Palin resignation dooms presidential pipe dream - NY Daily News Alaska's governor Sarah Palin to resign, dooming her presidential pipe dream Palin resignation dooms presidential pipe dream DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF Saturday, July 4, 2009, 4:41 PM Sarah Palin announces that she is resigning as Governor of Alaska. Some Republican insiders say this dooms any hopes of a presidential bid. (DeBerry, Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman/AP) DAILY NEWS WASHINGTON BUREAU CHIEF Saturday, July 4, 2009, 4:41 PM What do you think of Sarah Palin 's sudden resignation? Click here and share your thoughts. WASHINGTON - Sarah Palin's bizarre bailout dooms her chances of ever being President, Republican mandarins said Friday - but she was already finished. The Alaska governor's disastrous star turn as John McCain 's running mate, followed by her lurching, controversial encore on the national scene, had already sealed her fate - except, perhaps, with the GOP 's most far-right wing.

Still, the experts were unanimously stunned to hear her walk off the job with 16 months left in her term - shrinking her résumé even more and surrendering the best platform she has beyond her double-edged celebrity status. "If you aspire to the highest office in the land, then suddenly think your lieutenant governor can do a better job - not exactly a profile in courage," one party pro told the Daily News. Few GOP insiders were surprised Palin decided against running for reelection. The Alaska statehouse is too isolated a locale for any politician aspiring to high national office, they said. "You need to be in the Lower 48 to be credible politically," a senior adviser to several Republican Presidents noted. But quitting mid-term with a rambling rant is not the way to get there. "She proved she couldn't play in the big leagues last fall and now she's proven it again," one of the party's most prominent kingmakers said. "If you can't even handle a governorship, there's no way you can handle the White House . "She couldn't win - but now she can't even run," added the official, who once was among her most fervent boosters.

"She has an incredibly thin résumé, a serious lack of gravitas, no coherent philosophy and the people around her are amateurs," another top Republican pol argued. "She's finished." Palin to resign governor's job in Alaska - The Blade Palin to resign governor's job in Alaska ASSOCIATED PRESS Print WASILLA, Alaska Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin surprised supporters Friday and announced she is resigning from office at the end of the month, leaving open the possibility she would seek a run for the White House in 2012. The news rattles a Republican Party plagued with setbacks in recent weeks, including extramarital affairs disclosed by two other 2012 presidential prospects, Nevada Sen. John Ensign and South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford. Ms. Palin and her staff kept her future plans shrouded in mystery, and it was unclear if the controversial hockey mom would quietly return to private life or begin laying the foundation for a presidential bid. Governor Palin hinted she had a bigger role in mind, saying she wanted to make a positive change outside government. But she kept supporters in suspense, promising on Twitter: We ll soon attach info on decision to not seek re-election ... this is in Alaska s best interest, my family s happy ...

it is good. Stay tuned. In a hastily arranged news conference at her home in suburban Wasilla, Ms. Palin said she will formally step down July 26, and Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will be inaugurated at the governor s picnic in Fairbanks. She said she had decided against running for re-election as Alaska s governor and believed it was best to leave office even though she had two years left to her term. Many just accept that lame duck status, and they hit that road. They draw a paycheck. They kind of milk it. And I m not going to put Alaskans through that, she said. The 2008 vice presidential nominee was seen as a likely presidential contender in 2012 and had proved formidable among the party s base. But the last week brought a highly critical piece in Vanity Fair magazine, with unnamed campaign aides questioning if Palin was ever really prepared for the presidency. The backbiting continued through the week, with follow-up articles recounting the nasty infighting that plagued her failed bid. Her advisers sniped with other Republicans, underscoring the deeply divided GOP looking for its next standard bearer.

Her resignation, timed on the eve of the July 4 holiday when many Americans had already begun a three-day weekend, seemed designed to avoid publicity while openly leaving office. She alluded to how she could help change the country and help military members code that she didn t think her time on the national stage was over. Ms. Palin s spokesman, David Murrow, said the governor didn t say anything to him about this being her political finale. He said he interpreted Ms. Palin s comment about working outside government as reflecting her current job only. She s looking forward to serving the public outside the governor s chair, he said. And Pam Pryor, a spokesman for Ms. Palin s political action committee SarahPAC, said the group continues to accept donations on its Web site, with an uptick in funds after the governor s announcement. Jerry McBeath, a veteran political science professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, called the pending resignation a smart move, both for Ms. Palin and the state. Alaska is an isolated stage from which to operate if you want to figure in American national politics. I don t know what she has in mind. Some TV show or some national radio show.

