Palin resigns as governor of Alaska

[cured]

Her 2012 hopes are all but finished. She couldn't complete one term as Alaska's governor.

[bryantm3]

that's not exactly why she resigned... she's got some strange idea in mind that she believes will help her in 2012, but i can't help but feel this adds to her completely inept public image.

[Troy McClure]

Text of the soon-to-be-ex-Governor's speech:

http://www.gov.state.ak.us/exec-column.php

Quote: 'Nah, only dead fish "go with the flow"'.

Lots of CAPS for emphasis in her text, also. It shouldn't be considered a good trait to quit your current job, if you wish to run for president.

Jason

[cacophony]

i can't decide whether i'm excited or afraid to see the first national public opinion poll of her as a presidential candidate, following this announcement.

[cacophony]

also if the GOP goes for this i will laugh and laugh and laugh. it reeks of an ill-informed marketing ploy. like "voters went with a moderate level of inexperience last time, surely they'll go for devastatingly minimal experience this time!"

it's like the deodorant i saw at the store this evening. it was regular old secret solid but the cap now has a sticker on it that says, "for life's OMG moments." like a bunch of marketing people got in a room and said, "what is it all the kids are saying these days? OMG? okay let's put it on our tube of pitwax and teens will surely buy it!"

and those same people went to work for the GOP and came up with the bombshell idea to have palin quit her first and only term holding any office of significant decision making.

[Sean]

Wow. Just read the text. She really fancies herself a martyr in doing this! And she oughtta look into getting a new speech writer. Whoever wrote this appears to still be working on their G.E.D.

I was glad to see that even some Republican strategists pegged this move for what it is. According to Ed Rollins, this makes her look "terribly inept." Although at the same time, Mary Matalin called the choice "really brilliant."

Oh well. We'll see how it all plays out, but hopefully, it's just another nail in her political coffin when all's said and done.

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

OMG?


I think it stands for Olympic Miracle Gonads. Although, I did see an experimental film titled "Olivia Meats George" too.

[Future Proof]

She is an absolute flake, and has signed the death warrant for her political career with this move. For example:

I’ve determined it’s best to transfer the authority of governor to Lieutenant Governor Parnell; and I am willing to do so, so that this administration – with its positive agenda, its accomplishments, and its successful road to an incredible future – can continue without interruption and with great administrative and legislative success.This quote is in direct reference to the fact that once she got the scope shoved straight up her ass because she was tagged for VP -- and perhaps a heart attack away from the presidency -- it cost Alaska money. 15 ethics probes, boo friggin' hoo. And yes, she was exonerated on all of them. So, instead of finishing her term, as she absolutely should have, she's veiled her lust for the Oval Office by saying that since she cost Alaska money that it'd be better if she wasn't governor at all.

First off, it's pretty obvious to see that this will turn out to be a big lie, that being her motives. How absurdly amazing to see them surmise how dumb the republic will be, as if we're going to forget that she turned her back on her sworn responsibilities. Does she not think that the Democrats will remind everyone at every turn about this? Who the hell are her advisers anyway for this?

Yea, good luck with your new direction change Sarah, I'm sure that all Alaskans will appreciate it when the truth comes out. The truth being, this has nothing to do with Alaska at all, but grovelling for power. And I feel bad about the intellectual conservatives that will have to stare at this terribly unqualified maladroit every time they investigate what the Republican party is doing to push along their ideals. But then again, I think the GOP doesn't really have many intellectuals in their ranks anymore. Just people like my dad who, God rest his soul, thought Palin was a great choice for VP because "she's spunky!"

I just hope Palin doesn't chase the presidency. I hope she sits back and lets someone with brains get the nomination.

[cacophony]

just read the transcript. this is as far as i got:

http://i41.tinypic.com/2yl6a92.jpg

[bryantm3]

some quotes of questionable grammar and intent:

"But he endured such ridicule and mocking for his vision for Alaska, remember the adversaries scoffed, calling this "Seward's Folly".

"We’re strategic IN the world as the air crossroads OF the world, as a gatekeeper of the continent."

"We held the line FOR Alaskans on Point Thomson – and finally for the first time in decades – they’re drilling for oil and gas."

