Poll: Should Sarah Palin have resigned?
Gov. Sarah Palin just announced that she will not be seeking re-election for her position of governor of the great state of Alaska in 2010. Her Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will replace her when she steps down on July 26 after the Governor's Picnic, in her effort to reject the "Lame Duck" status.
Is it because she's hoping for a presidential run in 2012? The Washington Post thinks yes:
Recent polls showed that her popularity in Alaska has been faltering, though she was expected to be the front runner for re-election.
So instead of waiting out the end of her term, her final year, she's stopping this month to avoid being a lame duck:
So essentially she's quitting on her state -- a great start to a successful Republican presidential bid, wouldn't you say?
She would counter that her stellar record as governor will carry her though the primaries, and she made sure everyone knew her accomplishments before her departure, just in case they forgot.
Palin has been riding the conservative merry-go-round as of late, making her first out of state appearance after the November election at the largest pro-life fund-raising banquet in the nation, according to the latest Vanity Fair article about the governor. She's most definitely preparing for the candidacy, surrounding herself with her closest friends and conservative allies who will continue to tell her how great of a chance she has for the Oval Office against Barack Obama.
I hope I'm right when I say, "In your dreams."
--Catherine Lyons
Photo: US Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin blows a kiss at her family while addressing the Republican National Convention at the Xcel Energy Center in St Paul, Minnesota, on September 3, 2008. Palin announced July 3, 2009 in Wasilla, Alaska, that she will not seek a second term as governor of Alaska and that she was resigning the office. Credit: PAUL J. RICHARDS / AFP / Getty Images
The ignorant commentary in this bigoted article about Governor Palin isn't worthy of more than a passing analysis. ---But then, most of the marxist fools in the media are scared to death of a true conservative.
Posted by: Jerry D. Johnson | July 03, 2009 at 04:23 PM
I never thought anyone would make George W. Bush look intelligent...but that was before Sarah Palin.
Wow.
Posted by: Jangda | July 03, 2009 at 04:26 PM
QUITTER FOR PRESIDENT!
Posted by: John Frum | July 03, 2009 at 07:43 PM
Conveniently, the LAT leaves out a critical part of the reason for Palin's resignation:
"Political operatives descended on Alaska last August, digging for dirt. The ethics law I championed became their weapon of choice. Over the past nine months I've been accused of all sorts of frivolous ethics violations - such as holding a fish in a photograph, wearing a jacket with a logo on it, and answering reporters' questions.
Every one - all 15 of the ethics complaints have been dismissed. We've won! But it hasn't been cheap - the State has wasted THOUSANDS of hours of YOUR time and shelled out some two million of YOUR dollars to respond to "opposition research" - that's money NOT going to fund teachers or troopers - or safer roads. And this political absurdity, the "politics of personal destruction" ... Todd and I are looking at more than half a million dollars in legal bills in order to set the record straight. And what about the people who offer up these silly accusations? It doesn't cost them a dime so they're not going to stop draining public resources - spending other peoples' money in their game.
It's pretty insane - my staff and I spend most of our day dealing with THIS instead of progressing our state now. I know I promised no more "politics as usual," but THIS isn't what anyone had in mind for ALASKA."
Due to the frivolous, time wasting ethics accusations the left continually file, Palin can't even focus on the job at hand. It costs the left nothing to file and they are so selfish and full of hate for Palin, that they don't care if in the end, it costs taxpayers of Alaska to jump through the hoops just to prove that these charges are unfounded.
If the LAT wants to ever again be taken seriously, especially regarding politics, it's important to not let your biased underwear show. Give the full picture or none at all.
Posted by: Dana | July 03, 2009 at 08:01 PM
Another typical NYTimes-LATimes- Boston Globe anti anything or anybody not Liberal...
Posted by: W. CHODUR | July 04, 2009 at 06:09 AM
Someone said that Palin is a "true conservative" that people should be scared about. There are some things that people SHOULD be scared about, and "true conservatives" are some of them.
It's amazing to me that "true conservatives" think they have a monopoly on the truth, when by definition their philosophy clings to the past instead of confronting the present. Moreover, "true" adherents to anything tend toward fanaticism, and that's something to fear indeed.