There are opportunities for her, I m sure. But political analyst Larry Sabato, in Charlottesville, Va., said Ms. Palin s announcement left many confused. It s absolutely bizarre, and I think it eliminates her from serious consideration for the presidency in 2012, he said. The governor said her family weighed heavily in her decision. I polled the most important people in my life, my kids, where the count was unanimous, she said. Well, in response to asking, Hey, you want me to make a positive difference and fight for all our children s future from outside the governor s office? It was four yeses and one Hell, yeah! And the Hell, yeah sealed it. Her decision not to seek re-election was a familiar one for a potential presidential candidate. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney chose not to seek another term as he geared up for an unsuccessful 2008 presidential bid. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has announced he won t seek another term, giving him plenty of free time ahead of a potential 2012 bid. Palin emerged from relative obscurity nearly a year ago when she was tapped as then Republican presidential candidate John McCain s running mate.

She was a controversial figure from the start, with comedian Tina Fey famously imitating her elaborate updo and folksy You betcha! on Saturday Night Live. In the presidential race, Ms. Palin became the butt of talk-show jokes and Democratic criticism after news broke that the Republican Party had spent $150,000 or more on a designer wardrobe, accessories, and hair and makeup services for her. The high-end spending spree contrasted with the down-to-earth image she sought to craft for herself and became an unwelcome issue for the McCain campaign. She didn t leave the limelight once Mr. McCain lost the presidency. She recently led a public spat with Late Show host David Letterman over a joke he made about one of her daughters being knocked up by New York Yankees baseball player Alex Rodriguez during the governor s recent visit to New York. Ms. Palin s 18-year-old daughter, Bristol, is an unwed, teenage mother. Letterman later apologized for the joke. Ms. Palin also complained that her 14-month-old son, Trig, who was diagnosed with Down s syndrome, had been mocked and ridiculed by some mean-spirited adults recently. She didn t elaborate.

Fred Malek, a Republican strategist who has advised Ms. Palin over the last year, said Governor Palin was really unhappy with the way her life was going. She felt that the pressures of the job combined with her family obligations and the demands and desires to help other Republican candidates led her to decide not to run again. Once that decision was made, she realized, why not do it now and let the lieutenant governor take over and get a head start on his election, Mr. Malek said. She was first elected in 2006 on a populist platform. But her popularity has waned as she waged in partisan politics following her return from the presidential campaign. Her term would have ended in 2010. She expressed frustration with her current role as governor. I cannot stand here as your governor and allow the millions of dollars and all that time go to waste just so I can hold the title of governor, Ms. Palin said. Her decision even took Mr. Parnell by surprise. He said he was told on Wednesday evening, and was not aware that any presidential ambitions were behind the move. Her announcement comes after several recent blows to the Republican party. Mr.

Ensign, a member of the Christian ministry Promise Keepers, stepped down from the Senate Republican leadership last month after admitting he had an affair for much of last year with a woman on his campaign staff who was married to one of his Senate aides. Mr. Ensign later disclosed he had helped the woman s husband get two jobs during the affair. A government watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, wants the Senate ethics committee and the Federal Election Commission to investigate. Just days after news of Mr. Ensign s affair broke, Governor Sanford admitted an affair with a woman in Argentina. Some lawmakers are now calling for his resignation. Before the admission, Mr. Sanford had been missing from the state for five days visiting his lover. He had slipped his security detail, lied to his staff about where he was, and failed to transfer power to the lieutenant governor in case of a state emergency. The party s troubles seem to have left two prominent 2012 prospects, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and 2008 presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, unscathed, however. Click to comment Guidelines: Please keep your comments smart and civil. Don't attack other readers personally, and keep your language decent.

Comments that violate these standards, or our privacy statement or visitor's agreement , are subject to being removed and commenters are subject to being banned. To post comments, you must be a registered user on toledoblade.com. To find out more, please visit the FAQ . Quis autem vel eum iure reprehenderit qui in ea voluptate velit esse quam nihil molestiae consequatur, vel illum qui dolorem? Temporibus autem quibusdam et aut officiis debitis aut rerum necessitatibus saepe eveniet. Copyright © 2015 Toledo Blade Sarah Palin resigns as Alaska Governor to embark on political career | The Times Sarah Palin resigns as Alaska Governor to embark on political career Tim Reid in Washington Published at 9:10PM, July 27 2009 The captivating and at times vaudevillian career of Sarah Palin entered an unpredictable phase yesterday when she stepped down as the Governor of Alaska to try to forge a role as the voice of the Republican Party.

Mrs Palin, who announced her shock resignation on July 3 with 18 months of her term left to run, has remained coy about her ambitions but the move has increased speculation that she wants to make a bid for the White House in 2012. Such a scenario delights many Democrats, who believe that because Mrs Palin is a controversial figure whose performance as Subscribe now Sarah Palin resigns as Alaska's governor, raising speculation on 2012 presidential run | US news | The Guardian Close This article is 7 years old Sarah Palin , the former Republican vice-presidential candidate who electrified her party's campaign last year, has resigned as Alaska's governor in a dramatic decision that has fuelled speculation she is positioning herself to run for president. But after an at times rambling speech in which she compared herself to battle wounded American soldiers in Kosovo and said only dead fish go with the flow, Palin's critics accused her of a "flaky" decision and walking away from her post. Palin, who built strong support among conservative Republicans as John McCain's running mate last year, said she will step down in three weeks because she can contribute more away from politics.

