CNN: Palin won't seek a second term as AK governor

Baba is more qualified to be president.

Well, she went out better than Eliot Spitzer.

So far, anyway. Remains to be seen if she's dropping out because there's a scandal she expects will come out.

Excellent strategic timing to achieve minimal public awareness of her announcement (Fridays are best, 4th of July weekend Fridays are even better for low coverage/viewership), it's a good move to set up her successor in office with a better platform on which to run, and it's doubtful she'll incur much of a negative from resigning before her term ends if she's on for White House in 2012.

You know, while I don't think resigning was necessarily the best thing, I have to give her credit for at least being forthright with Alaskans. If there is even the possibility that her other aspirations might limit or preclude her ability to serve Alaskans, then yeah, she should resign because, like it should be with any political position, you owe it your constituency to give the position 100%. After all, Barack Obama started running for President how many days into his first term as US Senator? It makes one wonder then just how many days he spent pursuing personal aspirations when he probably should have been putting in time satisfying the responsibilities of being Senator.

Further, using one office to political hopskotch into another office, though common as it may be, is not at all synchronous with the actual intent/responsibilities of holding office; even more so if you are just elected to that office/in your first term. So say what you will about Sarah Palin, but at least she's not pulling that sleight of hand where she says she's doing one thing, while in fact, doing something totally different.

Good for her for being upfront about her intentions and purpose. The political drama notwithstanding, I think as a matter of utility, it is infinitely better that she chose to step down instead of staying in the position and shortshrifting Alaskans with a lame duck governor. More politicians I think might actually learn from this example -- it's fine if you have your own agenda; but don't rip off the people who voted you into office of the committed, hardworking representative they 'thought' they were getting. Such behavior is really one of the rather more disgusting maxima of vanity.

Alaska's ethics law is "unique," she's had to go through an expensive and tedious legal process every time one of her detractors has decided that she's done something wrong (like the lefty blogger who filed a complaint when Palin showed up to a sled race wearing an article of clothing with a logo on it), I'm pretty sure that she and her staff have been so slogged down by this because there was nothing else they could do, not because she didn't know how to handle things.

Slick might've stayed in office but the nation suffered because of it. The people probably would've been better served in the years leading up to 9/11 if we had a chief executive who didn't have to devote so much of his time to lying under oath, trying to get other government employees to help cover up his affairs and defending himself from impeachment.

I DO NOT like a fucking quiter.



If her reasons (which she still isn't really explaning at all) is to avoid being completely financially ruined by leftist parasite trash that is hellbent on destroying her, I could at least understand, but I still don't like it.

This will not stop those pussies from trying to ruin her. They're still trembling, crying and loading their panties with shit since her announcement brought McCain within striking distance of overtaking the Holy Black Messiah. That's something that should have never happened given how weak a candidate McCain was. Just like I said a few weeks ago, she truly terrified the parasites and they'll continue their hate for her forever in ways they've never expressed over a political opponent.

She's cooked politically. I hope she understands that.

That sounds like something only she would say.

Calm yourself down, Porky Pig.

Obama's fluffers over at MSDNC say she's done w/politics

Yep. Exactly like I said. She just handed the drones all the ammunition they'll ever need. But I didn't expect the marching orders to start right at the very top. Then again, the parasites currently inhabiting the White House have shown they have no class at all when it comes to involving themselves in things they shouldn't.

Go take a peek at DU. They're going fucking INSANE.

Holy shit, there's blood and body parts in the water today.

Give me a break. Mark Sanford disappears for a week to bang his Argentinean mistress and he has no problem clinging to office.

Women must be loving this. Not only is the most famous female politician in the nation stupid and thin-skinned, she's a quiter to boot.

What an odd ethics law.

To be fair, he had sex with an intern. I would have rather he not lied about it, but he did. Then again, it was none of Ken Starr's damn business. What Bill did should have been between him, Hillary, the ladies in question and God. There was no reason why we had to waste federal dollars going after a guy who got a blowjob. It was a media circus and a trainwreck.

J.

IIRC, Woodrow Wilson had served only two years as governor before running for and being elected president.

Some people think highly of Wilson (though not me).

For that matter Barack Obama was elected Senator hung around in the Senate for about a year then abandoned that job in all but name to run for president.

Look on the bright side.

It knocked out the Michael Jackson coverage for a day.

Bad career move. She's just not at all electable as a Presidential candidate. She's lucky she was elected as governor of Alaska.

I'd vote for her for MILF of the Month, but that's about it.

Maybe she's just tired of the MSM and others going after her kids...hell Andrew Sullivan is still demanding that she proves Twig is really her son..who needs that shit?