Posted by: Destiny's Steward | July 04, 2009 at 08:20 AM
Palin is simply going for the big bucks while she has the chance. There is some lucrative media/entertainment offer on the table we are not aware of at this moment. Stay tuned America, more banality is on the way.
Posted by: Robert Haehnel | July 04, 2009 at 08:22 AM
Republicans are doing a lot of cutting and running, lately. That's all.
Posted by: Cut and Run | July 04, 2009 at 08:22 AM
Someone wrote,
"Due to the frivolous, time wasting ethics accusations the left continually file, Palin can't even focus on the job at hand. It costs the left nothing to file and they are so selfish and full of hate for Palin, that they don't care if in the end, it costs taxpayers of Alaska to jump through the hoops just to prove that these charges are unfounded."
Yeah, I guess that means that Nixon's resignation was for the good of the country rather than out of fear that he'd be impeached and convicted. We all know how highly Nixon ranks among American Presidents.
Seriously -- do people not think for themselves anymore? Is Palin ultimately going to succeed simply because some people accept her excuses on face value? I hope not. I sincerely hope not.
Posted by: Destiny's Steward | July 04, 2009 at 08:23 AM
On behalf of all the wonderful wildlife and still pristine places in Alaska, Thank You, Lord!!
And, on behalf of the NRC, Thank You Sarah! The party is having a tough enough time regrouping, and they sure don't need any more of what she did to the party in the last election.
Posted by: Cherie | July 04, 2009 at 08:27 AM
So Sarah Palin is unequivocally putting politics ahead of governance. Giving power an unelected governor so that she can focus solely on campaigning. Palin has taken the excesses of American politics to a new level.
Posted by: JimboJones | July 04, 2009 at 08:32 AM
Sarah is magical! This is the greatest political move since the 1962 "you won't have Nixon to kick around" speech in California. Now, she all needs to have is a nationwide address to inform the American people that "if nominated I will not run and if elected I will not serve, and if renominated I will not rum again and if re-elected I will not serve again." This will be known at the "playing hard to get" Palin political strategy. By dumping Alaska, she appeals to the far-left, who see it as a divorce of the right-wing political base that won her that state and will want her even more. By not divorcing Tod, the far-right see her as a patriot and want her even more. Both views are totally irrational, but since when are the radicals and reactionaries rational? As long as she doesn't have sex and continues to dump her supporters, she is golden. Now all she needs is Tina Fey as a running mate.
Posted by: louise | July 04, 2009 at 08:38 AM
If anyone is wondering if the media is 'SLANTED', please just read THIS ARTICLE! The words speak for themselves.
Why don't you write an article about how Obama has/is breaking one campaign promise after another? Hmmm?
Posted by: Teri | July 04, 2009 at 08:40 AM
Wow, does this mean she might finally disappear, I hope, I hope, Please, Lady raise your troubled family and leave us alone!
Posted by: Leslie | July 04, 2009 at 08:40 AM
YouTube has the 18 minutes of raw footage of Sarah Palin's "speech." After watching and listening to it, I cannot fathom WHY she is so accepted by the Republicans. She was a disaster as a vice-presidential candidate and her only hope was to show everyone just how good a Governor she could be.
Instead we get excuses about media bias and "passing the ball." By comparison Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger has probably the most thankless job in the state. Say what you will about his politics, but you don't see HIM running away. Part of the job of governing is to take the bad days with the good - and there are a LOT more bad days.
If Palin can't survive the slings and arrows of Alaska politics, Washington and World politics will swallow her whole. The Republican Party needs to wake up.
Posted by: Robert G | July 04, 2009 at 08:42 AM
Her resignation (and the way she handled it) was wrong on so many levels.
1) Conservatives are not quitters. Yes, she had to face controversy and political enemies. Well, what politician hasn't? And this is Alaska, which has a population about the size of Nashville or Austin, or where I live, Miami, about two county commissioner districts. She should stay and fight for what she believes in, what she thinks is right.
2) She has completely let down the people of Alaska. They elected her to a four-year term, yet, for reasons still not explained, she just walks out on them.
3) She again plays the victim card. This "I'm-a-poor-victim" trope is a game for the Dems and their various constituent groups, not conservatives. I am sick of hearing about how she has been abused by comedians, the McCain staff, the media, bloggers, the RINOs, whomever.
