[TennesseeProfessor]

I don’t know how to put it more simply — if Palin aspires to elected office, then resigning elected office is the wrong idea.

[free me]

you no doubt have won or consulted on many winning campaigns. please regale us with tales of your success.

We are all a flutter awaiting your wisdom

[SolidWood]

Per her speech: The poltical climate has changed for the worse, and fighting outside of her office for American and Conservative values will be more effective. The doors she’s opened by her decision far outweigh the one she closed.

[Berlin_Freeper]

Palin’s political blueprint had already been altered when she accepted the invite to be on the McCain ticket. If they had won she would already be out of Alaska. So you are holding Palin to a standard that for her makes no sense.

[Lexinom]

Let's agree on the hypothetical premise: "Her aspiration is high office".

With that in mind, how does she get there?

Staying on in her current office would lead her to the foot of the next step. That is your thinking, right?

There's one tiny detail missing: circumstances. Her family was amassing a debt that, since late last year, has climbed to over $500,000, with no sign of change in rate. (We will leave aside the baseless nature of these charges for this discussion, and presume her innocence).

Now, let's call it six months, $500,000. At present accrual rate, you have three more $500,000 periods JUST TO HER RE-ELECTION in 2010. That's $1.5M in the hole. Take it out to 2012, that's $2.5M deficit in legal fees. Not a good way to start.

The political consideration: The political blood loss from so many wounds, cumulatively, as this fake charge or that one makes the news would bring the grim prospect of unrecoverability.

Thus, she stayed on, per conventional wisdom, and ends up deeply in debt and politically savaged. Not a good way to start a race!

Now, let us consider the alternative: Guerrilla warfare. She appears when she wishes, where she chooses, unshackled from the restraints incumbent on a governor, and the Left suddenly faces an enemy that attacks from nowhere, from the shadows, again, and again, and again. She begins the process of political payback.

Financially, she has adoring fans nationwide. She is a draw. These fans, loving her and having concern for her welfare, place money in the collection tray and not only wipe out the $500,000 debt, but begin building, bit by bit, a pretty substantial warchest.

Organizationally, she shuns conventional wisdom and instead goes outside the system. Remember Obama during the Primaries? You get the idea. She begins appearing at strategically-selected Tea Parties, and not only gets exposure herself (if she does this early), but awakens America from its slumber as it sees angry, energized, fired-up fellow Americans growing something BIG. "What is that? What is bothering them? Should I be concerned? Better yet, maybe I should be involved!"

You see how this works?

[Always Right]

I don’t know how to put it more simply — if Palin aspires to elected office, then resigning elected office is the wrong idea.

Ethically, it is the right thing to do. I hate politicians who collect a government paycheck for one office, while concentrating all their time running for another.

[LibLieSlayer]

... or not.

LLS

[jla]

if Palin aspires to elected office, then resigning elected office is the wrong idea.

How so? Please expound.

I don’t know how to put it more simply - Sarah Palin asked us to "trust" her; that all was "good". And that, is good enough for me.