Palin's Newsweek cover and article

     A good read and pretty fair article. They get some jabs in here and there, and heap praise on Obama, but it's still pretty fair. As we know, Newsweek is floundering financially. They need a boost to remain on the market and solvent. They can't afford to do a hit piece because even Newsweek is smart enough to know how popular Palin is. I take their fair tone with a grain of salt. They're not going to offend the last of their dwindling readers yet; I'm sure they'll wait until much closer to the election to go all in for Obama no matter the cost.

But I will say that this article will be very good for Palin's image. For those who say that Palin never speaks to anyone outside of Fox News. For those who are on the fence, and for those who are reading Newsweek in waiting rooms and lobbys throughout the country. In other words, those who are outside of the conservative blogosphere and not already die-hard Palin supporters. I think this article is a great stepping stone to position her nationally as a competitor against Obama, not just other Republicans.

This article addresses the most worrisome part of her campaign and her career - the decision to step down as Governor. Newsweek did a great job handling the nuances of that decision, even for a left-wing magazine. I think people who didn't really know all the issues surrounding that decision will be better informed about it after reading this. And that's what I was hoping for - that the general public would understand her decision and look at her career and life as a whole, not just this one part of it. The resignation doesn't define her. And in order for that to happen more pieces like this need to come out. It's a truth that I don't like to admit. But the corrupt media has a stranglehold on our country. Not many people are going to suddenly wake up and be conservative out of nowhere. They either need to have a knee-jerk reaction to something they vehenmently disagree with, or they change their mind slowly over time. Those whose minds change slowly over time do it by reading articles like this.

Some media's treatment of Weiner was very similar to Palin

Update:

I just realized that what politicians do in their private lives do affect them in office, as far as they could be blackmailed with what people find. If a lobbyist or political enemy of Weiner found evidence, photos, etc. of his private bad behavior then they could blackmail him into doing many things in order to keep the photos out of the public. And I remember after the Arnold love-child news broke some people thought that a lot of his weird actions as governor now made sense, as in, he could have been blackmailed into doing them with info about his child and extra-marital affair. Or he could have had other affairs that he was being blackmailed with. So yeah, that stuff needs to be exposed. People who hold office can't do that stuff because it puts the office at risk. They need to resign if caught. I wholeheartedly disagree with how Weiner behaved and I do now understand why he was dogged. It just really creepily reminded me of how Palin was treated and seeing him resign sent a chill down my spine. Knowing he wouldn't have resigned if he hadn't been dogged with it. But yes, what he did was so wrong and inexcusable. He needed to go and it was good that people found out what he was doing.


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Original post:

Let me preface this by saying I wanted Anthony Weiner to resign and I'm glad he finally did. That he might have been saying innapropriate things to an underage girl is disgusting. However, (even though I'm glad conservatives controlled the message) I'm really sickened by the actions of the conservative bloggers who dogged, dogged, attacked, dogged, uncovered dirt, dogged, grabbed screen shots, dogged, posted filthy and embarassing private conversations to the world, dogged, until Weiner was forced to resign. I believe that was dirty politics just to get someone they don't like out of office. I know it felt good to see that arrogant blowhard get knocked down a peg. And it felt good to see him cry and that his career unraveled, but that was wrong, and it reminded me of how the corrupt media treats Palin.

Palin was (is) dogged, dogged, dogged, and had umpteen frivolous lawsuits filed against her just because the other side wanted her out of office and out of the spotlight. They wanted to take down their most feared opponent and did it by any means necessary. Until she was forced to resign. She called it "political bloodsport."

Now the main difference is that Weiner actually did something bad and lied, while Palin did nothing bad. Her detractors simply made up stuff and took her down financially by filing lawsuit after lawsuit, knowing she would have to resign because of it.

Palin didn't cry when she resigned. She pointed at her enemies, called them out and promised she wouldn't just sit down and shut up.