"We know we can effect positive change outside government at this moment in time on another scale and actually make a difference for our priorities," she said. But Palin also hinted at continuing political ambitions when she repeated a quote she attributed to general Douglas MacArthur: "We are not retreating, we are advancing in another direction." For someone who is supposedly stepping back from politics, Palin's resignation speech was weighty with policy specifics which prompted speculation that she is positioning herself for a 2012 presidential bid or seeking another office which would move her from distant Alaska to the heart of Washington politics. But the timing, coming during one of the biggest American holidays of the year, independence day, raised questions among some of Republicans who accused her of attempting to escape falling poll numbers in Alaska as a series of economic problems and ethics investigations take their toll. A prominent Republican strategist, Ed Rollins, who directed Ronald Reagan's election campaign, said Palin had made a serious mistake. "She was a shooting star who dimmed in recent months and now she's crashed," he said. Another Republican strategist, Tony Blankley, disagreed and said Palin appeared to have made a smart move to position herself for a run for president.

"It looks like she's moving down a path toward it," he said. "It frees her up. The normal rules don't seem to apply to her. She's a fascinating character who seems to do things her own way." Blankley said that it makes sense for Palin to resign as governor if she is seeking higher office. "This is going to be a pretty tough time for incumbents the next couple of years in America with everything going to tell and this may be a pretty good time not to be in office," he said. Blankley also said that Palin faced particular difficulties trying to juggle a national campaign with being government of Alaska. The geography is bad for her because it is several time zones and the better part of a day's travel from Washington. That limits her ability to maintain her profile by dropping in on important campaign states for short visits to whip up backing for a run for president. Quitting as governor will give her an opportunity to travel and court the Republican base among which she retains considerable support. Palin will also need to spend time in the capital developing relationships with key Republican strategists. Palin remains a front runner among Republicans nationwide as a potential presidential candidate. But other Republicans were more critical including John Weaver, a long-time confidant of McCain.

"We've seen a lot of nutty behaviour from governors and Republican leaders in the last three months, but this one is at the top of that," Weaver told the Washington Post. Palin's resignation was swiftly criticised as "flaky" by her Democratic opponents who said it was part of a pattern of "bizarre" behaviour. The Democratic National Committee said she is "leaving the people of Alaska high and dry ... or she simply can't handle the job now". The timing of the announcement on the eve of independence day led some critics to accuse her of trying to bury the news of her resignation. But given that almost nothing else was going on it might have been a move to dominate the news bulletins as it forced Michael Jackson's death from the top slot. "Some are going to question the timing of this, and let me say this decision has been in the works for quite a while," Palin said. Palin addressed the numerous ethics investigations launched in to her alleged misuse of office by saying that taxpayer money was being wasted and deriding them as part of the "superficial political blood sport" against her since she shot to prominence as McCain's running mate. Palin will hand power to her deputy, lieutenant governor Sean Parnell.

The next election for Alaska governor is in 2010. Palin to resign as Alaska governor - politics - More politics | NBC News Palin to resign as Alaska governor Former VP hopeful says she'll work for change from outside government Below: x NBC News and news services updated 7/4/2009 12:06:10 AM ET 2009-07-04T04:06:10 + - WASILLA, Alaska — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin abruptly announced Friday she is resigning from office at the end of the month, a shocking move that rattled the Republican party but left open the possibility she would seek a run for the White House in 2012. Palin, 45, and her staff kept her future plans shrouded in mystery, and it was unclear if the controversial hockey mom would quietly return to private life or begin laying the foundation for a presidential bid. Palin's spokesman, David Murrow, said the governor didn't say anything to him about this being her "political finale." He said he interpreted Palin's comment about working outside government as reflecting her current job only.

"She's looking forward to serving the public outside the governor's chair," he said. And Pam Pryor, a spokeswoman for Palin's political action committee SarahPAC, said the group continues to accept donations on its Web site, with an uptick in funds after Palin's announcement. The announcement caught even current and former Palin advisers by surprise. Former members of the John McCain campaign team, now dispersed across the country, traded perplexed e-mails and phone calls. But personal pressures have been mounting — scrutiny on her family, legal bills, ethics investigations and a running, public feud with McCain's camp that has flared up again. Advertise In a hastily arranged news conference at her home in suburban Wasilla, Palin said she will formally step down July 26, and Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will be inaugurated at the governor's picnic in Fairbanks. She said she had decided against running for re-election as Alaska's governor, and believed it was best to leave office even though she had two years left to her term. No 'lame duck' "Many just accept that lame duck status, and they hit that road. They draw a paycheck. They kind of milk it.