"TWO huge U.S. Supreme Court reversals came down against that liberal Ninth Circuit" -hahaha
*((Gotta put First Things First))*
dance time?

by the way, this was where i was talking about her reasoning for resigning (hey, alliteration!):
In the words of General MacArthur said, “We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”

I'd like to argue against this point with the principles of keynesian economics... which has been popular for about 80 years...
I resisted those dollars because of the obscene national debt we’re forcing our children to pay, because of today’s Big Government spending; it’s immoral and doesn’t even make economic sense!

that being said i don't disagree with most of what she's saying. the government is too big. however, her actions do not reflect her statements, for example, to make sure everyone remembered her in wasilla, she used eminent domain to take property from a landowner and build a sports complex with taxpayer dollars. doesn't sound like conserving money to me. secondly, she used her government position to try and fire a state trooper that her sister had a family dispute with. she doesn't sound like such a conservative to me. plus the fact that she is apparently entirely unaware of any international, or even national issues that go on around her makes me lose any respect i may have had for her based on her positions alone (and no, i'm not talking about her legs. those are a different issue entirely).

[bryantm3]

it's like the deodorant i saw at the store this evening. it was regular old secret solid but the cap now has a sticker on it that says, "for life's OMG moments." like a bunch of marketing people got in a room and said, "what is it all the kids are saying these days? OMG? okay let's put it on our tube of pitwax and teens will surely buy it!"

hahahahaha...

[Future Proof]

http://www.examiner.com/x-4107-Gay--Lesbian-Issues-Examiner~y2009m7d3-Sarah-Palin-said-to-be-facing-federal-indictment-for-embezzlement?cid=exrss-Gay--Lesbian-Issues-Examiner (http://www.examiner.com/x-4107-Gay--Lesbian-Issues-Examiner%7Ey2009m7d3-Sarah-Palin-said-to-be-facing-federal-indictment-for-embezzlement?cid=exrss-Gay--Lesbian-Issues-Examiner)

Loose sources at the moment, but intriguing. Perhaps this is what she meant when she said that she wanted to help America -- if she lands in a federal prison then she'll be in capivity with Americans hailing from many states... ;)

[//\/\/]

you only become a 'lame-duck' when you're into your final term. anybody calling themselves a 'lame-duck' half way into a first term is simply 'lame'. she's bailing out.

that speech is also totally bizarre. she's scarier than bush ever was - playing the politics of stupid. if you want to see how it plays with her 'base' - check the resignation comments thread at malkin:eek:

"anybody who can shoot and skin a moose gets my vote..." nice to know democracy's in good hands, ain't it?

[Deckard]

she's scarier than bush ever was - playing the politics of stupid.
Sums it up perfectly.

I'm hearing lots of opponents urging her to run in 2012 in the belief that it will destroy the Repubs' chances.

Honestly, I wish I could be so confident. (That's even without a terrorist outrage or something else occurring in the intervening period to boost the chances of politicians with simplistic messages)

[kagenaki koe]

i'd like to dedicate a song for Sarah Palin..."I hope you have the time of your life....":D

[cacophony]

thanks, american media:

http://i44.tinypic.com/sg4u8z.jpg

[Deckard]

I often check cnn.com and feel utterly bewildered by their bizarre 'news' priorities.

They make an already unenticing homepage even worse by turning some survey or poll or 'CNN investigation' or highly localized human interest fluff their lead story.

[Future Proof]

thanks, american media:

http://i44.tinypic.com/sg4u8z.jpg

Very unfitting for the liberal media, if you believed everything that Sarah Palin told us then every news outlet should be running wild with her story and preparing for a witch trial!

God I hate Sarah Palin, I seriously am hoping for a bad ending for this so it erases her completely off the political map, even if it means listening to the media drone on and on about it for a couple of weeks.

[Strangelet]

I got a minute in before the gag reflex hit. She honestly sounds like she moonlights as the voice over walmart speakers calling attention to an exciting sale of kathy lee gifford clothing over in the women's section.

[cacophony]

i've been reading quite a bit of commentary about this and there are two camps of speculation:

1) she made the announcement on the evening before july 4th to disappear into the nation's biggest news hole and dodge a lot of media attention.