Weiner's supporters are so upset, saying he didn't need to resign and that he should still run for NYC mayor, as he was planning to do. I kind of agree. Minus the underage girl allegations, I don't think Weiner really did anything wrong as far as holding office goes. He wasn't bribing anyone, breaking the law, or using his office for corruption. He had a messy private life. His sham marriage is exposed. He took marriage vows that he didn't keep, and probably had zero intention of keeping. But as far as holding office he seemed passionate to the Left's cause and was doing whatever he needed to further it. So I say let the voters decide. The state of California seems to be happy to be going down the Lefty shithole by electing liberal after liberal, so maybe NYC will follow. I know I don't care who's mayor of New York. I do care about my mayor, my Governor, my President, whom I have some power to elect by my vote.

The media shouldn't attack people like this. They shouldn't bury stories, either. They just need to report the facts. If someone discovered Weiner was innapropriately speaking to an underage girl, that needed to be reported by ALL networks and that is a resigning offense. If he's using his office for corruption and bribery that should be reported. But this attacking day after day until someone cracks, is just evil and wrong. I hate how our politicians are attacked and treated like they're criminals constantly, just because we don't like them and want them to resign. The Left tried every trick in the book to get GWB to resign or impeached. I'm assuming they did to Richard Nixon as well and succeeded. They did it to Palin and succeeded. And now I see that the Right will do the same thing. I don't like it.

John Bolton for Palin's VP pick

I read in National Review Online that John Bolton is considering a run for POTUS in 2012. Besides Palin, he's one I would love to see run and would vote for him in a heartbeat. His passion and his strength is (obviously) foreign policy.

I've long thought that Bolton should be Palin's VP pick if she decides to run. I've also thought that one of her perceived shortcomings is her lack of foreign policy experience. Picking Bolton would immensely help her national electability in that regard.

In my opinion, Palin needs to overcome two major hurdles in order to be elected: her "quitting" the governorship; and her perceived lack of foreign policy experience. With this blog I've tried to address both points extensively and will continue to do so.

With his record and experience, Bolton pretty much resolves her foreign policy "shortcoming." In the NR piece, he says China will be a major factor:

This administration, and the Bush administration in its later years, badly handled China — handled it badly on North Korea’s nuclear program and its trade manipulation, including its ongoing discrimination against foreign business and investors. Both administrations have been too deferential to China in dealings across the full spectrum of issues.

On Palin being a potential nominee:

I don’t know enough about her views on foreign policy to comment, but the Republican field is filled with people who would be better than Obama on foreign policy.

I'll take it a step further and say that his statement reads to me that he is angling for a VP pick from the GOP nominee. He praises all potential candidates saying that any of them would be better than Obama. He is non-committal on Palin and says he doesn't know her views on foreign policy, yet you know damn well he knows. He doesn't want to fully support Palin and alienate the GOP nominee if it's not her. He's playing it cool for now and testing the waters, which is fine. He didn't come out and denounce her immediately like most insecure candidates have. I'd venture a guess that he's pretty in line with Palin as far as foreign policy views.

I believe he knows his POTUS campaign would not be very successful considering how popular some of the frontrunners are and how "niche" he is. Pretty much only political junkies have a thorough knowledge of him and his background. He probably would not be able to raise enough money or popularity to be the nominee, but he's laying the groundwork to be picked as the VP.

I've read his biography and will quote it here from time to time. It's compelling and he's an amazing person. He's not as charismatic as Palin (who is), but it's abundantly clear that he's passionate about protecting our country, protecting our troops and keeping America safe. He knows how to play the inside political game, and he knows how to negotiate with foreign diplomats. In short: he's the total foreign policy package.

He did get this zinger about Obama into the NR piece:

After four years of practicing, he’ll almost look like a commander-in-chief.

Haha. Good one. Maybe he is as charismatic as Palin after all.

No concerns, just lies

This post at the Corner got me thinking of how over a year ago the Left continually demanded that Palin should resign being the VP candidate because she had a family and needed to concentrate on being a mother and raising her kids. Their sexist excuse was because she had a 5-month-old special needs baby and his mother shouldn't be out working at job that would take away so much time from him.

