Posted on 07/03/2009 5:24:46 PM PDT by SeekAndFind
The news of Sarah Palin’s resignation as governor came during my show this afternoon, where we spent most of an hour discussing it with the chatizens and my co-host Duane Patterson. I’ve had a chance to watch the video of her announcement and read through dozens of Twitter messages back and forth attempting to rationalize this, and still, it simply can’t be rationalized on the basis of what Palin said today. It’s easily the most bizarre resignation I’ve seen, and just about senseless.
The lame-duck explanation was the most incoherent part of the entire statement:
“Once I decided not to run for re-election, I also felt that to embrace the conventional ‘Lame Duck’ status in this particular climate would just be another dose of ‘politics as usual,’ something I campaigned against and will always oppose. It is my duty to always protect our great state. With that in mind, my family and I determined that it is best to make a difference this summer, and I am willing to change things, 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.”
Bear in mind that the election isn’t next month but about 16 months from now, in November 2010. Using this logic, Palin should never have run for the first term unless she was willing to run for the second, and not run for either if she wasn’t willing (or legally able) to run for a third. Politicians don’t enter lame-duck status until their successor has already been elected and they’re running out the rest of the term. And all politicians become lame ducks at some point — and none of them quit just to avoid it.
Also, how can Palin quit because she didn’t want to deal with being a lame duck and claim in the same breath that her administration would “continue without interruption”? She just interrupted it! If she thinks that being a “lame duck” would hamper her ability to push her agenda in the state’s capital, how does she think that an unelected Sean Parnell is going to get it done?
If it’s her duty to always “protect” Alaska, then that strongly implies not walking away from the responsibility of governing it — a responsibility she sought, and with which her constituents trusted her to execute. No one leads by quitting. No one leads by quitting. Palin’s abandoning her post, and at least from her own description, doing it because she doesn’t want to deal with the issues of being a “lame duck,” a status all politicians have to handle at some point.
I’ve seen a myriad of excuses on Twitter and e-mail for this bizarre resignation: her legal bills are too high, she’s putting her family first, she doesn’t want to distract Alaskans because of cheap-shot ethics complaints that are distracting everyone. None of those make any sense. If the spotlight was too much, then she shouldn’t have run for office in the first place. If she’s quitting because people are taking potshots at her, then she’s not the kind of political fighter we thought she was. The legal bills might be a rational reason, but thoroughly insufficient for betraying the people who put her in charge of Alaska — and her memoirs would have paid for her legal bills many times over, had she completed her term.
There’s really no excuse, and what Rich Lowry also calls her “terrible,” “rambling,” and “not at all persuasive” statement showed that. Unless there was a serious illness or a serious scandal, the resignation on the grounds Palin gave is simply incomprehensible. She has destroyed her own credibiity in a single day.
I liked Sarah Palin and supported her inclusion on the GOP ticket last fall. I thought she had more toughness than this. It’s a big disappointment, and it’s the end of any hope of Palin getting taken seriously as a politician on the national level in the future.
Update (AP): I was going to tuck this into one of my own posts but it fits better here. Quin Hillyer, senior editor at the Spectator, calls the resignation an “appalling dereliction of duty.”
What Sarah Palin did today was get out before the real challenges of the job (whatever challenges there are for such an easy job) really rear their heads. The going got tough in terms of spurious ethics charges against her, and she took off. That’s cowardly. That’s not sign of staying power. It’s a sign of wanting to get out while the getting is good, in order to become a full-time candidate for a presidential race that won’t culminate for 3 1/2 more years. It’s a little too calculating, by half — or more.
I just listened to her speech announcing her decision, and found it singularly unimpressive. “This was a rambling, bombastic, self-centered, ‘poor me’ kind of speech.” That’s how Mike Carey of the Anchorage Daily News just described her speech on Fox News. I agree. He then said it was, darn, I already can’t remember if he said it was “pitiful” or “pathetic,” but it was some word like that. Again, I agree. It was a speech in which she clearly made a bit for a national audience — not a very effective bid, but a transparent one — but didn’t adequately explain to the people of Alaska why she was relinquishing her duty…
Statesmen hang tough. Sarah Palin is cutting and running. ‘Nuff said.
“If you find a SINGLE FREEPER who supporter Sarah who ever said the smart thing for her to do was resign, post it. I haven’t found one person yet who said Sarah should resign to help her political career.”
