Posted on 07/14/2009 10:14:57 AM PDT by DFG
If there is a lesson to be learned from Sarah Palin's withdrawal from public office, it is this: if you want to take out a female politician, you go after her children.
There is likely no one and single reason for Palin's withdrawal, and she cited a bunch of them in her disorganized "you won't have Sarah Palin to kick around anymore" speech. But two things seem to explain most logically Palin's behavior: she was ground down by the unusually vitriolic campaign waged against her, and the aspect of that campaign that did the most damage was the attacks on her children.
(Excerpt) Read more at baseballcrank.com ...
That statement comes from Richard Nixon, after he had lost the Presidency to John Kennedy, and then the governorship of California to Pat Brown. He snarled that comment to the press who came for his political wake.
A competent reporter would have looked at another aspect of Nixon's career. In the following years, he went to every part of the nation, on the rubber chicken circuit, supporting and raising money for local and state politicians. He started piling up his chits. That led to the nomination and then election as President.
Palin hasn't quit politics. She has just changed her venue to the Lower 48. See my article on FR, "The Map-Based Answer to the Palin Question."
Congressman Billybob
I have been wondering if she is watching to see if the Tea Party et al movement grows into a third party by 2012.
Here is the speech...The part about the lame duck stuff is probably the weakest, but it was a small secondary point that she did not spend much time on.
Palin: Let me speak to that for a minute.
Political operatives descended on Alaska last August, digging for dirt. The ethics law I championed became their weapon of choice. Over the past nine months I’ve been accused of all sorts of frivolous ethics violations - such as holding a fish in a photograph, wearing a jacket with a logo on it, and answering reporters’ questions.
Every one - all 15 of the ethics complaints have been dismissed. We’ve won! But it hasn’t been cheap - the State has wasted THOUSANDS of hours of YOUR time and shelled out some two million of YOUR dollars to respond to “opposition research” - that’s money NOT going to fund teachers or troopers - or safer roads. And this political absurdity, the “politics of personal destruction” ... Todd and I are looking at more than half a million dollars in legal bills in order to set the record straight. And what about the people who offer up these silly accusations? It doesn’t cost them a dime so they’re not going to stop draining public resources - spending other peoples’ money in their game.
It’s pretty insane - my staff and I spend most of our day dealing with THIS instead of progressing our state now. I know I promised no more “politics as usual,” but THIS isn’t what anyone had in mind for ALASKA.
If I have learned one thing: LIFE is about choices!
And one chooses how to react to circumstances. You can choose to engage in things that tear down, or build up. I choose to work very hard on a path for fruitfulness and productivity. I choose NOT to tear down and waste precious time; but to build UP this state and our country, and her industrious, generous, patriotic, free people!
Life is too short to compromise time and resources... it may be tempting and more comfortable to just keep your head down, plod along, and appease those who demand: “Sit down and shut up”, but that’s the worthless, easy path; that’s a quitter’s way out. And a problem in our country today is apathy. It would be apathetic to just hunker down and “go with the flow”.
Nah, only dead fish “go with the flow”.
No. Productive, fulfilled people determine where to put their efforts, choosing to wisely utilize precious time... to BUILD UP.
And there is such a need to BUILD up and FIGHT for our state and our country. I choose to FIGHT for it! And I’ll work hard for others who still believe in free enterprise and smaller government; strong national security for our country and support for our troops; energy independence; and for those who will protect freedom and equality and LIFE... I’ll work for and campaign for those PROUD to be American, and those who are INSPIRED by our ideals and won’t deride them.
I WILL support others who seek to serve, in or out of office, for the RIGHT reasons, and I don’t care what party they’re in or no party at all. Inside Alaska - or Outside Alaska.
But I won’t do it from the Governor’s desk.
I’ve never believed that I, nor anyone else, needs a title to do this - to make a difference... to HELP people. So I choose, for my State and my family, more “freedom” to progress, all the way around... so that Alaska may progress... I will not seek re-election as Governor.
And so as I thought about this announcement that I wouldn’t run for re-election and what it means for Alaska, I thought about how much fun some governors have as lame ducks... travel around the state, to the Lower 48 (maybe), overseas on international trade - as so many politicians do. And then I thought - that’s what’s wrong - many just accept that lame duck status, hit the road, draw the paycheck, and “milk it”. I’m not putting Alaska through that - I promised efficiencies and effectiveness! ? That’s not how I am wired. I am not wired to operate under the same old “politics as usual.” I promised that four years ago - and I meant it.
It’s not what is best for Alaska.
I am determined to take the right path for Alaska even though it is unconventional and not so comfortable.
With this announcement that I am not seeking re-election... 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.
My choice is to take a stand and effect change - not hit our heads against the wall and watch valuable state time and money, millions of your dollars, go down the drain in this new environment. Rather, we know we can effect positive change outside government at this moment in time, on another scale, and actually make a difference for our priorities - and so we will, for Alaskans and for Americans.
Let me go back to a comfortable analogy for me - sports... basketball. I use it because you’re naïve if you don’t see the national full-court press picking away right now: A good point guard drives through a full court press, protecting the ball, keeping her eye on the basket... and she knows exactly when to pass the ball so that the team can WIN. And I’m doing that - keeping our eye on the ball that represents sound priorities - smaller government, energy independence, national security, freedom! And I know when it’s time to pass the ball - for victory.
I have given my reasons candidly and truthfully... and my last day won’t be for another few weeks so the transition will be very smooth. In fact, we will look to swear Sean in - in Fairbanks at the conclusion of our Governor’s picnics.
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”.
Some Alaskans don’t mind wasting public dollars and state time. I do. I cannot stand here as your Governor and allow millions upon millions of our dollars go to waste just so I can hold the title of Governor. And my children won’t allow it either. ? Some will question the timing. ? Let’s just say, this decision has been in the works for awhile...