And now, reading those sexist statements a year later you see that their “concerns” were all lies. When Palin did in fact have to resign because of attackers hell bent on destroying her career you would think the Left would say something like “she’s doing the right thing to protect her family.” Or “we continually wanted her to resign in order to take care of her family and now she’s doing it.” But no, they’re not about advocating for Palin’s children or her family or women in general. No, once she resigned all we heard from the Left was “QUITTER!!!!!”

So their feigned concern was nothing but an attempt to attack Palin. They don’t care about the message it says to women. They don’t care that they’re being hypocritical because they’re also attacking women on the Left with the exact same family arrangements as Palin. They don’t care that it makes the Left look like it’s stuck in the 1950’s as far as women’s roles in the work force go. The only thing they care about is destroying the Right, destroying conservatism and they know Palin is a huge threat to their goals. Their attacks, their "concern" was all about trying to destroy her any way they could. They will attack her no matter what she does.

As an aside, I get the feeling the Left has never underestimated Palin. They've never had doubts that she's a superstar with mass appeal, and they've never had doubts that she would be a great Republican president comprable to Ronald Reagan. That's why they keep on knocking her down, and go to extreme lengths to do so. And they are so effective with their attacks that the RINOs on the Right actually start to believe their lies. At least NRO seems to be turning the tide with their treatment of her recently.

With resignation, Palin gets to keep her accomplishments intact

In March, I wrote here and here about Obama's sudden interest in AGIA. There was talk that he was trying to funnel federal money into it, turning it into a "federal works project." My fear at the time was that he was going to swoop in and pretend that Palin wasn't running it successfully, take it over as one of his federal energy projects, and then take credit for its success (because Palin already did everything right and all the hard work in the first place). He could say that Palin needed help in getting it done and use that in his campaign if she ran against him in 2012. But she didn't need any federal input or money to get it done, thankyouverymuch. She started working on it the first day in office and everything was complete by the time she left.

So an added bonus of her resignation at this time is that the pipeline is up and running, the contracts and players are in place, the financials are all worked out, everything is done and now it just has to run its course. Obama can't say anything about having a hand in this. This is all Palin's accomplishment and will forever be. When she sets out to do something, it gets done. Unlike the President who voted "present" whose ideas turn out to be monumental failures - Palin will always have this as her crowning success, and she got it done in less than one term.

The end of an era and the beginning of a new one

Sarah is no longer Governor of Alaska. It truly is the end of an era, but also the start to a beautiful new one. Her speech was fantastic. She warned the media to stop "making things up" and not to mess with Mr. Parnell's family. She listed her accomplishments and reaffirmed her message of limited government and individual freedom. She's free to go on her own path to spread her message, help candidates who believe in the same things she does and do the hard work it will take to get the country back on track. Why? Because she loves Alaska and she loves her country. God bless you Sarah; you continue to be an inspiration.

KTUU.com will live stream Governor Palin's farewell address

Please go here for details on how to view the live feed of Palin's farewell address and Parnell's swearing in.

Only happiness and fighting spirit at picnic

I'm sure some cynics and Palin bashers out there thought Sarah would be sad, angry, regretful and depressed in her last days in office, but she's the total opposite. She's celebrating Alaska and its citizens with joy, enthusiasm, happiness and a fighting spirit. Thousands of people came to see her at the governor's picnics while she spoke, signed autographs, served hot dogs and gave flags to military families. They were celebrating her, many with signs and t-shirts with Palin 2012 on them. What a send-off!

Palin's Wasilla picnic draws a crowd
Daily News staff and wire reports

Published: July 24th, 2009 06:21 PM
Last Modified: July 25th, 2009 02:57 PM

WASILLA — Thousands showed up Friday for Gov. Sarah Palin’s annual picnic held in her hometown of Wasilla.

Palin, who is resigning and leaves office on Sunday, used the occasion, one of a series of picnics she is hosting this weekend, to sign autographs and hand out hot dogs.

The governor — dressed in blue jeans and a red New England Patriots sweatshirt — was mobbed by well-wishers who offered up babies, books, calendars, skateboards and even their hands for autographs. Several longtime picnic-goers said this year’s picnic crowd dwarfed last year’s.