And I'm not going to put Alaskans through that," she said. The 2008 vice presidential nominee was seen as a likely presidential contender in 2012 and had proved formidable among the party's base. But the last week brought a highly critical piece in Vanity Fair magazine, with unnamed campaign aides questioning if Palin was ever really prepared for the presidency. The backbiting continued with follow-up articles recounting the nasty infighting that plagued her failed bid. Her advisers sniped with other Republicans, underscoring the deeply divided GOP looking for its next standard bearer. Meghan Stapleton, Palin's personal spokeswoman, shot down speculation that ranged wildly from Palin dropping out of politics altogether to eyeing runs against fellow Alaska Republicans U.S. Rep. Don Young and U.S. Sen. Lisa Murkowski. Palin's comment about serving outside government refers to the present, she said. Other political news of note Fluke files to run in California Stapleton, however, said it's too early to say whether Palin would seek the presidency. In the meantime, the governor will continue to work "toward effecting positive change as a citizen without a title right now," she said.

Video: Todd: Resignation can open doors for Palin "Her vision is what's best for Alaska, which translates into what's best for America," Stapleton said. Palin's resignation, timed on the eve of the July 4 holiday when many Americans had already begun a three-day weekend, seemed designed to avoid publicity. She alluded to how she could help change the country and help military members — code that she didn't think her time on the national stage was over. One senior Palin adviser, who spoke to the family in recent days, described the governor and her husband as tired of the constant media scrutiny. Nevertheless, the adviser was shocked to hear Palin's announcement Friday. A longtime confidant who spoke on condition of anonymity to discuss private conversations, the adviser counseled the Palins that leaving government was politically unwise, but the governor was resolute. Sources told NBC's Andrea Mitchell that it appears Palin is out of politics for good.

Though the announcement touched off a flurry of speculation among Democrats and Alaska political bloggers that Palin had been drawn into one of the many criminal investigations that have upended Alaska politics in recent years, the adviser reported seeing no evidence of such an investigation and said if one is under way, then Palin has kept it to herself and it would be yet another surprise to supporters. Professor: 'Smart move' Jerry McBeath, a veteran political science professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, called the pending resignation a "smart move," both for Palin and the state. But political analyst Larry Sabato, in Charlottesville, Va., said Palin's announcement left many confused. "I think it eliminates her from serious consideration for the presidency in 2012." Palin said her family weighed heavily in her decision. "I polled the most important people in my life, my kids, where the count was unanimous," she said. "Well, in response to asking, 'Hey, you want me to make a positive difference and fight for all our children's future from outside the governor's office?' It was four yeses and one 'Hell, yeah!" And the 'Hell, yeah' sealed it." Palin's decision not to seek re-election was a familiar one for a potential presidential candidate.

Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney chose not to seek another term as he geared up for an unsuccessful 2008 presidential bid. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has announced he won't seek another term, giving him plenty of free time ahead of a potential 2012 bid. Palin emerged from relative obscurity nearly a year ago when she was tapped as then Republican presidential candidate John McCain's running mate. Controversial from the start She was a controversial figure from the start, with comedian Tina Fey famously imitating her elaborate updo and folksy "You betcha!" on "Saturday Night Live." In the presidential race, Palin became the butt of talk-show jokes and Democratic criticism after news broke that the Republican Party had spent $150,000 or more on a designer wardrobe, accessories and hair and makeup services for her. The high-end spending spree contrasted with the down-to-earth image she sought to craft for herself and became an unwelcome issue for the McCain campaign. She didn't leave the limelight once McCain lost the presidency.

She recently led a public spat with "Late Show" host David Letterman over a joke he made about one of her daughters being "knocked up" by New York Yankees baseball player Alex Rodriguez during the governor's recent visit to New York. Palin's 18-year-old daughter, Bristol, is an unwed, teenage mother. Letterman later apologized for the joke. Palin also complained that her 14-month-old son, Trig, who was diagnosed with Down's syndrome, had been "mocked and ridiculed by some mean-spirited adults recently." She didn't elaborate. Fred Malek, a Republican strategist who has advised Palin over the past year, said Palin was "really unhappy with the way her life was going." "She felt that the pressures of the job combined with her family obligations and the demands and desires to help other Republican candidates led her to decide not to run again. Once that decision was made, she realized, why not do it now and let the lieutenant governor take over and get a head start on his election," Malek said. Palin's move also prompted speculation among bloggers and critics that the governor was facing a looming political crisis or embarrassment. Advertise Something below surface?

"There's got to be something below the surface that's about ready to come to the surface that quite potentially she just didn't want to deal with as governor," said Andrew Halcro, a Palin critic who lost the 2006 gubernatorial race to her. There is, for example, a pending public records request from Linda Kellen Biegel, an Anchorage blogger who is seeking e-mails showing an effort by the Palin administration to smear her critics including those filing ethics complaints against the governor. Biegel, whose own ethics complaint was dismissed, also is seeking an investigation into the financial profits to the Palin family from racing sponsors of Palin's husband, Todd, in the 2,000-mile Iron Dog snowmobile race. Video: Leaving politics for good? "There may be embarrassing things in there. I don't know," Biegel said. "I'm just as baffled as a lot of people." Stapleton, Palin's spokeswoman, dismissed the rumors of damaging news on the horizon. "No truth whatsoever. Period," she wrote in an e-mail to The Associated Press. "Just more nonsense from the same people who choose to waste state resources." Palin was first elected in 2006 on a populist platform.