4) The speech was completely incoherent. A stream of consciousness, punctuated by duck sounds. Read a transcript. Can anyone tell me what she was trying to communicate? EVen her loyal supporters are trying to interpret her message. Look, if you have a vsision for hte country, your state or even with what you want to do with your life, please state it in a way everyday mortals can understand.
5) FInally, if you are running for 2012, talk to average Americans about things they care about: healthcare, deficits, unemployment, education, defense. Don't insult us with ramblings about refrigerator magnets, basketball positions, salmon swimming up stream, and how the troops have inspired you to quit.
From what I can tell, she is a thin-skinned, quitter, inarticulate and prone to some sort of martyr/victim complex. Sorry, I know many of you on this site are big Palin supports, but as an indy conservative / libertarian, I have to tell you she doesn't cut it
Posted by: Max305 | July 04, 2009 at 08:44 AM
One of the oddest things about Sarah Palin is her decision to hop on an eight hour plane flight after her water broke during her most recent pregnancy. If she cares so much the life of child, why did she do such a reckless thing? The reality that the birth was successful and the baby was healthy doesn't alter the fact that this is a very dangerous thing to do. It's like traveling cross country and not putting your child in a car seat. I question her decision making and I can't imagine the majority of Americans would ever vote her into the Oval Office. She's a fringe candidate, and a wonderfully entertaining freak of politics. Thanks for all the great entertainment, Sarah!
Posted by: Tom Edwards | July 04, 2009 at 08:45 AM
She doesn't stand a chance in a bid for president. What political genius came up with this idea of quitting your elected office in order to further your career? This move will haunt her.
Posted by: Bounty Killer | July 04, 2009 at 08:46 AM
Cherie, you couldn't be more naive. Have you seen the part of Alaska Palin and others want to drill in? Boring and flat. Not the beautiful pics you see on the post cards evironmentalist send out.
Posted by: Mark E. GIllar | July 04, 2009 at 08:47 AM
Destiny's Steward , other than her resignation, what's your problem with Palin?
Posted by: Mark E. GIllar | July 04, 2009 at 08:49 AM
How wonderful for everyone. Sarah's back to the obsucrity she so richly deserves.
Posted by: Ilene | July 04, 2009 at 08:49 AM
I don't know if anyone has thought of this yet but this is too much of a coincidence to be ignored -- who was at all of those governor's conferences with Palin? Mark "I crossed lines" Sanford. Palin resigned because information is out there about her and Sanford "sparking". You heard it here first. :)
Bye bye, Sarah. And good riddance. :D
Posted by: Bob | July 04, 2009 at 08:51 AM
John Frum, If Obama can be president, anyone can. He never won a legitimate race in his life until he defeated Hillary Clinton with the help of the media. He won his first race in IL by having all the opponents kicked off the ballot on a technicality. In his next two races for the U.S. senate his biggest opponent in the primary and general elections just happened to have their divorce records opened...Hmmmmm what a coincidence. When he wasn't hiding in the cafetary to avoid votes, he was voting present due to a complete lack of courage. What a great leader.
Posted by: Mark E. GIllar | July 04, 2009 at 08:53 AM
Palin is done. She won't run. She won't get elected to a school board much less the presidency. She doesn't have the political backbone. And to use the defense of ethics violations as an excuse for not being able to do her job is really weak. Bye bye Sarah. You have been an interesting sideshow for the Republican party. I can't wait to see who's next.
Posted by: Jeff | July 04, 2009 at 09:04 AM
"Due to the frivolous, time wasting ethics accusations the left continually file, Palin can't even focus on the job at hand. It costs the left nothing to file and they are so selfish and full of hate for Palin, that they don't care if in the end, it costs taxpayers of Alaska to jump through the hoops just to prove that these charges are unfounded."
Wait a second. Didn't some thing like this happen back in the 90's? I think maybe Bill Clinton With Ken Starr in every orifice. For that matter Hillery Clinton seems to be constantly under attack. Neither of them resigned.I guess when your a maverick,reality is situational.Me thinks the lady protest too much.
Posted by: Phil Rigano | July 04, 2009 at 09:07 AM
She is a quitter, when things get to tough for her she
quits. She is not fit to run or be a VP or President of
anything. She should stay home and raise her family
and forget politics altogether. No one likes quitters.