Event coordinators planned for about 5,000 attendees. They roasted 4,008 hot dogs and had fixings for about 4,000 root-beer floats.

By the last hour of the event, the dogs were almost gone.

The picnics, which have become more popular in Wasilla since Palin was elected as governor, have previously drawn as many as 2,000 people.

Wasilla Chamber director Lyn Carden said she fielded calls this week from numerous out-of-state travelers who changed their plans to attend in hopes of meeting Palin. Some were interested in one-on-one time with the governor. Others wanted to know if they could buy mementos — such as a lock of Palin’s hair — at the event, organizer Lyn Carden said.

Kealoha Torres, who lives in Wasilla near the park, boosted his 6-year-old daughter, Leina, to his shoulders to get a good photo of Palin handing out hot dogs over the crush of people around the food tent. He said his family members from Washington state were risking missing their flight home to see Palin.
“They don’t care; they want to see her,” Torres said. “She has a lot of supporters in Washington.”

Fred Kostrick, an 84-year-old World War II veteran from Michigan who attended the event, said he appreciated Palin’s support of the military. “I think she’s one hell of a lady,” he said. “She’s tough, she stands her ground and she’s taken a lot of guff — more than I could.”

continued...

Palin's "Independence Day" is coming soon

Sunday is the day when Palin will be free of the anklebiters, frivolous complaint filers, the "Celtic Diva" and all the rest who tried to use her position as Alaska's governor to destroy her. It certainly wasn't the path Palin originally intended to take, but she will succeed with it. Just like everything else she's done and been successful with. If *anyone* can do it, it's her.

There will be a series of picnics this weekend where Alaskans can see Palin before she leaves, and watch Lt. Governor Parnell get sworn in on Sunday.

Palin's picnics begin today
Anchorage Daily News
Published: July 24th, 2009 01:16 AM
Last Modified: July 24th, 2009 01:17 AM

Alaskans can picnic with Sarah Palin over the next three days before she steps down as governor.

It's an annual tradition for Alaska governors and includes free food, live entertainment, games and activities for children and "much more," according to a press release from Palin's office.

The first is today at IditaPark in Palin's hometown of Wasilla from 4:30 to 7:30 p.m.

The next one is Saturday at the Delaney Park Strip in Anchorage from noon to 3 p.m.

Finally, there is the Fairbanks picnic from noon to 3 p.m. Sunday at Pioneer Park (formerly Alaskaland.) That will be Palin's last event as Alaska's governor.

After the picnic, Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will be sworn in as her replacement.

Team Sarah will send up to 1,000 roses to Sarah on her "Independence Day"

What a great idea...and you can contribute! The details are here.

Palin enjoying last days as Governor among grateful Alaskans

No matter what happens Palin's base always seems to grow, but none are more loyal than the Alaskan stalwarts who have been there from the beginning. These citizens were personally affected by Palin's governorship decisions and they carry a badge of honor that they were the ones who elected her which allowed her to be picked as McCain's running mate. They seem very sad that Palin is leaving, but know that she'll go on to bigger things, and will always have Alaska in mind. Palin's "farewell tour" indicates that her huge base of support in Alaska is as strong as ever and will continue to grow.

Palin: Alaska tour is thanks, not goodbye
By MATTHEW DALY (AP) – 1 hour ago

UNALAKLEET, Alaska — She was greeted like a rock star in Unalakleet, a fishing village on the Bering Sea. She danced with Eskimos in Kotzebue. And she watched grizzlies at a wildlife sanctuary on the Kenai Peninsula.

In all, Sarah Palin has been on eight trips outside her Anchorage base since announcing her resignation two weeks ago. Is this a farewell tour, the start of a possible presidential campaign for 2012?

Palin insists it isn't, although she still won't say what plans she has after she steps down as Alaska governor on July 26, with 18 months left to her first term.

"I am Alaskan. I've grown up here and I'm going to remain in Alaska," she told The Associated Press in an interview. "It's not farewell, it's more like thanks for letting me be here and I'll see you soon."

Palin has largely avoided the media limelight in the past two weeks and dodged questions about her future plans. But she hints she has a bigger role in mind, and she plans to launch her new platform by speaking her mind on the social networking site Twitter.