2) she timed the announcement for the opposite effect, to dominate what is otherwise a typically soft-news cycle.

interestingly i'm not sure either theory pans out. look at google trends:

1. 4th of july
2. nathan s hot dog eating contest
3. joey chestnut
4. wimbledon finals 2009
5. staples center michael jackson tickets
6. sarah palin federal indictment
7. independence day quotes
8. kobayashi
9. happy 4th of july myspace comments
10. declaration of independence text

she's beat out by july 4th, wimbledon, and two entries for a hotdog eating contest. theory #2 doesn't really pan out for her if that really was her intention. and as for theory #1, that doesn't really pan out either because the trended term in the top 10 is about federal indictment charges, which are only rumored in the most tenuous way, but the concept is still dominating the most popular search term containing her name.

and remember, this is google. even our moms know how to use google. this isn't like trended topics on daily kos.

also, for any non-american members who really want to know what 4th of july means in america, the full google trends list is wonderful:

http://www.google.com/trends/hottrends?sa=X

i see homemade ice cream, flag cake, and costco hours on there.

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

I don't know about you ma, but, the 4th of July...it's all about the whiskey for me. And T-bones.

[Deckard]

Andrew Sullivan makes a good point about this juncture...

"In some ways, this is a moment to reflect on McCain, and his irresponsibility, not Palin and her drama."

I'm still waiting to hear his remorse for that monumental lack of judgment.

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

She, as a woman, is being used as the scapegoat for their failure.

wink, wink, wink. Not like that.

[cacophony]

Andrew Sullivan makes a good point about this juncture...

"In some ways, this is a moment to reflect on McCain, and his irresponsibility, not Palin and her drama."

I'm still waiting to hear his remorse for that monumental lack of judgment.
oh you didn't hear? he came out sometime in the last couple of months and publicly said he regretted choosing her as his running mate. then when asked if he thought she was an appropriate choice for president, he said no.

[Sean]

oh you didn't hear? he came out sometime in the last couple of months and publicly said he regretted choosing her as his running mate. then when asked if he thought she was an appropriate choice for president, he said no.
Did he really? Because I've been waiting too...

[Deckard]

oh you didn't hear? he came out sometime in the last couple of months and publicly said he regretted choosing her as his running mate. then when asked if he thought she was an appropriate choice for president, he said no.
Serious?

[//\/\/]

hey folks! i'm just like that bush fella too! i got a higher callin' (http://www.foxnews.com/politics/2009/07/04/palin-links-resignation-higher-calling/) just like he did!

:eek::rolleyes:

[cacophony]

:eek::rolleyes:

...with the aim of uniting the country along conservative lines.

um.. what? i dare that phrase to make less sense.

i can't remember enough specifics about what mccain said to successfully google it but i remember he dodged around the issue of whether he thought palin was a good choice following the election and while on the one hand he stood by his decision, on the other hand he made weirdly conflicting remarks about his opinion regarding her qualifications to hold the office of presidency.

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

um.. what? i dare that phrase to make less sense.

i can't remember enough specifics about what mccain said to successfully google it but i remember he dodged around the issue of whether he thought palin was a good choice following the election and while on the one hand he stood by his decision, on the other hand he made weirdly conflicting remarks about his opinion regarding her qualifications to hold the office of presidency.

Hey, now-a-daze ANYTHING'S possible.

I'm just waiting for the Mayor's Gone Wild video series. I want one of those one's who get nekked and drunk too. They don't seem to have been effected by the recession one little bit. I mean, it's just a never ending party with those guys. Aaah, nice to have someone to fall back on influencing our culture & all..

[Sean]

http://www.examiner.com/x-4107-Gay--Lesbian-Issues-Examiner~y2009m7d3-Sarah-Palin-said-to-be-facing-federal-indictment-for-embezzlement?cid=exrss-Gay--Lesbian-Issues-Examiner (http://www.examiner.com/x-4107-Gay--Lesbian-Issues-Examiner%7Ey2009m7d3-Sarah-Palin-said-to-be-facing-federal-indictment-for-embezzlement?cid=exrss-Gay--Lesbian-Issues-Examiner)

Loose sources at the moment, but intriguing. Perhaps this is what she meant when she said that she wanted to help America -- if she lands in a federal prison then she'll be in capivity with Americans hailing from many states... ;)Makes sense strategically that she's framing herself as the victim of frivolous accusations so much that she's resigning for the good of the state. And then if federal charges are brought against her, she's in a position to just say "see? They're out to get me!"