But her popularity has waned as she became embroiled in partisan politics following her return from the presidential campaign. Her term would have ended in 2010. Palin expressed frustration with her current role as governor. "I cannot stand here as your governor and allow the millions of dollars and all that time go to waste just so I can hold the title of governor," Palin said, referring to the alleged impact of multiple ethics complaints against her, most of which have been dismissed. Palin remaining as governor is not good for Alaska, given the "political bloodsport" by her critics, Stapleton said. Stepping down is a "fighter's move," Stapleton said, essentially Palin stepping around political barriers in her way and pursuing her vision. GOP woes Palin's announcement comes after several recent blows to the Republican party. Ensign, a member of the Christian ministry Promise Keepers, stepped down from the Senate Republican leadership last month after admitting he had an affair for much of last year with a woman on his campaign staff who was married to one of his Senate aides. Ensign later disclosed he had helped the woman's husband get two jobs during the affair.

A government watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, wants the Senate ethics committee and the Federal Election Commission to investigate. Just days after news of Ensign's affair broke, Sanford admitted an affair with a woman in Argentina. Some lawmakers are now calling for his resignation. Before the admission, Sanford had been missing from the state for five days visiting his lover. He had slipped his security detail, lied to his staff about where he was and failed to transfer power to the lieutenant governor in case of a state emergency. The party's troubles seem to have left two prominent 2012 prospects, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and 2008 presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, unscathed, however. Palin has the potential to make far more money in the private sector than the $125,000 or so she has been making as governor. Palin already had a deal with publisher HarperCollins to produce her memoirs, with publication planned for next spring. Terms of the deal have not been disclosed. Six-figure book deals are common for high-profile political figures.

© 2013 msnbc.com Northwest Progressive Institute Advocate: Sarah Palin resigns as Governor of Alaska Sarah Palin resigns as Governor of Alaska Wow, didn't see this one coming : Sarah Palin made a surprise announcement Friday that she will resign as governor of Alaska in a few weeks, saying she will try to "affect positive change" from outside government. The former Republican vice presidential candidate hastily called a news conference Friday morning at her home in suburban Wasilla, giving such short notice that only a few reporters actually made it to the announcement. Since the news initially broke a couple hours ago it is spreading like wildfire, and with it, pithy reactions. One commenter on the New York Times' site quipped : Affecting change outside of government? Gee, you mean like being a Community Organizer? — Dave Good one. Of course, pundits are going to speculate that Palin is resigning because she wants to run for President in 2012, but that doesn't make any sense. The best jumping off point for the presidency is a governorship. Look at recent American political history - Barack Obama is the first president since JFK to have been elected out of Congress. Why would Palin give that up?

MSNBC is reporting that "inside sources" have told them that Palin and her family want to be out of politics for good, and that is a far more plausible explanation for this decision. Palin no longer enjoys the popular support she once had in her home state, and her chances of winning reelection in 2010 were already starting to look dicey. Perhaps she's just tired of being laughed at and made fun of... although she asked for it with her nastiness at the Republican National Convention and on the campaign trail towards President Obama and Vice President Biden. Here's a partial transcript of Palin's remarks at her press conferences. Palin spoke sharply, clearly drawing breath as she finished key sentences. And so... as I thought about this announcement that I wouldn't run for re-election, and what that means for Alaska, I thought about how, well, how much fun some Governors have as lame ducks. They maybe travel around their state, travel to other states, maybe take their overseas international trade missions. So many politicians do that. And, then I thought, that's what wrong. Many just accept that lame duck status. And they hit the road, they draw a paycheck... they kinda milk it...

And I'm not gonna to put Alaskans through that. I promised efficiencies and effectiveness. That's not how I'm wired, I'm not wired to operate under the same old politics as usual. I promised that four years ago, and I meant it. It... That's not what is best for Alaska at this time. I am determined to take the right path for Alaska, even though it is unconventional and it's not so comfortable. With this announcement that I'm not seeking reelection, I've determined it's best to transfer the authority of governor to Lieutenant Governor Parnell. And... I am willing to do this, so that this administration, with its positive agenda and its accomplishments, and its successful road to an incredible future for Alaska... so that it can continue without interruption. And with great administrative and legislative success. My choice is to take a stand and affect change, and not just hit our head against the wall, and watch valuable state time and money... millions of your dollars go down the drain in this new political environment. Rather, we know we can affect positive change outside government at this moment in time on another scale and actually make a difference for our priorities, and... so we will. For Alaskans. And for Americans.

