Palin's Lamest Excuse

After getting over the initial shock of hearing that Sarah Palin is going to resign, it kind of makes sense when you stop to think about it. Running for reelection in 2010 would mean having to spend a lot more time (and contributors' money) in Alaska, and then being a lame duck would bring a steady stream of embarrassments.... So, fish or cut bait.

It would have made perfect sense for her to say something as simple as that. Or to take the classic political out and say she wants to, uh, spend more time with the family.... And Palin did say those things, in her own way.

But then she just had to go and be a martyr.

Some Alaskans don't mind wasting public dollars and state time [with ethics complaints and inquiries]. I do. I cannot stand here as your Governor and allow millions upon millions of our dollars go to waste just so I can hold the title of Governor.

This politicking was a step too far. Governors don't resign to save taxpayers' money. They are freakin' governors, one of the few people who can really affect fiscal policy in the states. They sign budgets, for crying out loud!

Now, are ethics complaints sometimes used for political gain? You betcha. But that's the price of open government. And Palin's mention of wanting to stop the ethics complaints makes it seem like she's got something to hide.

This wasn't your average resignation speech, and whoever wrote it was going after all the GOP soft spots. Perhaps the emphasis on ethics complaints was their only good way of getting the principle of "limited spending" in there? But if Palin is running for the White House, "RESIGNED TO FLEE ETHICS COMPLAINTS" is sure to make an appearance in attack ads.

Wow. It seems Palin couldn't even resign without making a gaffe.

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Comments

[noneIn2008]

Blah, blah, blah......­...Palin. A red herring by the left to distract our attention from Americans dying daily in Iraq and many more unfulfilled promises by Obama. Focus on getting Obama to get things done besides giving speeches. We want results.

[mlaiuppa]

You're saying Palin is a secret Democrat mole elected to be Governor of Alask whose mission is to resign as a distraction when Obama gives the signal?

I think you need a few more layers of tin foil on your beanie.

[lincheryl]

Excuse me, but you are confused. Bush put us in Iraq and caused over 4,000 unnecessary American deaths and many more disabilities. Obama voted against the war and is trying to get us out, which has already started.

Don't embarrass yourself.

[zanzig]

You think there might be a vacancy in South Carolina soon that might be more useful for her in the run up to POTUS?

[macpozeur]

Who Who Who is going to keep an eye on Russia now?

Is she leaving Alaska go join Dick Cheney's Government in Exile?

[blastocyst]

The speech was a panicked sound-bite tossed over the shoulder as carpetbags were hastily being packed. (or so it sounded to me)

[jane gutowski]

I think she can be more vocal now against the absolute corruption going on in America right now. She said she cant be as effective sitting behind a desk and fighting random thrown out lawsuits. The way politics is now she is too ethical to be a politician. I really believe she will take on all Obamas failing policies and I believe she is the one to take him on in 2012 She has the guts to take on Barney Frank, Pelosi, Dodd and the rest of those selfserving spendthrifts of our money and we will finally have the change people were hoping for with someone who really loves what our country stands for.

[quiviran]

You are joking, right?

[kitkatborn]

I believe that hits all the basics. Very naive.

[JRsNana]

OMG - an honest to God Palinista! Wow. It's always so interesting to read something from Palin-lovers. They're the ones who were the cheerleaders for George Bush while he spent #10 BILLION a month in Iraq (a war, incidentally, based on lies - but no matter). That is well over a TRILLION a year. But no, it was a Republican so the mortgaging of our future and the ruination of our entire economy isn't a problem. Fast forward to January 2009 and SUDDENLY - it's a problem. OMG OMG - there's a Democrat in the White House (shhh-he's a black man) and in one instant (ONE INSTANT I TELL YOU) the entire economy of the country went to hell and he wants to actually spend money ON OUR COUNTRY!!!! The Palin-lovers also always want to talk about Obamas "failed policies", again, completely forgetting 8 years of nothing but failed policy. After SIX WHOLE MONTHS and hardly any policies on the books to fail, that one is more tough to handle every fu*&^ing day! So, in short Palin-lover - you don't have a leg to stand on with those arguments. Move on.

[myzenthing]

"The way politics is now she is too ethical to be a politician­."

So let me get this straight: multiple charges of ethics violations, multiple complaints that she uses her office for personal gain, and possible upcoming federal indictments mean someone is "too" ethical?!?

How's the weather out there in Oceania?

[mydwyf]

Actually, today it's Eurasia.
Tomorrow it's Eastasia.
Won't be Oceania again until Tuesday.
Check in then.

[TheWanderer]

I don't think Governors are required to sit behind a desk 24/7.