[cacophony]

republicans have made an art form out of self-victimization. it's all about being haves who are victimized by the have-nots.

[Troy McClure]

This is her Facebook updated note that references that news media outlets are reporting her 'higher calling':

Dated July 4 1:55pm

"On this Independence Day, I am so very proud of all those who have chosen to serve our great nation and I honor their selflessness and the sacrifices of their families, too.

If I may, I would like to take a moment to reflect on the last 24 hours and share my thoughts with you.

First, I want to thank you for your support and hard work on the values we share. Those values led me to the decision my family and I made. Yesterday, my family and I announced a decision that is in Alaska’s best interest and it always feels good to do what is right. We have accomplished more during this one term than most governors do in two – and I am proud of the great team that helped to build these wonderful successes. Energy independence and national security, fiscal restraint, smaller government, and local control have been my priorities and will remain my priorities.

For months now, I have consulted with friends and family, and with the Lieutenant Governor, about what is best for our wonderful state. I even made a few administrative changes over that course in time in preparation for yesterday. We have accomplished so much and there’s much more to do, but my family and I determined after prayerful consideration that sacrificing my title helps Alaska most. And once I decided not to run for re-election, my decision was that much easier – I’ve never been one to waste time or resources. Those who know me know this is the right decision and obvious decision at that, including Senator John McCain. I thank him for his kind, insightful comments.

The response in the main stream media has been most predictable, ironic, and as always, detached from the lives of ordinary Americans who are sick of the “politics of personal destruction”. How sad that Washington and the media will never understand; it’s about country. And though it's honorable for countless others to leave their positions for a higher calling and without finishing a term, of course we know by now, for some reason a different standard applies for the decisions I make. But every American understands what it takes to make a decision because it’s right for all, including your family.

I shared with you yesterday my heartfelt and candid reasons for this change; I’ve never thought I needed a title before one’s name to forge progress in America. I am now looking ahead and how we can advance this country together with our values of less government intervention, greater energy independence, stronger national security, and much-needed fiscal restraint. I hope you will join me. Now is the time to rebuild and help our nation achieve greatness!

God bless you! And I look forward to making a difference – with you!

Sarah "

Part of me thinks this was written before her announcement. I apologize in advance if your head explodes trying to read this.
Jason

[//\/\/]

I’ve never been one to waste time or resources

...what about your vp candidacy? that swallowed up so much of your 'first term' and was an incredible waste of time!

[kagenaki koe]

i like this breakdown of points in her speech:
http://nonrhotic.wordpress.com/2009/07/05/the-resignation-speech-of-sarah-palin-a-deconstruction/

1. Defending myself against claims of ethics violations by political operatives is distracting me from doing my job as governor. Therefore, I resign.

2. Life is short. Time is too precious to waste. I am wasting my time as governor. Therefore, I resign to make better use of my time.

3. I am expected to serve out the term I was elected for. But that would make me a quitter. Therefore, I am quitting because I don’t want to be a quitter.

4. I want to help people. I now realize that I don’t need the title of Governor to do that. Therefore I will do away with my superfluous title of Governor.

5. I have decided not to seek reelection. Lame duck governors milk the system by traveling around and neglecting their state’s politics. That is wrong. The best option once one decides not to run for reelection is to desert one’s post. Therefore, I quit.

6. The political environment in Alaska has turned on me. I want to take a stand. Therefore, I am resigning to take a stand against those who wish me out of office.

7. I want to pursue my priorities for Alaska and America on a bigger scale. Being Governor is holding me back. Therefore I will quit so that I might better serve as a citizen.

8. I am Alaska’s governor in title only. This is wasting taxpayer’s time and money. While some may endorse my charade, I oppose it. Therefore, I resign.

9. My children told me to resign, primarily because an adult said something nasty about their handicapped brother Trig. An emphatic cuss-word used by one of my kids convinced me that they were right.

10. Even though I am opposed to governors milking the state for unnecessary travel, a recent trip I took to visit wounded soldiers in Kosovo and Landstuhl showed me that their work is of national importance and real while my work as Governor is local and superficial. Therefore I will quit because I want to do something national and real.

11. I believe “no more politics as usual” is good. Deserting my post is highly unusual. Therefore deserting my post is good. So I quit.