She never makes any sense when she speaks she just
rambles on and on.
She can dish it out in a horrible way but when someone
gives it back she can't handle it. We need strong leaders
not a cry baby who doesn't even make sense when she
speaks. Believe me if she ran for office in 2012 she will
lose. No one would be proud to have her for a President of country.
Posted by: Suzi | July 04, 2009 at 09:07 AM
It's strange that the news of her resignation is on the front page instead of in the obituary section, as her 15 minutes of fame are way over, and her political future is not looking at the lawn from the green side. Sarah's only claim to fame is knocking Hillary Clinton off the top of the most bitter list, and that's all she can be considered professional at.
On a related note, insiders report that Governor Sanford is allegedly also planning to resign as governor of South Carolina, saying to friends (both of them) that this is happening because he needs to spend more time with his lawyer.
www.boskolives.wordpress.com
Posted by: Jerry w | July 04, 2009 at 09:28 AM
Maybe the Repubs will march forth a regurgitated hack like Gingrich to revive their lowly party...but then again why not give the loon Mark "love you long time" Sanford of South Carolina and ARGENTINA FAME a shot- can't be any worse than Barbie Palin.....
Posted by: ConradDobler | July 04, 2009 at 09:55 AM
We repubs might not be in power but we can sure as hell not buy the liberals newspapers. We are certainly helping to put them out of business. we are tired of reading the left wing crap about Obama bin laden and his crew. he gone in 2and 1/2 years. even demoncrats would be fooled again. He has ruined our small businesses . he has ruined the banks. He has help losers like government workers and unions who need an idiot to think for them. Well a village is definetly missing an idiot.
Posted by: rocky | July 04, 2009 at 10:12 AM
The fact that S.P. is labelled by one of our illustrious commentators as a "true conservative" is why what passes for contemporary American conservatism is so vacuous and, with luck, doomed.
Posted by: jad | July 04, 2009 at 01:31 PM
I wish her the best in her new career serving the people... as a "sales associate" at TCBY or Walmart. What a lunatic!!! I hope to the conservative god (Rush) that they try to run this freak show for the presidency... Only John Kerry could lose to her.
Posted by: Yes | July 04, 2009 at 02:05 PM
Good riddance, I hope. Though I don't think so. A bimbo like her has a real chance in the US. Look at W and what he did. 2 Justices and 2 terms. Another moron. We love them. She was afraid of losing the next election for gov. Can you imagine her as pres? God. Ambassador to Siberia would be great. Just a short hop from Wasilla. Wa who?
Posted by: Steve | July 04, 2009 at 02:56 PM
Palin is definitely unfit to be president. That being said, Obama is nothing but a lying, pandering idiot with no integrity.
Posted by: Bill | July 04, 2009 at 04:42 PM
In the 2008 presidential campaign, I feel that John McCain made a serious blunder in choosing Palin as a running mate. Although she could see Russia from somewhere in Alaska, it appeared to be beyond her comprehension that Africa is a continent, not a country. Things like this were really bothersome when considering her as being one heartbeat from becoming president.
On the other side, she does have moral fiber which is something seriously lacking in many of our electorate.
Posted by: 1silentknight | July 04, 2009 at 06:57 PM
Freed from the constraints of fund raising, placating supporters and running for re-election, many lame-duck politicians work hard enoreder to accomplish thier states agenda. Other lame ducks simply relax and "milk it."
“Many just accept that lame-duck status, hit the road, draw the paycheck and ‘milk it.’ I’m not putting Alaska through that.”
By not "putting Alaska through" it, she is admitting that she would been the type to "milk it".