Palin said she is eager to begin life as a private citizen.

"Once I am 'Sarah Palin, Alaskan,' I can really call it like I see it," she said.

Palin waves off any talk of running for president.

"I look forward to continuing to work for Alaska and for energy independence and for the contribution that Alaska could and should be making to allow our nation to be more secure and more prosperous," she said.

Some have speculated she plans to build on her near celebrity status as a conservative talk show host, perhaps for Fox News, or launch a lucrative speaking tour. If her reception Friday in Unalakleet is any indication, she has a strong base of support.

More than 100 people packed a community center and bingo hall to greet the outgoing governor as she signed a bill continuing state subsidies for rural electricity.

The town, known locally as the place where the East wind blows, was an unlikely stop during Palin's final days. A remote collection of unpaved streets on the Bering Sea, the town is so remote that is only reachable by plane and most residents get around by ATV or by foot. There are few cars.

But this is what Palin loves best: Reaching out to Alaskans, no matter how remote. She barely had time to eat lunch — king crab and salmon and a barrage of homemade desserts — as families surged toward her, trying to shake her hand and get an autograph. Pictures of the governor were not enough. Residents wanted to talk to her and pose with her, even as an aide tried in vain to shield the governor and then get her to leave quietly.

Palin smiled through it all, basking in the attention. She nodded sympathetically as a man told her of a relative in Iraq. She hugged a mother whose baby has Down syndrome, as does Palin's youngest child Trig. She signed every post card and datebook thrust in front of her.

Palin says Alaska voters have accepted her decision to resign, even as she continues to receive criticism from the national media and even some fellow Republicans who question her decision to leave with 18 months left in her four-year term.

"We don't give a damn how they do it outside," she said, quoting a popular state bumper sticker. "We do it a different way up here. The pioneer spirit runs strong."

continued...

Iowa Repubs want Palin

Now that Palin is going to have some time to spend outside of Alaska, it seems like the lower 48 are all clamoring to get a piece of her. The Iowa Republican Party said they want to invite her to their annual Ronald Reagan Dinner fundraising event. They had already tried to invite her previously to the event, and they are again extending their invitation. They can't wait for Palin to set foot in Iowa! Iowa is a crucial state in presidential elections and I wouldn't be surprised if we see Palin there a lot more over the next few years.

Sarah Palin: The Best is Yet to Come

Great article by J.R. Dunn at American Thinker yesterday. Please read it if you haven't already. Here's an excerpt.

There's nothing difficult to understand here. All the comments we've heard from the mass media, from the political experts, and from the operatives, merely reveal the limitations of the commentators.

But what about her greater obligations? To that of conservatism as a movement, for instance? It happens to have been the movement conservatives -- at least those of the Northeast Corridor, who on the basis of tradition consider themselves to be the core of the movement -- who led the charge against Palin on her selection as vice-presidential candidate. Not the left. Not the mass media. But conservatives (I won't add quotes -- not yet, anyway) such as Frum, Parker, and Brooks, who found her to be just the slightest touch déclassé. She did not understand the Modern Dance. Her taste in claret was undependable. Her reading of the Federalist No. 63 was, shall we say, idiosyncratic? These people have no call on her whatsoever.

And the GOP? Doesn't she owe her party anything? Just a few short days after her youngest daughter was humiliated on one of the most widely-watched late-night shows in the country, an obvious hit piece appeared in that balanced journal of the higher intellect, Vanity Fair, in which certain unnamed GOP officials revealed the true Sarah Palin: Sarah as Michael Jackson, Sarah the narcissist, who lived in a dream world and was overwhelmed by "demons". The fact that GOP figures would cooperate with a rag like Vanity Fair in the first place puts a period to any talk of a party connection. The GOP obviously has an agenda. It is not Sarah Palin's agenda. Nor, more than likely, ours either.

New York Times offers support

New York Times
Stanley Fish
July 6, 2009, 1:02 pm
In Defense of Palin and Sanford

I did not vote for Sarah Palin in the November election, and had I been a resident of South Carolina, I wouldn’t have supported Mark Sanford. But I find their failings and, in the case of Sanford, sins more palatable than the behavior of the pundits who are having so much fun at their expense.