[BeautifulBurnout]

Great analysis, Kaganaki. That really is the long and the short of it.

Her lawyers appear to be getting a bit antsy about the allegations that she might be under investigation for fraud too. Lawyers only start threatening the big guns where there is something to get antsy about, usually. If it was bollocks, she would come out with a statement saying it is bollocks, not pay money to people to start threatening libel writs....

But that's just my take on it... ;)

[Deckard]

The FBI, in a rare response to rampant rumors on the Internet, said it is not investigating Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on public corruption charges (http://www.cnn.com/2009/POLITICS/07/06/sarah.palin.fbi/index.html)

Either way, her 'explanation' is no less laughable.

[bryantm3]

i like this breakdown of points in her speech:
http://nonrhotic.wordpress.com/2009/07/05/the-resignation-speech-of-sarah-palin-a-deconstruction/

1. Defending myself against claims of ethics violations by political operatives is distracting me from doing my job as governor. Therefore, I resign.

2. Life is short. Time is too precious to waste. I am wasting my time as governor. Therefore, I resign to make better use of my time.

3. I am expected to serve out the term I was elected for. But that would make me a quitter. Therefore, I am quitting because I don’t want to be a quitter.

4. I want to help people. I now realize that I don’t need the title of Governor to do that. Therefore I will do away with my superfluous title of Governor.

5. I have decided not to seek reelection. Lame duck governors milk the system by traveling around and neglecting their state’s politics. That is wrong. The best option once one decides not to run for reelection is to desert one’s post. Therefore, I quit.

6. The political environment in Alaska has turned on me. I want to take a stand. Therefore, I am resigning to take a stand against those who wish me out of office.

7. I want to pursue my priorities for Alaska and America on a bigger scale. Being Governor is holding me back. Therefore I will quit so that I might better serve as a citizen.

8. I am Alaska’s governor in title only. This is wasting taxpayer’s time and money. While some may endorse my charade, I oppose it. Therefore, I resign.

9. My children told me to resign, primarily because an adult said something nasty about their handicapped brother Trig. An emphatic cuss-word used by one of my kids convinced me that they were right.

10. Even though I am opposed to governors milking the state for unnecessary travel, a recent trip I took to visit wounded soldiers in Kosovo and Landstuhl showed me that their work is of national importance and real while my work as Governor is local and superficial. Therefore I will quit because I want to do something national and real.

11. I believe “no more politics as usual” is good. Deserting my post is highly unusual. Therefore deserting my post is good. So I quit.

that's very funny, but when the author states sarah palin should've said:

“The pressure of publicity brought to bear on me and my family since last August are beyond my ability to cope, no less govern. Therefore, I resign.”

Saying this would have confirmed Governor Palin’s limitations as a politician but redeemed her integrity as a human being. Had Sarah Palin the courage to make that 27-word speech then she would have been living up to her credo of “no more politics as usual”. Lacking that courage she couched her resignation waste-deep in 2,571 words of empty political rhetoric, transparent positioning and populist prattle. Politics as usual. Her constituents deserved better from her.

it's fairly obvious that the author wants to see her fall flat on her face. had she said that, everyone would continue to think that sarah palin was whiny and that she needs to deal with being judged once on the national spotlight.

[cured]

A bit from an old campaign manager of hers:

http://blogs.tnr.com/tnr/blogs/the_plank/archive/2009/07/03/tnr-exclusive-palin-s-ex-campaign-manager-reacts.aspx
I kind of expected it. How is she going to run for president if people keep nagging at her in Alaska? ... Republicans probably had a hand in it. [Democratic State Senator] Hollis French--her nemesis on most of these issues, Troopergate--he announced (http://www.ktuu.com/Global/story.asp?S=10629202) an interest in running for governor yesterday or the day before. They probably want to get [Lieutenant Governor and fellow Republican] Sean Parnell set up to run for governor with a little recognition under his belt, and she runs for president anyway.
So you don't think she's done with politics--that she's just throwing in the towel?
Absolutely no way in hell. Hell will freeze over before that happens. She’s like a bloodhound. Once she gets the scent, she's never going to let it go. She gets what she wants or dies trying. She wants to be president now that she has a following. ... The thing is with Sarah, she craves adoration. And the people that were sitting there at those rallies adored her. They would walk across coals for that woman. ... Once you have a taste of that--it's like a wild dog getting a taste of rabbit. You never ever go back. Nothing is ever the same, tastes as good …
So do you think it's a case of--whenever she travels outside of Alaska, she's beloved; but whenever she's back in Alaska, she's mired in various ethics scandals and political stalemates? Maybe she just decided, I don't need this abuse...
I think it's more than that. When she comes to Alaska, everyone calls her "Sarah." Out there she’s governor--almost president-elect. She’s not Sarah. They introduce her with pomp and circumstance. Build her ego up, do that whole thing. Here, she comes back, she runs into a buch of Alaskans. It's humbling. It's nothing big to us. They don’t mind calling you on the carpet. It's nothing special. She's just one of us. But she decided she wasn’t going to be one of us…