Bullllllllllllllllllllllll shittttttttttttttttttttttttt John.

Bullshit.

No, it's not bullshit. When you get into politics, you have to expect a level of civil impropriety by those opposed to your holding office.

J.

Lady in avatar swallowing?

Like most high school bullies, you tightie righties can dish it out, but you can't take it....

What the fuck is that suppose to mean?

And who the hell are you?

I don't think she "can handle"

I thought she had the potential to be able to.

But hey, it wasn't me that voted for a wet-behind-the-ears person who hadn't yet finished their first term in statewide office when they presumed to be ready for the White House either so, ya'know, whatever...

Her political future is up to her, barring a lesbian eskimo sex scandal hitting the news next week she might actually come out of this looking pretty good. She'll be the only anti gub'mint republican who can say that she hasn't been in government for the last couple of years. I have no idea what she'll do for the next couple of years, but at least it gets MJ off the new for a while.

I'm not saying it's smart, or that I even support her for President. I'm just trying to see whatever her and her advisers see in this strategy. For entertainment's sake hopefully it will be a different path than the normal chain of elected office redundancy that no one can argue has served us well these last few years.

If unemployment is more than 8% in 2012 then Palin, Huckabee, Romney, or anyone else the Republicans nominate can beat President Obama.

Okay, now that I've caught up in the thread here's my thinking...

Before reading the statement:

First of all, I've NEVER been convinced she'd run in 2012. She seems a pretty instinctive politician and my bet has always been she'd bide her time and wait until 2016 or 2020 (depending on the outcome of 2012) and nothing in this thread has made me think any different. She has TONS of time to polish her image and defeat the "ditzy" bullshit and I'm sure she knows the advantages of building up credibility.

That said-

My first impression was that there were 3 major possibilities:

1. There's a scandal coming ala Sanford that she can't beat
2. The Letterman incident so deeply offended her she felt she had to resign for the kids (in which case she would go on to do quite well heading up some PAC or think-tank or some such and giving speeches)
3. She was setting the stage to defy convention not only by resigning early but by going after Murkoski's seat - remember, she took out Murkoski the elder and a lot of people including many Republicans see Lisa as the REAL dim bulb in Alaska politics.


Having read the statement-

I actually found that amazing. She took a move that by any ordinary political definition should have been a total negative and spun it in such a way as to make it a potential political win. It's very impressive.

She managed to set herself up several talking points that she'll be able to use over and over:

* the cost to Alaska from the witch hunt
* the personal debt the family incurred
* the "serving personal interest on the states dime" while a lame duck maneuver which she is declining to do
* the politically helpful matter of giving the Lt. Gov. the power of incumbancy when the next election comes around (and that under the cover of the other reasons)
* and citing things like the Letterman matter as examples of "the politics of personal destruction" is red meat in speeches

I still say she is NOT setting up a run in 2012 - though I do admit the point guard rhetoric makes me thing she will be heavily involved in politicking on some level to try to take out Obama...and I don't think she minds at all if some other Republican she likes wins and that means it won't be "her turn" for eight years.

But maybe she is. Or maybe she'll run for the Senate in 2014.

Still, I'll say it again - do NOT be shocked if she takes on Murkowski.

I really don't think she'll decide on whether to run for president until after the 2010 midterm elections.

Those elections should indicate a great deal regarding President Obama's strength and indicate whether any other Republican leaders have breakout potential.

Scary, isn't it?

Ever how bad the crop of potential Republicans is - it's not like we can get worse policy wise than what we have now.

Still, as i said before, Haley Barbour FTW!

He may be a machine politician but he knows his shit both politically and policy-wise.

It is the nature of American politics.

For every percentage point above around 4.5% of unemployment, that equals about 1.1 million Americans who don't have jobs that are looking for them.

Generally about 4.5% is considered "full employment" because that 4.5% is mostly "frictional or seasonal" unemployment made up of people changing jobs or who lose jobs based on the time of year (construction, agriculture).

8% unemployment means nearly 4 million people probably pissed off about things.

And those 4 million have families. Tack on another 2 million voters directly effected by those unemployed and you get 6 million voters.

Tack on at least an equal number of people unnerved about the persistently high unemployment and you get 12 million voters.

Now some of them will vote for the President anyway, but I would wager good money that a clear majority of those will vote for the challenger.

No, she did not.

If Sarah Palin intended to run for the Senate in 2010, or 2014,
there is no reason for her to resign as Governor.

The Senate would have been the smart play for her, but she blew it.

I'm sure that there are plenty of people telling her that she is the darling of conservatives,
and that millions of Americans are just waiting for the chance to sweep her into the Presidency.

If her head is turned so easily, she shouldn't be considered a serious candidate.