Let me go back quickly to a comfortable analogy for me, and that's sports. Basketball. And... And I use it because you are naive if you don't see a full court press from the national level, picking away right now. A good point guard, here's what she does: She drives through a full court press, protecting the ball, keeping her head up, because she needs to keep her eye on the basket. And... she knows exactly when to pass the ball, so that the team can win. And that is what I'm doing. Keeping our eye on the ball. That represents sound priorities, remember, they include energy independence, and smaller government, and national security and freedom... and I know when it's time to pass the ball for victory. Yadda, yadda, yadda. The Democratic National Committee has already slammed Palin for announcing she's going to take her ball and go home. Here's spokesman Brad Woodhouse: Either Sarah Palin is leaving the people of Alaska high and dry to pursue her long shot national political ambitions or she simply can't handle the job now that her popularity has dimmed and oil revenues are down.

[...] Either way, her decision to abandon her post and the people of Alaska who elected her continues a pattern of bizarre behavior that more than anything else may explain the decision she made today. Palin may very well go down in history as a half term governor and a quitter who, like most bullies, seemed to relish tossing fireballs at her political opposition but couldn't take the heat when fireballs were promptly lobbed back. We couldn't imagine a more deserving fate for Sarah Palin than being consigned to the dustbin of American political history with all of the other divisive and hollow politicians who had their fifteen minutes of fame and then faded away for good. # Posted by Andrew : 1:03 PM Palin: 'Politically speaking, if I die, I die. So be it' - NY Daily News Sarah Palin on her resignation: 'Politically speaking, if I die, I die. So be it' Palin: 'Politically speaking, if I die, I die. So be it' Sarah Palin opened up about her decision to resign as governor of Alaska.

(NBC/Today Show) DAILY NEWS POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT Tuesday, July 7, 2009, 8:09 PM Wearing fishing waders, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin vehemently defended her decision to resign 16 months early, declaring she doesn’t care if it damages her political future. “I said before I stood in front of the mic the other day, you know, politically speaking -- if I die, I die. So be it," Palin said in an interview broadcast on ABC’s “ Good Morning America ” Tuesday. Palin did a round of morning show interviews during a family fishing trip in Dillingham, a small village in western Alaska , three days after stunning the political world with her decision to step down at the end of the month. In the interviews, the vanquished GOP vice presidential nominee refused to rule out the possibility of running for president in 2012. “I don’t know what the future holds. Can’t predict what the next fish run’s going to be look like, much less what’s going to happen in a couple of years,” she said.

“My focus is on my state still -- it always will be –- and my family and what is best for them.” “What is best for them is to not run for reelection, to avoid a lame-duck kind of wasteful session in a final year in office,” she said. Palin, 45, said she has no regrets about accepting Sen. John McCain ’s offer to join him as his running mate last year. “Not in the least. Absolutely not!” she said. “It was a great honor to stand by a true American hero. I believe in John McCain. I appreciate him. I honor him and I would have done all this again in a heartbeat.” As for her abrupt decision to resign, Palin said she did not think it would be “such a darn big deal.” Palin reiterated what she said in her resignation speech on Friday -- that she thought it was in the state’s best interests to step aside because so many resources were being wasted defending a slew of ethics allegations against her. “The choice I had to make was OK, how am I going to react to the circumstances, to the changed conditions?

Am I going to just keep plugging away and keep my head down and not try to effect any more change because every time we do something we get hit with an ethics violation charge or a lawsuit because that’s the political game that’s being played right now?” Palin said it has cost the state “thousands and thousands” of hours in time and millions of dollars to fend off these “frivolous, ridiculous, wasteful” ethics violation charges. She said it’s costing her family roughly $500,000 in personal legal bills, but she said that’s only “one aspect of the insanity.” “What is all of it,” she said, “is knowing I wasn’t going to run for re-election.” She said she didn’t want to play that “political game” where elected officials pretend they haven’t decided whether to seek another term. “I knew I wasn’t going to run again and so I’m going to be honest with Alaskans and say one term was enough,” she said. When a reporter pressed her, saying some constituents are troubled because she didn’t finish the four years she was elected to serve, Palin bristled.

“You’re not listening to me as to why I wouldn’t be able to finish that final year in office without it costing the state millions of dollars and countless hours of wasted time,” she replied. At one point, she insisted she’s not a quitter. “I’m a fighter,” she said. “I thrive on challenges.” First Dude Todd Palin , the governor’s husband, said he has “no doubt at all” his wife’s resignation was the right decision for Alaska. The photo-op of the governor, wearing fishing gear, could have been aimed at washing away the public’s memory of the infamous reports about her expensive wardrobe from the campaign trail, paid for with Republican Party funds. When questioned whether she was quitting because she missed the bright lights of national media exposure, Palin retorted she’s an Alaskan and a fisher at heart. She pointed to the “fish slime” and the “dirt under the finger nails,” saying plainly that’s “the stuff that’s me.” She said her family, including the children, all fish. “It teaches these kids to work extra hard and to not be divas and to not be picky,” she said, using the “diva” moniker that McCain aides had once famously attributed to her.

