I can’t help but speculate that she might have bitten off more than she could chew. She was Governor of Alaska. I don’t mean to turn my nose up to that, but its hard not to imagine that job as one where, beyond the environmental debates over drilling, it would be relatively easy to avoid the kind of attention that being Governor of California or Virginia or New York or Texas brings. It’s an isolated state. How many people (again, not involved with drilling or living in Alaska) can say they’d really even heard of her before she was considered by McCain? Now, she’s blamed by many for his losing, she’s had a Hassler produced hardcore porno made about her, and she been filmed at least once having a complete breakdown on air. She’s the new joke of politics. Obama speaks too well to make a goofy impersonation of, and you can only do so many cartoons with him having gigantic ears before it gets old. So as rare as it is, I wouldn’t be utterly shocked if she just crapped out after seeing something like this:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=eUdnAk9KG8U&feature=related

Posted by Cory Capron on 3 July 02009 @ 5pm

You’re right Waldo — everyone’s smelling a scandal, and in ordinary cases, that’s what I’d say — but I’m betting Palin is just misguided and egotistical enough that she thinks this is a GREAT first step to running for President in 3 years.

The main explanation she’s giving so far (apart from being faux-coy about her Presidential ambitions) is that she’s fed up with the way the ["Liberal"] media is treating her. Keep in mind that this is someone who has ACTIVELY sought to keep herself in the spotlight in the past seven months since she’s become a national laughingstock. Hey, there’s MONEY in being a national laughingstock. But if a mean article in Vanity Fair and joke on Letterman are stressing her out too much to run Alaska, how’s she going to justify her ambition to run the whole damn country?

The sad thing is, the small group of people who still rabidly support her probably won’t care about any of this. Thankfully, they don’t make up nearly enough of a percentage to even give her a chance at the GOP nomination for 2012.

… so my verdict is: either wildly misguided Presidential ambition, or she just has a really good reality TV show lined up.

Posted by James on 3 July 02009 @ 6pm

This is one case where we can hope that a politician who steps down really does, “…leave to spend more time with the family…”

Hopefully, the leadership (if there really is one) over at the GOP these days, will start to look for credible candidates, instead of fishing for another token female, or “minority of the month.”

Candidates for national office need to be focused on leading America forward and by presenting a positive vision built on real solutions. Calling Obama a “socialist” is not going to win the GOP anything.

By nominating the token female, Palin, the Republicans showed that they would do or say anything in order to hold power, and that they really didn’t stand for anything, anymore. This flagrant dishonesty on behalf of the Republican leadership, drove away millions from their traditional base. It will take a hell of a lot more than Palin’s resignation as Alaska’s Governor, to convince the millions who ditched the GOP, to ever trust the Republican Party again.

I know that I won’t.

After the Bush regime was followed by the travesty of the Palin candidacy, Americans would be utter fools to ever trust the Republicans to lead our Nation again. That Party should go the way of the Whigs, and another, more genuine party, that will be champions of the Constitution and that will be dedicated to enhancing our liberty, as well as rebuilding our national industrial base, must rise and take the place of the corrupt, rudderless, Republican Party.

Posted by J. Tyler Ballance on 3 July 02009 @ 6pm

I’m shocked she resigned, but the speech was her and not a speech-writers. She thinks she’s done good for Alaska. The vitrol (Letterman, Vanity Fair) has not slowed with the new year. She’s got a baby to raise and grandbaby too.
Trig came along after she ran for governor. It’s time for her to take a break, and remain inspirational – above the governing crowd.

Posted by Mike on 3 July 02009 @ 10pm

Word is that she might be under Federal indictment soon for possibly having had work done on her house by the folks that built the ill-fated sports arena/community complex. Nothing solid yet on that front.

Also, a show on Fox has been rumored, 30 minutes Monday through Friday.

Posted by Mark Brooks on 3 July 02009 @ 10pm

I think she’s delusional and believes she actually has a shot at the 2012 nomination.

Oh, and my husband and I are betting she’ll end up with a radio gig. It seems to be where all rabid Republicans end up at some point.

