Posted on 07/03/2009 10:48:41 PM PDT by 2ndDivisionVet
Sarah Palin’s jaw-dropping announcement that she is quitting her job as Alaska governor before finishing even her first term has divided Republican ranks and the wider political community in a very familiar fashion.
Many establishment GOP operatives and political commentators of various stripes were withering, both about the decision and the way she announced it—in a jittery, hyperkinetic news conference that rambled between self-congratulation and bitter accusations at the foes she says are eager to destroy her.
The performance, by these lights, adds credence to the claims of some associates that Palin—burned by the intense scrutiny on her and the crossfire that swirls around her—is so fed up that she's ready to get out of elective politics. Even if it's only the small stage of Alaska politics she hopes to escape, skeptics say Friday’s events also diminished and perhaps even demolished what was left of her viability as a 2012 presidential candiate.
But her defenders believed an unorthodox move, even if risky, has a clear logic and may only further increase her standing with conservatives who don’t care what establishment figures in or out of the GOP think. Leaving the governor’s office at the end of this month leaves her free to travel the country, command large speaking fees, and begin the process of rallying her devotees without pesky home-state opponents criticizing every move.
These varied reactions were an echo of the debates that have followed Palin every step since her nomination as John McCain’s running mate ten months ago—a surprise that turned out to be just the first of many surprises served up by one of the most colorful and polarizing American political figures in a generation.
(Excerpt) Read more at politico.com ...
Hey, I feel down. But I’m also keeping the faith that Sara will be running for President in 2012.
A lot of people here are lashing out, and I understand. This hit everyone pretty bad. But we need to recognize that we all have an opinion on this, some in favor some against. Let’s get it out of our system and keep fighting for this country and conservative values. When Sarah announces her candidacy for President, I hope everyone here stand with her. I know I will.
But then again, he was governor of sunny CALIFORNIA (and its 47 electoral votes) as opposed to far away Alaska (and its 3 electroal votes). Big difference there, kemosabe.
Give it up. The fact that you even ask is pathetic.
If you want to be President, you have to put up with it. I don’t like it, but we desperately need leadership.
Okay they made utterly contemptible comments about her kids. I certainly don’t condone that, but it amounts to them calling them names, or telling lies about them.
What happens when Sarah enters the White House and the Dems want to manipulate her? You don’t see a problem brewing there?
I firmly supported Sarah. I wrote letters for her. I defended her her. I’m sorry as I can be, but my support for her evaporated about 3:15pm EDT today, just moments after Rush left the air for nine days.
I realize a lot of folks aren’t going to see it this way. Sorry I do, but I do.
-She cannot run for President while being Gov. of Alaska (geographical challenges.)
-She cannot run for President if she must wait until Jan. ‘11 to start.
-She is not starting or joining any third party.
Romney is “down here” running full-time while Palin is up North? Common sense tells ya it wouldn’t work that way.
I think the GOP is welcome to join (us) conservatives whenever they’re ready.
Good for her, she can probably have greater influence on the talk shows and affect more people than towing some other rino in an election.
I’m not down. I’m pissed off! All she had to do was finish her term and build on her record which most Governors would die for, and prove the Obamabots wrong. I won’t support her for anything. You don’t quit 2 years and 7 months into your first term and expect to run for President.
I am helping by contributing to her PAC, because her family should not be bankrupted by the hate and enmity shown her. She has never deserved the ridicule.
Further, she would have made one hell of a lot better president than Obama, who hasn't even the experience Sarah has, and who does not love the US and see its exceptionalism. He goes out for ice cream and hamburgers more than Clinton did--wonder what that costs per excursion while he tells us to suck it up.
vaudine
Oh, come on just be honest. Its an easy question.
Split? Why? We don’t even have an answer as to where she is going with this.
No one is split although my hair is a little damage and could use some Pantene follicle repair.
First off, you need to temper your comments there, Ace. You have to accumulate a bit of seniority here before snapping off. And no, I wasn't kidding. You know and I know we've reached the point that we have to decide on a candidate for President far in advance now. We have VERY slim pickins' to choose from. Senators and Congressmembers are out, so we go to the Governors. Sanford is out, Barbour would be lampooned, Jindal is too green and isn't ready for prime time, the rest are either too obscure or are RINOs, so that basically leaves us with Palin. There just aren't any other viable candidates.