Sorry, you lose. You can search my name and find it if you wish.
I said, clearly, that she needed to 1)resign and get out of Alaska to campaign for 2010 Congressional races and 2) build a national organization.
Sarah can easily win the Republican nomination. There are only 2 things that could stop her, one that she decides not to run or two, Sarah, Huck and Romney split the important votes and another McCain type walks up the middle.
Translation: Send money and feel good about yourself. Brilliant!
>why not make that the focus of the speech and give this speech on Monday morning, when the media’s rested and ready for a full week of new coverage?<
Let’s think about this. Why on earth would a person in Palin’s position give ANY advantage whatsoever to a media which is out to destroy any credibility she has or ever will have?
I see the strategy in her timing. It makes perfect sense against the drive-by’s.
Then you are probably familiar with the only text written by Jesus Himself, the Book of Revelation?
You have to live in Alaska and have voted for her to understand her speech, reasoning and references?
That's weak, and also an argument against her ever becoming president.
What in the world are you talking about?
Noooo...you have to wait and see how the people she’s directly serving understand HER and take her news!
Sheesh!
My hunch is they’ll understand the climate there, and that she’s going to focus on the greater good and do exactly what she said she’ll do for Alaska on a bigger scale...get the energy in Alaska to the American people and help ALL Americans.
God certainly did not remove His Grace as it is eternal, His blessings on the other hand are revocable.
Sanford? What has that got to do with Palin?
What has Argentina got to do with Palin?
What has the possibility of your being a troll got to do with Palin?
As for the repubs, I have nothing but contempt for the RNC, however that does not mean that there are not capable republicans.
As for them presenting you with a plan that you approve of, that is not the way it is going to happen.
What will happen is: There will at some point appear a leader with great ideas and with the ability to convey those ideas. He/she will be a leader. And when a leader appears, the crowd follows.
Reagan was such a man. To our sorrow, Obummer, the Fascist, is such a man.
Sarah Palin has that promise. I hope that the promise becomes reality.
She understands this fight is about Capitalism and freedom. The energy resources in her state have been jeopardized by the recent Cap and Trade Energy legislation by the House. Such legislation prohibits domestic drilling for oil. Say good by to ANWAR. I hope she puts the defeat of this legislation in the Senate as her first battle.
She was in New York City last month to gather her allies. It would be interesting to know who she talked to and who is helping her.
The battles she fights will be unencumbered by the responsibilities of the governor's office. And these battles will prepare her for the knock down duke’em down race to the presidency.
May the wind be in her sails whatever she does.
Why, so that one day she can resign in the middle of her 1st term as President?
I said the *Lands*
God says, “If my people, who are called by my name, will humble themselves and pray and seek my face and turn from their wicked ways, then will I hear from heaven and will forgive their sin and will heal their land” (2 Chronicles 7:14 NIV).
However I believe we are in the *last Days* and things will only get worse, as much as I like Sarah Palin she is not the answer, no person is...Only Jesus Christ who will return as King of Kings....In fact I believe Sarah as she is a Conservative Christian might of left to do what she can to Lift up GOD’s Kingdom, as she has done much praying about this according to her....
By the random ad hominem attack at an actual conservative and the Michigan place of residence, I’m assuming your a big Romney fan?
I think she left to do the LORD’s work.....Our world is to corrupt for any person to repair...The problems with the USA is not the end of Capitalism, that is just a symptom of the DISEASE....
Rejection of GOD and embracing Secularism....
My point entirely
Sanford is a Republican. He is involved with an Argentine whore. Sanford refuses to step aside. Palin is a Republican. She steps aside for no obvious reason. Maybe the mean donks forced her to step aside? Maybe she does not have the guts to stick it out? If anyone dares to say that Saint Sarah might be a sucker plant, the troll and DU'er crap comes out. Let Palin come on to this great forum and announce her intentions.
Fat chance, because her harpies are here to emasculate any dissent.
Gee I wonder how all those eMails found their way to the media more than 6 months ago? Yeah, you are a genius ankle biter.
Why, so that one day she can resign in the middle of her 1st term as President?
Obama resigned his 1st term Senate seat with 2 years remaining. Are you concerned he might up and quit in the middle of his 1st term as President?
You are incoherent.
Goodbye.
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