“Yeah, they get tired and they’re wet and they’re cold,” she said of the kids’ fishing experiences. “But it teaches them good lessons for life.” Palin to resign as Alaska governor | Toronto Star World Palin to resign as Alaska governor Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin surprised supporters today and announced she is resigning from office at the end of the month without explaining why she plans to step down – throwing into question whether she would seek a run for the White House in 2012. Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin announces that she is stepping down from her position as Governor in Wasilla, Alaska on Friday July 3, 2009. (AP PHOTO) By RACHEL D'OROAssociated Press Writer Fri., July 3, 2009 WASILLA, Alaska – Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin surprised supporters today and announced she is resigning from office at the end of the month without explaining why she plans to step down – throwing into question whether she would seek a run for the White House in 2012. The news rattles a Republican Party plagued with setbacks in recent weeks, including extramarital affairs disclosed by two other 2012 presidential prospects, Nevada Sen.

John Ensign and South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford. Palin hastily called a news conference this morning at her home in suburban Wasilla, giving such short notice that only a few reporters actually made it to the announcement. Security blocked late-arriving media outside her home, and her spokesman, Dave Murrow, finally emerged to confirm that Palin will step down July 26. He refused to give details about the governor's future plans. The former Republican vice presidential candidate said she had been considering leaving office since she decided not to run for re-election. "Many just accept that lame duck status, and they hit that road. They draw a paycheck. They kind of milk it. And I'm not going to put Alaskans through that," Palin said. Article Continued Below Palin spokesman David Murrow said the governor didn't say anything to him about this being her "political finale." Murrow said he interpreted Palin's comment about working outside government as reflecting her current job only. "She's looking forward to serving the public outside the governor's chair," he said. Political analyst Larry Sabato, in Charlottesville, Va., said Palin's announcement left many wondering what her plans were.

"It's absolutely bizarre, and I think it eliminates her from serious consideration for the presidency in 2012," he said. Palin hinted that she had a bigger role in mind, saying she wanted to make a "positive change outside government." But she kept supporters in suspense, promising later today on Twitter: ``We'll soon attach info on decision to not seek re-election ... this is in Alaska's best interest, my family's happy ... it is good. Stay tuned.'' Jerry McBeath, a veteran political science professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, called the pending resignation a ``smart move," both for Palin and the state. "Alaska is an isolated stage from which to operate if you want to figure in American national politics. I don't know what she has in mind, some TV show or some national radio show. There are opportunities for her, I'm sure.'' "After all, Rush Limbaugh is getting old, and cranky, and the airwaves and the videowaves would benefit form a new present. She certainly is photogenic, and that is her area of experience. So I would say it's a response to opportunity instead of 'getting out before they get you,'" he said.

As for the state, he said Palin's departure will reduce the distractions and return Alaska to normal politics. Palin said her family weighed heavily in her decision. "This decision has been in the works for a while. This decision comes after much consideration, prayer and consideration," she said. "Finally, I polled the most important people in my life, my kids, where the count was unanimous. Well, in response to asking, 'Hey, you want me to make a positive difference and fight for all our children's future from outside the governor's office?' It was four yeses and one 'Hell, yeah!" And the hell, yeah sealed it.'' Palin's decision not to seek re-election was a familiar one for a potential presidential candidate. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney chose not to seek another term as he geared up for an unsuccessful 2008 presidential bid. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has announced he won't seek another term, giving him plenty of free time ahead of a potential 2012 bid. And Alaska's remote location seemed prohibitive for her to visit key early states such as Iowa, New Hampshire or South Carolina.

She would lose at least a day for travel on each trip, while her competitors could make day trips to Des Moines, Manchester or Columbia to drive news. By exiting the governor's office early, she wouldn't be held back by her day job's duties or be drawn into state-level fights with national implications. But the early exit from the governorship also raised questions about how seriously she takes her job. Palin emerged from relative obscurity nearly a year ago when she was tapped as then Republican presidential candidate John McCain's running mate. She was a controversial figure from the start, with comedian Tina Fey famously imitating her elaborate hairstyle and folksy ``You betcha!" on "Saturday Night Live.'' She didn't leave the limelight once McCain lost the presidency. She recently led a public spat with "Late Show" host David Letterman over a joke he made about one of her daughters being ``knocked up" by New York Yankees baseball player Alex Rodriguez during the governor's recent visit to New York. Palin's 18-year-old daughter, Bristol, is an unwed, teenage mother. Letterman later apologized for the joke. Her 2008 running mate, Sen. John McCain, wouldn't be offering reaction today, a spokeswoman said.