Posted by Jen on the Edge on 3 July 02009 @ 11pm

Good call on the radio gig, Jen. She could clear some serious money—with a bunch up-front with a long-term contract—and the 20% of Americans who adore her would tune in, which is a pretty huge audience to start off with.

If it turns out that she’s quitting for what might be the simplest reasons—she’s tired of the scandals, the public embarrassments, living life in the spotlight, etc.—then she might prove to be one of the sanest people in politics today.

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 4 July 02009 @ 12am

Yeah, for the record. I am NOT one of the 20%. I’m not sure if the Britney joke was clear in that regard.

Posted by Cory Capron on 4 July 02009 @ 1am

She’s operating in a transcendent reality in which winners quit and quitters win, where you walk off the court after making an assist, in which you can better serve your state by not being governor than by being governor, in which the stupidest woman in the Republican party has a real chance of being Queen of the United States, or even President of the World! Or she might just be bored of being governor.

Posted by Elizabeth McCullough on 4 July 02009 @ 9am

I listened to her press conference and was dumbstruck by her over-the-top perkiness. It was more like mania. There is something seriously not right with this woman. But good luck trying to slow her down.

Posted by Bubby on 4 July 02009 @ 10am

The next Palin target is another Murkowski. Pro Abortion Republican Lisa Murkowski. Sarah beat her Dad and is gunning for her. Primary next June, timing is about right. Then in 2012, how can anyone say a US Senator with 2 years experience is not qualified? But she may just wait until 2016. Honestly, I don’t know too many people that would want to take the crap Palin has for $125K per year. Her already signed memoirs deal is enough to live on. Probably high 6 figures.

Posted by wilson on 4 July 02009 @ 11am

Just picture this. Did we even know who she was before she became John McCain’s Running Mate?

What did we even know about Alaska or care about the state?

I see a woman that was thru into the lime light here and was taken all into it.

I know she was Governor of a state. Not sure how the media is up there but here the media is horrible. I know. I am a memember of the media.

She showed us her family and the media ripped them apart. Started to focus on her family / pregnant daughter being unwed and etc.

Even after the election still followed her and still doing it today.

Question to the media: What do you do to the folks in the media that want to give up there care in the media to run for elected office? Does the media start digging on their pals. to see if they have something they need to report? Are we any better then just a regular citizen or anyone already serving in office? Think about it.

Posted by ilovepolitics on 5 July 02009 @ 6am

Is that last post by Palin herself? The difficulty I had trying to make sense of it was similar to the trouble I had reading Palin’s resignation speech.

Posted by Will M. on 5 July 02009 @ 1pm

I wonder why all attractive female conservatives are labeled retards & misfits by the left. Katherine Harris, Sarah Palin, & Miss California come to mind.

Posted by will on 5 July 02009 @ 6pm

First, anyone who labels anyone else a “retard” should be taken out behind woodshed and beaten silly. Second, Katherine Harris and Sarah Palin are batshit crazy. And third, I never in my life thought I’d see Katherine Harris cited as an example of an “attractive female conservative.” For real?? Just saying is all.

Posted by Kaveh on 5 July 02009 @ 6pm

Katherine Harris? “Attractive”?

*shiver*

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 5 July 02009 @ 6pm

I was not aware that Katherine Harris and Sarah Palin were in the same league as Miss California.

Posted by Will M. on 6 July 02009 @ 3am

Katherine Harris qualifies as a MILF in my book.

Posted by Wilson on 6 July 02009 @ 6am

That’s the problem with you dudes Wilson. You pick your leaders based on MILF status, and pimp them behind a “Country First” slogan. Laughable.

Posted by Bubby Hussein, Hillbilly Sheikh on 6 July 02009 @ 10am

The acronym you’re looking for here is “GILF.”

Posted by Waldo Jaquith on 6 July 02009 @ 1pm

I finally watched the video of her ’speech’ on Youtube today.

Holy. Crap. After the first few minutes, I’m not sure that even she has any idea of what she is talking about. She was just rambling this weird nonsense about ’success’ or something. It reminded me of a spiel I heard from a mentally ill panhandler many years ago.

This woman clearly never belonged at the table with the grown-ups in the first place and I’m happy that she finally realized that fact and ran away.

Posted by Jack on 6 July 02009 @ 3pm