In a move that is bizarre both in it’s content and in its timing, Sarah Palin announced today that she would be stepping down as Alaska’s Governor by the end of this month:
WASILLA, Alaska – Sarah Palin announced Friday she plans to resign as governor of Alaska in a few weeks, saying she will try to “affect positive change” from outside government.
Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate in 2008, made the surprise announcement at a press conference at her home in suburban Wasilla.
She said the decision has been “in the works” for a while and comes after “prayer and consideration” and discussions with her family.
She is handing the reins over to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, who will be sworn in at the governor’s picnic in Fairbanks on July 26. Parnell and most of Palin’s cabinet and Palin’s family were at the announcement.
“We know we can affect positive change outside government at this point in time on another scale and actually make a difference for our priorities,” she said, adding that she was tired of what she described as “superficial, wasteful, political bloodsport.”
Here’s the video of the announcement itself:
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The question is what Palin’s logic is here, and this may be a clue:
Some have speculated in the past that Palin may be interested in running for president in 2012, but she did not mention running for another office at her press conference. Sources told NBC’s Andrea Mitchell that Palin is out of politics for good.
Even if that’s not her intention, though, I think that it’s safe to say that this announcement marks the end of Sarah Palin’s political career. Even if she could overcome her disastrous performance during the 2008 campaign, the American people don’t like a quitter, and, today, Sarah Palin became a quitter.
There’s no way she comes back after this.
Update: The reaction to this announcement can be summed up as stunned disbelief.
Take this from Rich Lowry at National Review:
I think I have pretty well-established credentials when it comes to being charmed by Sarah Palin, but that statement, as a statement, was simply terrible. Rambling and not at all persuasive as an argument for her decision.
Yea, that’s putting it mildly.
July 3rd, 2009 at 6:02 pm
[...] 4: Below the Beltway has an Andrea Mitchell report that belies the Governor’s [...]
July 3rd, 2009 at 8:24 pm
Uh, Doug, whatever her position, it’s more “relevant” than a blogger, even an attorney blogger.
July 3rd, 2009 at 9:18 pm
More information on “grassroots” supporters gathering across the nation to support Sarah Palin for President in 2012 can be found online at http://www.palin4pres2012.com
Note, the website is in danger of crashing due to the flood of readers and supporters signing up to show their interest in a Palin Candidacy. The GOP establishment had better watch out, Sarah Palin and Ron Paul combined with the power of the internet will remove the stranglehold of GOP special interests and the elites who have brought the party to its knees in defeat in the 2008 elections.
July 3rd, 2009 at 10:18 pm
As politely as can be Ron,
Sarah Palin has nothing in common with Ron Paul.
July 3rd, 2009 at 10:32 pm
Thank you, Sarah. You are as dull and uninteresting as any dumb woman can possibly be.
July 4th, 2009 at 11:53 am
Well the timing and abrupt nature of this announcement is certainly suspect and gives a little bit of credence to the speculation of scandal, but this is Sarah Palin that we are talking about so the rational explanation may not be the truth.
If she really is thinking about running for President in 2012, it would seem odd that she wouldn’t want to serve out her full term. Touting a full term as Governor would seem like a good political move. We shall see where this ends up I suppose.
July 5th, 2009 at 11:28 am
Stick a fork in her – she’s done.
July 6th, 2009 at 2:13 pm
[...] It’s been just under three days since Sarah Palin shocked most of the political world, and apparently her own father-in-law, by announcing that not only was she not running for re-election in 2010, but she was stepping down as Governor of Alaska by the end of the month. [...]