"Is this some sort of Conservative credential test? I've been asked this a couple of times now."
It's a test to see if you're a troll. We know which candidates are anti-Conservatives, so we want to see whom you were supporting.
"I supported Fred Thompson for president in the primary until he dropped out then I supported McCain/Palin until Obama stole the election with McCain's help."
I supported Fred, too, but when he dropped out, did you go directly to McCain or to someone else ? And, yes, I partly agree with your point that McCain helped the False One win because he didn't really want to win.
"I absolutely will not support Palin for anything now. She quit on her state IMO."
I don't characterize it as that. There'd be a substantial difference between Palin leaving vs. Sanford, for example. If Sanford resigns, a hostile RINO Lt Governor takes over who has enormous baggage. In Palin's case, she has already an excellent and able Lieutenant who will carry on her agenda, and already a successor to Sean Parnell has been chosen. That's not the mark of a rank quitter, she planned and mapped out a strategy to have the state continue with her people firmly in charge and able to govern without the constant attacks and distractions her haters have heaped upon her. The basic point is here, she knows what she's doing, and she's doing it her way. A big difference between a pure quitter and someone who recognizes that this is a team effort, and she's passing the ball to someone who will help the team score a victory.
That argument makes absolutely no sense.
If you have serious Presidential aspirations, you don't quit in the middle of your first gubernatorial term. I doesn't matter whether you're governor of Alaska, California, or even North Dakota. You at least see that first term through to the end.
If Reagan had been governor of Alaska, would have finished his final eighteen months in office.
While the purple-lipped boy-king tells us we can run our vehicles and power plants on ice cream. . . .
In another time, that would translate to "let them eat cake"--
Great time to be Sarah Palin--
--on the Eve of the Great Obama Hangover.
Frankly I think Sarah Palin made a really smart move.
I saw this post and can’t really take credit for it...but it expresses my thoughts exactly...
Since 15 minutes after her acceptance of the VP candidate slot the Obama campaign went into a paranoic frenzy because she was smarter, more charismatic, more successful, and her constituents loved her...whereas Obama is a dullard, not very smart, limited to parroted teleprompter speeches and statements and hasn’t so much as run a popsicle stand...and he started driving a manure truck down the highway trying to run Sarah Palin into the ground...
The election was lost...
And the manure truck just kept driving down the highway at her...even ran off the roads of the national scene onto the Alaska scene and kept up the frenzy of paranoic smears and law suites, trumped up ethics BS, et al...
If a manure truck is driving at you full speed ahead constantly, are you going to stand there and let it run you over? That would be kind of a dumb move....
The smart thing to do is step aside...let the manure truck keep speeding down the highway until Obama and his communist ideology crashes into an oak tree...then come back and hit him HARD from the flanks...meanwhile, who’s he going to aim is his manure truck at now? He’s null and void!
Smoove move, Sarah...you go!
What are the CBS and ACORN operatives running their comment boards going to amuse themselves with now as they make their $7.68 an hour to post under several different nic names smear campaigns against Palin if she’s not in office?
I can't imagine what's going to happen if a scandal is behind this.
Last year conservatives hailed Fred Thompson as the next Reagan. Despite all the initial excitement, Fred Thompson seemed unwilling to campaign. A few weeks ago, Sanford looked promising until he blew his capital on a vacation. Now Palin decides to take the easy road to wealth via book tours and speaking fees. After the crap she’s put thru, I don’t blame her. If comes to my neighborhood to speak, I will attend to cheer her on. However I will not support her for any political office. She proved she’s no leader. Disappointment is fast becoming a conservative. There are no leaders in the conservativism movement.
I’m not sure going wobbly is the proper analogy. I didn’t go wobbly after the Couric interviews. I thought those were bush league interviews designed to destroy her. I didn’t go wobbly after her being attacked by the left or people on our side. Heck, I defended her against someone I really respect on the forum today. I can’t defend this, because it weighs so heavily on what she would do if running for or winning the Presidency.
What happens when criticism is leveled then? That’s a real deal breaker right there folks.
Dems seem to put "office" above ALL else. When she (personally) became more of a story for the MSM than what she wanted to accomplish for her state, perhaps slowing the progress she wanted, she steps aside for the good of her state. Here in Illinois (helleeo!), we've seen our share of politicians who vainly put themselves above their state, party and family again & again & again.
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