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 ...
You have a lot of damned nerve posting good common sense...having a late 2008 ‘born’ date around here. ;^)
Haven’t you learned anything? /s
Oh Good Grief, what a little pity party we are having. Be of stout heart, no reason to cry about something that only happened a few hours ago and of which we still know only a little of the story. Personally I'm willing to give her the benefit of the doubt as I am not walking in her shoes; she may be having a PMS moment or this could be the first step in a carefully considered plan. I rather suspect the latter. She has a lot of passionate support and could well be the leader of a new movement. A lot of times things are not as they seem.
Don’t worry, when she runs for President, she can say things like “running for President is a full-time job” and “my opponent missed a vote in DC today to be here” and her resigning will seem like self-sacrifice compared to her opponents who will be neglecting their duties.
Personally, I feel a little let down right now. I am surrounded by Democrats (family/work/neighbors) and I defended her unconditionally throughout the campaign for what she represented to the daughters in this country as well as the party. I was willing to support her in the primary IF she ran and was able to carry the message to the mushy middle. She can obviously galvanize the base, I was just concerned that she may have trouble bringing that message to the middle and bottom line, I do not want BHO in the White house in 2012.
That said, I think you are seeing many folks who are smarting from this and did not want to see her go out in this type of manner.
Unfortunately a lot of things in life are exactly what they seem. I’m not partying about what took place today. You can take that to the bank.
Good analysis.
Sun coming up divides GOP. Yawn.
I know of no other politician that has had to defend theirselves against 15 irrational, senseless ethics attacks, do you?
RINObots are easy to spot, and you are one.
Yup, you won’t have Nixon to kick around anymore.
OH yeah, he got elected president somehow didn’t he ?
I’m usually in tune with your established erudition, but Sarah is far from finished. Now, if your honor will excuse me, I’m going to inhale some fresh political air downwind from Alaska.
I agree. It also gives her more time in the lower 48. She can make some $$$$ by speaking. Even if she doesn’t run she can still make $$$ by speaking.
Well said. The same Whino's have been doing their level best to trash Palin since the election too.
I won't pretend to know if Palin's running or not in 2012 as I really just don't care at this point in time. The next Presidential election is 3 years and 5 months away. That's a lifetime in politics and I suspect anyone who's "running" now isn't going to end up in office then.
I will say this though: I'm a Conservative first. I left the Republican Party back in 1991, and I refuse to vote for anyone that looks like a "moderate" or "mainstream" (liberal media labels) "Republican" in 2012. If the Republican Party wants my vote, they're going to have to put up a fiscally conservative, tax cutting, smaller government, pro-economic growth, drill-here-drill-now candidate in order to get it.
It's just that damn' simple.
Like that wouldn’t get spun out into the stratosphere. IMO the worst thing she can do right now is look like she is enriching herself at the expense of the Alaskan people. She has a book coming out, I am sure it is going to be a hot seller, I don’t think money will be an issue. Hell, she could start a legal fund and have about 200,000 by tomorrow. But mark my words, if she has an epilogue in her book about this or she is seen as enriching herself unduly, it will blow up in her face and those who support her.
Whether it helps a national run or not I am excited.
She said she is going to keep working for Alaskans and the lower 48. We will get to see her in action now. We NEED someone to be speaking up for real Americans and she is NOT afraid to do it. I think she will be stirring Bambi’s pot, she always gets covered, it will be a great relief to me to hear an attack dog clipping him at the heels.
What greater calling.
Please please DO NOT support Sarah. The entire nation will be so upset if you do.
Sarah is gonna make it seem like harry gave no hell.
She may not run but she is going to shake things up. I hope.
Sarah might be able to help our country more effectively as something besides president. Think about it.
Realizing the irony of this, how long exactly, did Obama serve as senator before announcing his candidacy having achieved exactly NOTHING???
He didn’t quit, but did you appreciate that he, and all the other idiot savants from the senate who ran moronic and frivolous presidential campaigns, got paid with taxpayer dollars while they were doing it, hardly voted when they were supposed to, ran around the world on our dime staying at posh resorts to gain “international experience?”
These are precisely the things Sarah Palin said should NOT be done on Alaska’s dime.
Alaska doesn’t need the grief from left wing loons. Sarah can take the heat. She simply moved her state out of the aim of the blowtorch...and left it better than when she came, in good hands now when she goes. I don’t think you are giving her any credit at all for doing the right thing.
If true then so much for all that crap in her statement about loving Alaska and its people.
Robert Dole quit the Senate to run...Obama didn’t finish his term and voted “present” scores of times..when he was present in the senate to vote. Yeah...lots of quitters out there!
Reasonable posts and sane,,something we don’t see on these threads.
I am going to wait and watch. Nobody really knows what happens from here. It is going to be very interesting to see what she does and where she goes with this.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.