Do you think she would have resigned if some major scandal were about to break? Would that be her likely response to something like that?

She's too stubborn to allow that. She would have just said, 'Bring it on.'

[Sean]

Very interesting interview, Cured. Thanks for linking it.

And a new poll has just come out showing that Palin's resignation has had no negative impact on the Republican view of her - in fact, she's gotten a little bump in polls since then (http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-07-07-palin-poll_N.htm?poe=HFMostPopular). It's not surprising, but it's still an interesting phenomenon to me that so many people are so willing to ignore glaring faults like this. I really don't understand it. I guess a certain portion can be written off to ignorance, but a large percentage seems to involve willful compromising of values and standards just to pull for someone who's on the same team, no matter how flawed they are.

[//\/\/]

Very interesting interview, Cured. Thanks for linking it.

And a new poll has just come out showing that Palin's resignation has had no negative impact on the Republican view of her - in fact, she's gotten a little bump in polls since then (http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-07-07-palin-poll_N.htm?poe=HFMostPopular). It's not surprising, but it's still an interesting phenomenon to me that so many people are so willing to ignore glaring faults like this. I really don't understand it. I guess a certain portion can be written off to ignorance, but a large percentage seems to involve willful compromising of values and standards just to pull for someone who's on the same team, no matter how flawed they are.

...a third view, that you can pick up from reading the likes of malkin, coulter and hannity is that palin represents Conservatism - they're invoking the spirit of ronnie raygun and saying she's just like him. she's just the type of no-nonsense, go-get-em type gal that doesn't need things like an intellect...

however, ronnie had the party behind him to pull the strings - they're cutting hers as fast as is humanly possible. the only way i can see her running in 2012 is as an independant - and she'll be shot to even more pieces with both parties on her case and only fringe bloggers fighting her 'cause'.

[cured]

The big problem for Palin is she isn't going to be starting her campaign against Barack Obama...she'll be starting it against the likes of Gingrich and Romney and Huckabee, who will have no problem tearing her to shreds.

If she manages to get through that, Obama will shred her like he did McCain in the debates, as planned as they are.

Another theory I read was the McCain camp essentially asked her to get out of the spotlight or they'd blow the whistle on her activities as a running mate. That's doubtful, though.

[//\/\/]

the big problem for palin is palin, and always will be.

[cacophony]

Very interesting interview, Cured. Thanks for linking it.

And a new poll has just come out showing that Palin's resignation has had no negative impact on the Republican view of her - in fact, she's gotten a little bump in polls since then (http://www.usatoday.com/news/washington/2009-07-07-palin-poll_N.htm?poe=HFMostPopular). It's not surprising, but it's still an interesting phenomenon to me that so many people are so willing to ignore glaring faults like this. I really don't understand it. I guess a certain portion can be written off to ignorance, but a large percentage seems to involve willful compromising of values and standards just to pull for someone who's on the same team, no matter how flawed they are.
it's in direct opposition of other issues-based polls that support actions like withdrawal from iraq, which she was deadset against, and obama's high approval rating.

so on the one hand you've got people answering one way on issues, but on the other hand a portion of those people are still supporting palin, who runs counter to those opinions.

it speaks volumes about the confusion of the party.

