than they have now. They are trying to pander to the social conservatives, dithering over which candidate supports creationism, and accusing certain party members of heresy because they have libertarian leanings. All the while driving away moderates and independents in droves. The party cannot survive if its leadership allows this to continue.

I think Sara can play a crucial role in getting the party to focus on the major issues and hopefully end the squabbling that is tearing the party apart. A third party is not a viable option. Our system is stacked against third parties. The last successful one was TR’s Bull Moose and that was more a cult following than a political movement.

Jul 6, 2009 - 11:03 am 169. shau-jan:

………..

Jul 6, 2009 - 4:14 pm 170. jonsey:

never say never.

I hope that woman becomes a millionaire at the expense of her critics and naysayers..

OH!!..and….kiss my grammar book!!

Jul 6, 2009 - 4:53 pm 171. jon:

Speculating about something isn’t libelous. She isn’t going to make a penny for anyone but her lawyers if she sues over people making suggestions about why she is leaving, how she ran the state, and whatever else a public official did or didn’t do. Opinions are protected speech, and all the stupid lawyer tricks in the world isn’t going to change that. It’s almost as if she’s a Scientologist or something. Maybe Greta Van Susterin got to her somehow. Come to think of it, if she gave her speech while jumping on Oprah’s sofa it would probably make more sense.

Jul 6, 2009 - 6:04 pm 172. Pat J:

So I just got back from camping and what do I hear? Sarah Palin is resigning? Why? I mean Blago was impeached after his dirty dealings. Mark Sanford is stil Governor of South Carolina despite adultery and job abandonment. So what’s going on here?

There are rumors of corruption in her administration. The key word is “rumors.” Troopergate is one thing. But I think Alaskans desrve to know why their governor decided to just up and quit on them. SOmething’s going on here. And she may be politically deader than both Blago and Sanford.

Jul 6, 2009 - 8:04 pm

Sorry, comments for this entry are closed at this time.