Both Republican governors made rambling and sometimes halting statements of about 18 minutes (is that the canonical length for this kind of thing?), and in response the commentators speculated endlessly about why they had said what they said. The one explanation they didn’t seem capable of coming up with was that they meant it, that their words were coming from the heart, from an interior that may have been fissured and rocky, but was nonetheless (dare I use the word) genuine.

Palin had barely finished speaking when MSNBC paraded analysts from both sides of the aisle (Matt Lewis and Chris Kofinis) who agreed that (1) it was a disastrous performance and (2) they couldn’t for the life of them figure out why she had delivered it. Kofinis: “It’s hard to understand why she’s resigning.” Lewis: “What she’s essentially done is guarantee that no pundit could make any intellectual defense of her.”

Later, Joe Scarborough pronounced in the same vein: “It’s hard to find a compelling reason.” The former majority leader of her own party, Ralph Samuels, chimed in, “I’ve had a million calls today from friends, all political junkies, and everyone is asking the same questions. Is it national ambition, or does she want time to write the book, or is she just tired of it. Don’t have a clue.”

Maybe he should look at the video and pay attention this time to the reasons she gives. It is true that her statement was not constructed in a straightforward, logical manner, but the main theme was sounded often and plainly: This is not what I signed up for. I’m spending all my time and the state’s money responding to attack after attack and they aren’t going to let up because, “It doesn’t cost the people who make these silly accusations a dime.”

The accusations had been coming from all sides, from investigators of her ethics, from Alaska Democrats and fellow Republicans, from officials in the McCain campaign, from scathing magazine articles, from what she termed the mockery and humiliation directed at her son Trig, from late-night comedians taking potshots at her daughters.

She dated the beginning of her trials and tribulations from the moment in August, 2008, when “political operatives descended on Alaska digging for dirt.” She complained that “millions of dollars go down the drain in this new political environment.” She signaled repeatedly her weariness with the “superficial political blood–sport” politics has become. She returned to her own sport, basketball, to explain that because she had become a distraction she was going to do what a good point guard always does, pass the ball to someone (her lieutenant governor) in a better position to make the shot. And in the end she earned the declaration that “I have given my reasons plainly and candidly.”

But the pundits didn’t want to hear them or, rather, they were committed to believing that the real reasons lay elsewhere, and were strategic. They couldn’t fathom the possibility that she was just giving voice to her feelings. It must, they assumed, be a calculation, and having decided that, they happily went on to describe how bad a calculation it was.

They did this even when reporting on something that might have given them pause. It was generally agreed that because the statement was structurally chaotic, even formless, Palin had written it herself. No self-respecting political operative would have produced something so badly crafted. One would have thought that this would be seen as evidence of the absence of calculation, but instead it was received as evidence of her Alaska-limited understanding of politics. (Doesn’t she know, they asked, that resigning is no way to run for president?) Rather than reasoning from what they took to be the political ineptitude of her performance to the possibility that it wasn’t political, they just continued on their merry, muckraking way.

continued...

Who is "fit" for the presidency?

I was thinking about this question today. A lot of people have been saying Palin isn't "fit" to run for president because she quit her job as governor. I was was wondering how far they intended Palin to go before she was "fit?"

The Palin family is now facing legal bills that could easily go up to a million dollars. Again, this is a normal middle class family with three children still at home. At what point would her judgment be questioned by not quitting? I wonder, did they think Palin should just fight all these complaints endlessly until they literally bankrupted her family? Would that have made her "fit" or would it call into question her judgment to stop the financial bleeding for her family.

Both options were a lose-lose situation. If she quits now, she's seen as a quitter who abandoned her state. If she waits out the end of her term, she keeps her political aspirations intact but her family is bankrupt and destroyed.

Palin basically said "screw that" and decided to do what was best for her family. She will find a way to make it work for her career, too.