[cacophony]

interesting poll discussed in this link i got off of fivethirtyeight.com

link (http://www.religiondispatches.org/archive/1630/beyond_the_spin%3A_palin_hurt_the_gop%2C_according _to_the_numbers)

So what explains the large gap for many between identifying with Palin’s values and supporting her as a candidate? Part of the explanation certainly has to be her many now-famous stumbles, public gaffes, and lack of knowledge about key policies. But there is another important explanation. There is mounting evidence that the American electorate is turning away from so-called “values voter” wedge politics that Palin represented (recall that Palin launched her career by using an anti-abortion rights hit piece against her opponent in the Wasilla mayoral race, an historically non-partisan position).

In our post-election survey, an overwhelming majority (73%) of American voters agreed that “people of faith should advocate for policies that protect the interests of all and promote the common good” compared to only 22% who preferred pursuing “policies that protect their values and way of life.” By a nearly 2-to-1 margin, those favoring a common good politics said Palin’s addition made them less likely to support the GOP ticket (27% less likely vs. 15% more likely).

[Troy McClure]

I've been following the comedic stylings of Governor Palin's Twitter postings: http://twitter.com/AKGovSarahPalin

There was this gem last night:

http://twitter.com/AKGovSarahPalin/status/2564447454 :
'Anxious for Fairbanks radio visit tomorrow re: 2nd Amendment! We have rockin' surprise guest. Candidly, I love radio vs some newspapers bc..'

http://twitter.com/AKGovSarahPalin/status/2564482115
'...."Most newspapermen by definition have to be liberal; if they're not, by my definition, they can hardly be good newspapermen" W. Cronkite'

No idea why she posted that quote which just happens to be from the June 1973 issue of Playboy....http://www.stinque.com/2009/07/10/signs-of-the-apocalypse-fact-checking-sarah-palins-tweets/

It's also taken completely out of context...no surprise there though.

Jason

[kagenaki koe]

Crazy Johnny Mac talks about how Palin's quitting is Leadership:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/12/mccain-palins-resignation_n_230178.html

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

And everyone's *just started* scratching their heads?

That speaks loads in itself.

[IsiliRunite]

Does anyone else believe she isn't taking politics as seriously as she could?

[jOHN rODRIGUEZ]

Ha! chuckle, chuckle. Considering what current politics look like, yes, I do.

[Deckard]

I'm sure several of you have already picked up on it, but I think it's worth repeating - from former Republican speechwriter Peggy Noonan:

In television interviews she was out of her depth in a shallow pool. She was limited in her ability to explain and defend her positions, and sometimes in knowing them. She couldn't say what she read because she didn't read anything. She was utterly unconcerned by all this and seemed in fact rather proud of it: It was evidence of her authenticity. She experienced criticism as both partisan and cruel because she could see no truth in any of it. She wasn't thoughtful enough to know she wasn't thoughtful enough. Her presentation up to the end has been scattered, illogical, manipulative and self-referential to the point of self-reverence. "I'm not wired that way," "I'm not a quitter," "I'm standing up for our values." I'm, I'm, I'm.

It continues magnificently here (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124716984620819351.html).

(edit - this is post-resignation, from a couple of days ago)

[Sean]

Crazy Johnny Mac talks about how Palin's quitting is Leadership:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2009/07/12/mccain-palins-resignation_n_230178.html

I find it hard to put into adequate words how McCain's decision to bring Palin into the national spotlight absolutely shattered the respect I once had for him.

I'm sure several of you have already picked up on it, but I think it's worth repeating - from former Republican speechwriter Peggy Noonan:

It continues magnificently here (http://online.wsj.com/article/SB124716984620819351.html).

(edit - this is post-resignation, from a couple of days ago)My favorite snippet from the section where she repeats Republican claims and then responds to them:

"She makes the Republican Party look inclusive." She makes the party look stupid...

[Sean]

It's official! (http://politicalticker.blogs.cnn.com/2009/07/26/palin-steps-down-as-alaska-governor/) Yay!

Now we just have to hear about every stupid twitter she sends out since that seems to be how she plans to "fight even harder" for all of us. :(

[Sean]

Nice little button to the resignation story (http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090904/ap_on_re_us/us_palin_resignation_cost). Looks like Palin resigning cost the state of Alaska at least $40,000, and that doesn't include "the estimated $100,000 it cost for a one-day special session last month in which lawmakers approved Palin's pick to replace Parnell as lieutenant governor and overrode her veto of federal stimulus funds intended for energy efficiency projects."

Of course she was only doing what's best for the state... :rolleyes: