ALASKA GOVERNOR SARAH PALIN QUITS: "SO WHAT?"

Most political pundits think her quitting is a stupid move, but do we know the whole story…?

...Alaska Governor, Sarah Palin

As author Todd Purdum said in a long, recent article in Vanity Fair Magazine, which he called; It Came from Wasilla;

"Despite her disastrous performance in the 2008 election, Sarah Palin is still the sexiest brand in Republican politics, with a lucrative book contract for her story. But what Alaska´s charismatic governor wants the public to know about herself doesn´t always jibe with reality."

As John McCain´s top campaign officials talk more candidly than ever before about the meltdown of his vice-presidential pick, the VF author tracks the signs, both political and personal, that Palin was big trouble, and he also looked at the forecast for her future."

But now, unknowingly of author Purdum, Governor Palin was planning and has since announced, in a rambling almost non-coherent 18 minute speech, that she is resigning as Alaska´s Governor after only 2 ½ years in office.

The TV pundits immediately jumped on the subject and only about 1 out of 20 thought that this move by Palin was a very good move for a potential presidential run. With her poor 2008 election performance, and the carnival atmosphere since the election, plus virtually no background in foreign affairs and now an even thinner resume as a state governor, the prospects for a presidential run in 2012 now looks pretty grim.

During her very strange news conference, Governor Palin Stated that, "I love my job and I love Alaska, and it hurts to make this choice, but I'm doing what's best for them [Alaska and her children]."

However, the state of Alaska has already spent almost $300,000 investigating ethics complaints against Palin and her staff. This includes the investigation called "Troopergate", of her firing of a public safety commissioner who had refused to dismiss a state trooper involved in a messy divorce with the governor's sister. And Palin has stated that she and her husband, Todd, have spent $500,000 "just to set the record straight."

She has also been the subject of 15 ethics probes, 13 of which have been resolved by the Alaska State Personnel Board with no findings of wrongdoing. (Please note that the board ultimately reports to the governor...) However, the other two probes are still pending. One of the resolved complaints led to Palin's agreement to reimburse the state $8,100 for costs associated with political trips she took along with her children while charging them to the state.

Governor Palin offered few clues about her ambitions but said she arrived at her decision in part to protect her family, which has faced withering criticism and occasional mockery. It will also allow her to escape ethics probes that have drained her family's finances and hampered her ability to govern. She said she is "leaving office in the best interest of the state and will allow her to more effectively advocate for issues of importance to her, including energy independence and national security".

The other reason is more likely, and Palin hinted that she has decided that she cannot further develop her position within the GOP, while working way up in the 49th state, with a minimum 6 hour flight away from the "lower 48 states". And while her current popularity in her state continues to plummet. (At the beginning of her VP campaign, she had an 80% state approval that is now at the lower 50% level and falling.)

If she were to continue as Alaska´s Governor, and then digresses to where she loses her re-election, that would be disastrous. In addition, the state of Alaska needs a full-time governor which is a duty that she has not been performing seriously since she was chosen by Senator John McCain as a running mate.

The Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael S. Steele said after her resignation statement that Palin is "an important and galvanizing voice" in the GOP and will help the party's gubernatorial candidates this fall in Virginia and New Jersey. And Nick Ayers, executive director of the Republican Governors Association, said Palin plans to expand her role in the national party. "Part of her decision is she wants to spend more time campaigning for candidates," Ayers told Fox News.

He added that some lawmakers and activists in Alaska have been doing "everything they can to stymie her progress" and that Palin determined she could no longer "make significant change in the state."

As one of the Republican Party's most popular grass-roots politicians, Governor Palin´s decision to leave office has sent shockwaves through the GOP. This is a party still reeling from its 2008 electoral losses and from the sudden fall of Senator John Ensign (Nev.) and South Carolina Governor Mark Sanford, two GOP stars once considered presidential hopefuls.

But it is obvious that Sarah Palin can make some big money for both herself and her party while working the "rubber chicken" circuit for the GOP and the up-coming 2010 / 2012 elections. As Ms. Palin is only 45 years old, she could also take this time to "bone-up" on her qualifications and knowledge of foreign affairs, national defense and in other areas to make her a potential, viable presidential candidate even well after the 2012 election.

Unfortunately, based on the comments from a number of the McCain campaign workers, Governor Palin is either unwilling or unable to spend the time necessary to become properly prepared for the intensive grilling as occurs when running for a national office.

The McCain campaign went to great efforts to bring the governor "up to snuff" for both the disastrous Katy Couric interviews and the national vice presidential debate with then Senator Joe Biden. McCain´s people have stated that the Alaska governor was very combative during these teaching review sessions and she apparently either walked out or just stopped communicating during the sessions.

There have also been rumors, which are now circulating again with this latest resignation announcement, of the governor being part of a confidential, on-going criminal investigation in Alaska. However, for now it´s only rumors unless she did resign in order to distance herself and her family. I guess we´ll soon see.

In either situation, Governor Palin is back in the news and Tina Fey of Saturday Night Live will probably be back to work and will be seen once more in doing political parodies of Ms. Palin as she starts spending more time in the "lower 48 states".

I´m really looking forward to seeing Tina on SNL again soon.

Copyright G.Ater 2009

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