Posted by: Gorefan | July 04, 2009 at 08:44 PM
YES! People in Gov Offices have Luxury homes, That wouldn't dare invite a Wolf in. But Sarah, Never knew Wolves the way WE ALL DO! It was a Very Sick act for her to destroy so many and in a very Mentally Ill ACT.That Actually she should be in JAIL for million counts of Animal Cruelty! What I don't get is Why Gov Officials can DO CRIMINAL ACTS AND GET AWAY WITH IT? Does Anyone realize that They can Produce false evidence,Bogus fraud reports,Perjury, There's not a Darn thing you can do! WHAT IN THE WORLD IS OUR WORLD COMING TOO? Brain dead people ,into Fairy Tales.Wolves are the most lovable dedicated animals,in the World they only express emotions differantly as there not expressive the way dogs are. Wolves keep Coyotis away to keep you safe as they guard you. She's Nuts for killing them.Wolves do not attack people.Ive had Thousands.Not one bite report.She needs to go, and go NOW! If anyone knows about Wolves its me! People who shoot them, Should also feel what it feels like to have that weapon pointed to their own skulls.,I SAY: "SAVE THE WOLVES"
www.Lookingthruwolfeyes.com
www.Myspace.com/Lookingthruwolfeyes
www.Mytribalspace.com/tribal/Lookingthruwolfseyes
looknthruwolfeye@earthlink.net
352-540-4729 352-293-5866
THEY STOLE ALL MY PUPS,SOLD FOR $5,000 Each, Shot the rest forcing me to watch,my children,grandchildren lived here too! If anyone can help, Please Contact me.Wouldn't let me have a attorney.
Sarah NEEDS TO GO! AND NOW!
Posted by: Lookingthruwolfeyes | July 04, 2009 at 09:37 PM
Well I don't know why she quit? Governors don't quit unless it is a health Issue or taking a new job in Washington, or you or one of the member of the family is under investigation. My guess it is investigation. All you right wing nuts can't see what is happing to your party? It's one thing after another. You have now stuped to a new low. Blame it on the Media, blame it on Karl Marx, blame it on Hillary. Why not blame it on all the stuped Americans that voted for Obama. Blame, Blame, Blame. that has always been the battle cry of the right wingers. I say just look at yourself and put the blame there!
Posted by: Russell Utoft | July 04, 2009 at 10:11 PM
The LAT was taken seriously before know-nothing, self-righteous would-be conservatives ever showed up on the political scene, and will be taken seriously long after they are gone. Typified by the know-nothing, seriously absurd Sarah Palin and certain others, and following in the failed footsteps of George W, these wonderful folks offer old ideas which (as the economy shows) are bogus from the word "go" and lean heavily on such things as "moral values", not to mention the closely-related "family values". Conservative, fundamentalist members of the Republican Religious Right have recently been shown to embody these values about as well as Dick Cheney embodies good marksmanship. No surprises here--just the same worn-out political positions with a new coat of paint but no new (let alone rational) ideas. Let's move on and leave them all in a well-deserved cloud of dust.
Posted by: Tom Gabriel | July 04, 2009 at 11:30 PM
So Sarah Palin is disturbed about how much money was spent for ethics violations investigations? How much was spent on investigating the Clintons? And to what end? President Clinton denied having an affair - like any red-blooded man on the planet wouldn't deny it? How many MILLIONS of dollars and HOURS of time were WASTED on that nonsense yet all of a sudden, Palin and Sanford and Gingrich all should be excused because they made a "mistake"????? I loved seeing Mitt Romney and Lindsey Graham on the Sunday talk shows last weekend telling all of us to forgive Sanford and let him handle this with his family. "If he can reconcile with his family, and if he's willing to try, the people of South Carolina will give him a second chance," Graham said. Right. If it was a Democrat in that office, the Republicans would be calling for blood.
Posted by: Adrienne | July 05, 2009 at 01:03 AM
The Empress has no clothes people. There is no sign of intelligence. When this woman speaks it is like nails on a chalk board. She cannot string two words together to make a coherent sentence. This has nothing to do with being a liberal,a conservative or whatever. I do not get the fascination with this woman. There are brilliant women all over this country if you just want to put a woman out there. I have never been so afraid of someone becoming president in my life.
Posted by: Geeja Colley | July 05, 2009 at 07:08 PM
Folk who voted for this woman for VP of the US should be ASHAMED! To be willing to put this country at such a great risk to keep from voting for a Black man is INCREDIBLE! Yeah, I said it. They should all be ASHAMED! Even if you didn't like Barack Obama, there is no way that anyone who proclaims to have ANY intelligence could have thought for one moment that this country would be better off under the leadership of McCain/Palin . . . shameful!
Posted by: Charlotte | July 06, 2009 at 06:28 AM