Palin resigns as governor of Alaska

[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.

[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

[//\/\/]

Originally Posted by Sarah

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/...econstruction/

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

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

[bryantm3]

Originally Posted by kagenaki koe

i like this breakdown of points in her speech:
http://nonrhotic.wordpress.com/2009/...econstruction/

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_p...er-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 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. 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.

[//\/\/]

Originally Posted by 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. 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'.