This is such nonsense. She is going to travel around the country like Nixon in ‘66 and Reagan in ‘78 and help conservatives win. Then she’ll have lots of political chits to cash in on and loyal followers who she helped.
I ask this: can Crist survive if she endorses and campaigns for Rubio?? Does Cornyns endorsement even matter at that point? Can Reid survive if she campaigns in Nevada against him? Can McCain? How big a crowd can she draw for Pat Toomey? Can she help to defeat Dodd and Lincoln?
I think something big has just been unleashed!
Reagan didn’t quit his Governorship early. Nixon wasn’t in office when he toured.
The problem isn’t Sarah going around the country. I was fine with her not running for re-election, and taking the time off to run for office (I thought George Allen should have done that instead of running for Senate again in 2006 if he was going to run for President in 2008).
But quitting in the middle of a term, after people took the time to vote for you to do the job, is different.
The comparison to Nixon and Reagan in this regard, is a stretch, at best. Nixon had served two complete terms as Eisenhower's VP as well as partial terms as Senator and Congressman, only leaving those positions when he was elected to something else. He didn't resign in the middle of his obligation; the people who elected him to one office, promoted him to another.
Secondly, Reagan went on his long "listening" tour after he completed two terms of Governor for the largest state in the union. Reagan and Nixon both were incredibly experienced and had established themselves over an extraordinary period of time - Nixon almost 30 years in public service, and Reagan over 8 in elected office, but much longer in politics generally.
As it stands, Sarah Palin has less than two and a half years of experience in state-wide office, and no experience in DC elective or appointed office. That's a very, very thin resume.
Up until 3:00 est today, I was a very big Palin fan. I thought she'd finish this term and then perhaps move to something outside of government in preparation of a 2012 run. But, I can see absolutely no upside to the course of action she's taken here. It's very troubling.