In my opinion, it is asking WAY too much to ask Palin to just allow her family to be destroyed and fight legal battles until her term is up. Not only the financial aspect, but there was also the cost to the AK taxpayers in their money and time. They don't need a governor who has to essentially do two full time jobs and Palin recognized that, too.

Saying she isn't fit for the presidency (as both sides of the aisle have done) is just another way of saying she should sit down, shut up and get out of politics. Those are the people who really didn't like her in the first place and are now just using this as an excuse to cut her down.

Some perspective

Here's some perspective on Palin leaving office at this point in her career.

On January 4, 2005 Obama was sworn in as a U.S. Senator. On February 10, 2007 he declared he was running for President. He traveled the world, made speeches and ran a campaign for a year and nine months on the public dime while also serving as Senator and collecting a paycheck. He voted "present" most of the time due to traveling and running his campaign.

He, like many others, used his office as a stepping stone to the White House. Was he really serving the state of Illinois well during that time?

Isn't it more honorable to the general public to resign in that kind of situation?

Mark Levin discusses Palin resigning

Here's what Mark had to say about Palin on his show. Worth a listen.

I trust Sarah

Sarah said yesterday:

I do not want to disappoint anyone with my decision; all I can ask is that you TRUST me with this decision - but it's no more "politics as usual."

And I do. Palin hates the cesspool that politics has become. She's referred to it as "bloodsport" several times. She had to fight it when she ran for governor of Alaska, and while she was governor. The cronyism and corruption was out of control but she was a governor who wasn't in the pockets of big oil or other special interests. The rest of the picture is that the other politicians stuck waist deep in cronyism hated that about her.

But because of her actually using the office of governor for its intended purpose instead of personal gain, she got AGIA up and running after only two years - unprecedented considering it had been in the works for 30 years before her and no one could get it done. She got the oil and gas profits back in the pockets of Alaskans where it belongs. She got an entire laundry list of accomplishments done in her short time as governor - all of her detractors' efforts notwithstanding.

And now Alaska politics has become a cesspool again with the backstabbing and attacking Palin. I've chronicled how the legislature has all but turned against her, basically gridlocking any possible progress. There are groups of legislators who want her to fail because they disagree with her policies, there are those who want her to fail because she makes them look bad, and there are those who are completely jealous that she is so loved in the lower 48 that they can't stand it. Because of this she basically can't get work done anymore. That's something Palin was NEVER about. She hates wasting taxpayer's money. She hates big, slow government that isn't working for the people by the people. She really had to get out of there. She got done what she set out to do (which was more than anyone before her), and now she can grow politically even more.

Then there are the ethics complaints. Approximately $500,000 worth of legal bills. Can you imagine being a normal family and having to face that staggering number? That is staggering for a family that only makes about $150,000 per year and has three children still at home.

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.

You have to take her at her word that this is one of the major reasons she resigned. It is a valid, legitimate reason to step down. These complaints were NOT going to go away. This was the strategy the DNC used to "take her down" and you've got to love Sarah that she just circumvented them completely. She just went around their block. They thought there was absolutely no way she was going to resign (it was not even a slight possibility, obviously considered by most to be political suicide) so they thought while they had her hamstrung there in the office of the governor, they would tie her down with all these ethics complaints so she couldn't progress as a national candidate, she couldn't get her accomplishments done in Alaska, her family would be bankrupt, and they could always use the number of complaints filed as a weapon against her. She just found a way to stop all that insanity.

If I have learned one thing: LIFE is about choices! And one chooses how to react to circumstances. You can choose to engage in things that tear down, or build up. I choose to work very hard on a path for fruitfulness and productivity. I choose NOT to tear down and waste precious time; but to build UP this state and our country, and her industrious, generous, patriotic, free people!

Life is too short to compromise time and resources... it may be tempting and more comfortable to just keep your head down, plod along, and appease those who demand: "Sit down and shut up", but that's the worthless, easy path; that's a quitter's way out. And a problem in our country today is apathy. It would be apathetic to just hunker down and "go with the flow".

Nah, only dead fish "go with the flow".