Palin also complained that her 14-month-old son, Trig, who was diagnosed with Down's syndrome, had been "mocked and ridiculed by some mean-spirited adults recently." She didn't elaborate. Fred Malek, a Republican strategist who has advised Palin over the past year, said Palin was "really unhappy with the way her life was going.'' "She felt that the pressures of the job combined with her family obligations and the demands and desires to help other Republican candidates led her to decide not to run again. Once that decision was made, she realized, why not do it now and let the lieutenant governor take over and get a head start on his election," Malek said. The 2008 vice presidential nominee was seen as a likely presidential contender in 2012 and had proved formidable among the party's base. But the last week brought a highly critical piece in Vanity Fair magazine, with unnamed campaign aides questioning if she was ever really prepared for the presidency. The backbiting continued through the week, with follow-up articles recounting the nasty infighting that plagued her failed bid. Her advisers sniped with other Republicans, underscoring the deeply divided GOP looking for its next standard bearer.

Palin's resignation announcement caught Republicans and Democrats alike by surprise, but it also suggested she had her eyes on another presidential run. She alluded to how she could help change the country and help military members – code that she didn't think her time on the national stage was over. But the early exit from the governorship also raised questions about how serious she takes her job. Palin's resignation, timed on the eve of the July 4 holiday when many Americans had already begun a three-day weekend, seemed designed to avoid publicity while openly leaving office. Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will be inaugurated at the governor's picnic in Fairbanks at the end of the month. Palin was first elected in 2006 on a populist platform. But her popularity has waned as she waged in partisan politics following her return from the presidential campaign. Her term would have ended in 2010. Palin expressed frustration with her current role as governor. "I cannot stand here as your governor and allow the millions of dollars and all that time go to waste just so I can hold the title of governor," Palin said. Palin's decision even took Parnell by surprise.

He said he was told on Wednesday evening, and was not aware that any presidential ambitions were behind the move. Other recent GOP troubles include affairs by Ensign and Sanford. Ensign, a member of the Christian ministry Promise Keepers, stepped down from the Senate Republican leadership last month after admitting he had an affair for much of last year with a woman on his campaign staff who was married to one of his Senate aides. Ensign later disclosed he had helped the woman's husband get two jobs during the affair. A government watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, wants the Senate ethics committee and the Federal Election Commission to investigate. Just days after news of Ensign's affair broke, Sanford admitted an affair with a woman in Argentina. Some lawmakers are now calling for his resignation. Before the admission, Sanford had been missing from the state for five days visiting his lover. He had slipped his security detail, lied to his staff about where he was and failed to transfer power to the lieutenant governor in case of a state emergency. The party's troubles seem to have left two prominent 2012 prospects, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and 2008 presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, unscathed, however.

Sarah Palin to Resign as Alaska Governor, Citing Probes and Family Needs Sarah Palin to Resign as Alaska Governor, Citing Probes and Family Needs Video By Philip Rucker and Eli Saslow Washington Post Staff Writers Saturday, July 4, 2009 Sarah Palin, the Republican Alaska governor who captivated the nation with a combative brand of folksy politics, announced her resignation yesterday in characteristic fashion: She stood on her back lawn in Wasilla, speaking into a single microphone, accompanied by friends and neighbors in baseball hats and polo shirts. The announcement that she will step down by the end of July stunned the political establishment, fueling speculation about why she is leaving office with 18 months left in her first term and whether her future will include a run for the presidency. 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, and to escape ethics probes that have drained her family's finances and hampered her ability to govern. She said leaving office is 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.

"I love my job and I love Alaska, and it hurts to make this choice, but I'm doing what's best for them," Palin said, the sun glinting off a seaplane on Lake Lucille behind her. Palin, 45, said that, after deciding not to run for reelection as governor, she realized she did not want to finish out her term merely for the sake of doing so. "As I thought about this announcement that I would not seek reelection, I thought about how much fun other governors have as lame ducks: They maybe travel around their state, travel to other states, maybe take their overseas international trade missions," she said. "I'm not going to put Alaskans through that," she continued. "I promised efficiencies and effectiveness. That's not how I'm wired. I'm not wired to operate under the same old politics as usual." She stood at a makeshift lectern surrounded by the family that accompanied her along one of the more improbable arcs in modern American politics: from obscure small-town mayor to Sen.

John McCain 's running mate; from mother of five to tabloid sensation; and from making a much-noticed speech at the 2008 Republican National Convention to delivering the circuitous resignation speech yesterday at her waterfront home. Eleven minutes into an 18-minute talk that covered the history of Alaska and her dedication to the state, Palin said she will relinquish the governorship to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell (R). "All I can ask is that you trust me with this decision and know that it is no more politics as usual," she said. Palin, who was elected governor in 2006 and has widely been seen as a leading 2012 presidential contender, said she had tired of "superficial, wasteful political blood sport." She said the decision has been "in the works for quite a while." Palin spokeswoman Meg Stapleton rejected the notion that the governor was better positioning herself for a national bid. "She is not focused on 2012. She is focused on making a difference on the topics she finds so dear: energy independence [and] national security," Stapleton said. CONTINUED 1

Question: Which controversial politician resigned as Governor of Alaska in July 2009?
Answer: Sarah Palin