In fact, this decision comes after much consideration, and finally polling the most important people in my life - my children (where the count was unanimous... well, in response to asking: “Want me to make a positive difference and fight for ALL our children’s future from OUTSIDE the Governor’s office?” It was four “yes’s” and one “hell yeah!” The “hell yeah” sealed it - and someday I’ll talk about the details of that... I think much of it had to do with the kids seeing their baby brother Trig mocked by some pretty mean-spirited adults recently.) Um, by the way, sure wish folks could ever, ever understand that we ALL could learn so much from someone like Trig - I know he needs me, but I need him even more... what a child can offer to set priorities RIGHT - that time is precious... the world needs more “Trigs”, not fewer.
My decision was also fortified during this most recent trip to Kosovo and Landstuhl, to visit our wounded soldiers overseas, those who sacrifice themselves in war for OUR freedom and security... we can ALL learn from our selfless Troops... they’re bold, they don’t give up, they take a stand and know that LIFE is short so they choose to NOT waste time. They choose to be productive and to serve something greater than SELF... and to build up their families, their states, our country. These Troops and their important missions - those are truly the worthy causes in this world and should be the public priority with time and resources and NOT this local / superficial wasteful political bloodsport.
May we ALL learn from them!
*((Gotta put First Things First))*
First things first: as Governor, I love my job and I love Alaska. It hurts to make this choice but I am doing what’s best for Alaska. I’ve explained why... though I think of the saying on my parents’ refrigerator that says “Don’t explain: your friends don’t need it and your enemies won’t believe you anyway.”
But I have given my reasons... no more “politics as usual” and I am taking my fight for what’s right - for Alaska - in a new direction.
Now, despite this, I don’t want any Alaskan dissuaded from entering politics after seeing this REAL “climate change” that began in August... no, we NEED hardworking, average Americans fighting for what’s right! And I will support you because we need YOU and YOU can effect change, and I can too on the outside.
We need those who will respect our Constitution where government’s supposed to serve from the BOTTOM UP, not move toward this TOP DOWN big government take-over... but rather, will be protectors of individual rights - who also have enough common sense to acknowledge when conditions have drastically changed and are willing to call an audible and pass the ball when it’s time so the team can win! And that is what I’m doing!
Remember Alaska... America is now, more than ever, looking North to the Future. It’ll be good. So God bless you, and from me and my family - to ALL Alaska - you have my heart.
And we will be in the capable hands of our Lieutenant Governor, Sean Parnell. And Lieutenant General Craig Campbell will assume the role of Lieutenant Governor. And it is my promise to you that I will always be standing by, ready to assist. We have a good, positive agenda for Alaska.
In the words of General MacArthur said, “We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”
Bla, Bla, Bla, yada, yada, yada. Another confused obtuse commentator. “You know why they’re confused? I guess they cannot take something nowadays at face value,” - Sarah Palin
Anyone not beleive that Meg Stapleton is absolutely correct?
Saw Rick Santorum on Fox last night. He said this was all being done because they are afraid of her.
Sarah is the greastest threat to "zero", the left will not let up until after the 2012 election.
“Palin/Romney 2012 would be like Reagan/Bush in 1982. The single mistake by Reagan of choosing Bush has, after 3 Bush family presidential terms, undone his whole “revolution.”
You’ve got it Woe. Remember the first Bush calling Reagan Economics, “Voodoo Economics”? The powers that control the RNC have made it policy to “Balance the ticket”. That is kissy-kissy, sucky-sucky like “hands across the aisle”, and “can’t we all just get along”?.
Hussein’s kids are off limits but it’s a hayday to get at Palin’s.
Wow. Quite a speech she gave. Very impressive. Frankly, I had not read it and was quite distressed hearing she resigned. But it may be for the better — she is now unfettered to move forward on the course that will best serve her and the country. And she leaves a trail of very positive accomplishments with the most recent being the multi-billion dollar natural gas pipeline that will bring that resource to the north central US.
And this lengthy blog post has much to take to heart, explaining in detail the politics of personal destruction of the left, though I take issue with his concluding remarks that she has been disappointing politically. Not at all — reading her reasons makes good sense; she has defeated every ethics complaint and confounded her critics with her continuing popularity. But this does free her to look at the bigger picture and we need such persons to focus the coming battles. As has been posted numerous times, they are afraid of her.
She made it clear that staying on the job would only result in continued bogus ethics complaints and frivolous lawsuits, for which the taxpayers would have to pay to defend the office of the Governor. That was borne out by the ethics complaints that were filed a couple of days after her speech.
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But it is there and one of the reasons that my first and lasting impression is that this decision, its timing and its lack of direct focus (I kept waiting for THE reason) hurt her more than it helped. Her acolytes will see what they see, the rest of the country will see something different. I'm sure that she didn't lose many, if any true believers but I'm equally sure that she didn't gain any new palinites.
I like your thinking =)
That's rich.
I loved the way she described that double standard in her interview with Matt Lauer after the Letterman flap. She said that during the Presidential campaign, "He who must be obeyed" had told the media that his family was off-limits, but she noted that the media didn't apply that same standard to the opposition candidates.
Another “doesn’t get it” article.
How many do we need?
Running for national office from Alaska is like running from a foreign country.
"The mission was to keep the first female candidate elected to high office, from being a Republican. Just like the Democrats did to Emilio Garza (proposed first latino Supreme) any means necessary would be used to stop her permanently."
You seem to have forgotten that we need her as president, and that cannot happen from Alaska.
“They’re trying to take her out permanently now.”
And the harder they try, the faster she rises.
BINGO!!!
She isn't that stupid. She is the most politically adept woman in the U.S.
A third party is an Obama enabler, across the board.
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