That is inspirational right there. That certainly is not the voice of someone who is quitting or abadonning her state. She's finding a way to fight that will be vastly more productive than sitting in her office as governor. She's finding a new direction. She's not one to sit and just "take it." She had to make this step in order to survive and I applaud her for that. It took a lot of guts, a lot of guts, but that is something we all knew Sarah had. I really am loving the fact that her detractors can't attack her anymore in the office.

There are some people who think she is quitting and abandonning her state. Take for instance, jaded US Senator Lisa Murkowski, who happens to be a Republican:

“I am deeply disappointed that the Governor has decided to abandon the State and her constituents before her term has concluded.”

Pathetic. I would love to see how Murkowski would handle 1/10th of the vicious attacks that Palin has received. I think her response would be a little more sympathetic if she had! Palin supported Murkowski in her Senate run and this is how the kindness is repaid...nice to know. Murkowski just wanted to get her jabs in while she can, repeating the MSM and Democrat talking points to smear Palin. Murkowski knows Palin's record and what she's accomplished, there was no reason to say that.

But in that vein, Palin took some precautionary steps to protect Alaska, AGIA and the rest by ensuring Lt. Governor Parnell would have enough time to be an effective governor. She has all the confidence in him. She also paved the way for him to be more secure in a reelection campaign - which is probably why Murkowski is upset. SHE probably wanted to run for governor and now knows since Parnell has Palin's blessing, she will be crushed.

Anyway, I have rambled enough. I trust Sarah. I trust her conservative instincts and I know she has a plan. She is exactly the type of person our forefathers wanted to be in public office - someone who is a normal person who cannot be bought - something to think about on this July 4th holiday. And for that reason she is unconventional in today's political atmosphere. This was an unconventional move and I suspect it will garner unconventional results.

Bill Kristol's reaction is refreshing

A good friend sent me Bill Kristol's post today at The Weekly Standard. I love his take.

Kristol: A Contrarian Take
If Palin wants to run in 2012, why not do exactly what she announced today? It's an enormous gamble - but it could be a shrewd one.

After all, she's freeing herself from the duties of the governorship. Now she can do her book, give speeches, travel the country and the world, campaign for others, meet people, get more educated on the issues - and without being criticized for neglecting her duties in Alaska. I suppose she'll take a hit for leaving the governorship early - but how much of one? She's probably accomplished most of what she was going to get done as governor, and is leaving a sympatico lieutenant governor in charge.

And haven't conservatives been lamenting the lack of a national leader? Well, now she'll try to be that. She may not succeed. Everything rests on her talents, and on her performance. She'll be under intense and hostile scrutiny, and she'll have to perform well.

All in all, it's going to be a high-wire act. The odds are against her pulling it off. But I wouldn't bet against it.

Shock has worn off, more thoughts

I wrote the other day that Sarah is a whole 'nother animal (politically). She is unconventional. She has a history of bucking tradition. She is not your typical politician. I'll have to wait and see what she says exactly about her future but it seems like she is NOT giving up politics. For most, resigning from the current office you hold is a sign of weakness. But I think for Sarah this could be a really good decision for her, and not a sign of weakness. I'm going to post about my thoughts on her speech tomorrow.

I have a different perspective now after watching MSM scramble over this. They are running scared, that much is obvious. Sarah is free to fight back with the gloves off. If you heard her speech you know she's fighting.

"...you're naïve if you don't see the national full-court press picking away right now: A good point guard drives through a full court press, protecting the ball, keeping her eye on the basket... and she knows exactly when to pass the ball so that the team can WIN. And I'm doing that - keeping our eye on the ball that represents sound priorities - smaller government, energy independence, national security, freedom! And I know when it's time to pass the ball - for victory."

"We need those who will respect our Constitution where government's supposed to serve from the BOTTOM UP, not move toward this TOP DOWN big government take-over... but rather, will be protectors of individual rights - who also have enough common sense to acknowledge when conditions have drastically changed and are willing to call an audible and pass the ball when it's time so the team can win! And that is what I'm doing!"

"In the words of General MacArthur said, 'We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.'"

Oh hell yes she's fighting. I'm going to post more thoughts tomorrow.