[Margij]

Glad she is not on my team because her analogy sucked.
Imagine Kobe quitting before the series was over.
She quit in the middle of the game, and claims to be a team player, unbelievable.
Alaska will recover, Palin won't.

[GrammieJ]

I watched her speech,,,,,,,blah, blah, blah is all I heard from her. The whole 18 minutes made no sense at all to me. Strange that her whole family was not by her side, especially since she made time to talk about Trig and to tell about their reaction to her QUITTING her job! Loved how she said "Hell yes" about one of their answers,,,,,,could that have been her little girl that was standing there? Great comment from such a Christian woman,,,NOT!

If she still has supporters after all this, then I pity this world. Open your eyes, y'll, she is just about one thing-------Sarah Palin!

just my thoughts

[StevieRae]

What's ironic and tragic about this whole episode is that 20% of the voters would still be motivated to vote for her in 2012 on the basis of celebrity, notwithstanding that she had quite her responsibilities as governor.

Makes one wonder about the right the vote.

[VagabondSaint]

If she couldn't hack one term as governor of Alaska, what with all the withering criticism and blistering attacks (deserved or not), she is definitely unfit for the White House. Do you think she could take as much crap as Barack Obama has without quitting again? Her track record would suggest that she can't.

As for Todd having a choice or not. . .I'd listen to the toddler before I'd listen to the secessionist.

Let's Hope Lt. Governor Parnell does better for Alaska. . .he'd have to try really hard to do worse.

[augiemarch]

There's something else going on- another shoe to drop, as Kos slyly put it. While Palin babbles, let's bear in mind that the rap here is not on her but on John McCain.

[CanadianBeef]

Let me explain: To a Republican, money is everything, therefore every issue is about money. So it's entirely consistent for Sarah Palin to say she's resigning to save the state money, even though that makes no real sense outside her cult.
The grain of truth in her statement, is that she is resigning because the ethics complaints have merit, are gaining traction, and would doom her future as a politician. Quitting cools the heat.

[noneIn2008]

Get past the facade of Republican and Democrat. You should say to a Politician everything is money. Admit they are all the same. They both draw funds from the same group of banks and special interests.

[FredBrighton]

In theory wouldn't any criminal investigations continue? Seems like the ethics probes would continue too, right?Just because she's a quitter doesn't mean she didn't break a law or two. I think she's trying to cry "king's ex".

[thenorthshore]

Hha Hha

Palin Derangement Syndrome: effects bend over msm as well as libs

she has been falsely accused of ethics complaints fifteen times and cleared of any wrongdoing.

[LazarusLong]

And yet she quit her job.

[Romeover]

O.J. Simpson was falsely accused of murder, and cleared of any wrongdoing.

[sanekook]

And he didn't even get to handpick his jurors...

[Hollywooddeed]

We love Sarah Palin. We just don't understand her. Like when she talks.

[JRsNana]

Actually, she wasn't cleared of any wrongdoing. She just said that she'd been cleared and you people who don't do anything but hang on every lie she tells you just didn't get the truth.

[Boadicea]

Apparently the Fairbanks newspaper calculated the taxpayer cost of ALL the ethics complaints against Palin and her administration - and the total was well under 300,000.

Yet another instance of Sarah being loose with the truth.

[S1m0n]

If this shuts down the ethics investigations, how would she ever convince the universe that she had nothing nothing to hide?

[Crosby72]

She's $500,000 in debt, because she's had 15 ethics complaints filed against her, and she beat every single one of them. She's sick of putting up with nonsense from the left, and I don't blame her.

[elkabong]

Yeah, like when the left accused her of "palling around with terrorists" or all those lefties shouting "ki ll her" at political rallies. When they called her a "secret Muslim" or challenged her citizenship. What nonsense from the left. Oh, wait....

[bigironal25]

Yeah, this cretin is a hate mongering, horrible woman who has no trouble using everybody ,including family members, to further her own agenda and now the heat is getting very uncomfortable, she in gettin' out of town,you betcha! Hey Sarah ,good riddance and don't let the door hit you on your way OUT! Maybe your pastor buddy(who likes to hunt and kill witches in Africa) can give you some excellent advice on your next move! Anybody who believes ANYTHING that comes out of this creeps mouth is just as CRAZY as she is!

[NeoLiberal]

Hear hear.

[zola77]

Completely untrue. she hasnt beat them all. She has many charges still to face in court, and she has also had to pay out money....

People are just holding her accountable - thats what she said she wanted after all.

[kto]

You fail to account for the legislature finding her lacking in their ethics investigation into the Walt Monegan firing, her having to reimburse the state for her incorrect tax filing about her domicile and that she herself filed an ethics complaint against herself so that it could be investigated by the people she appointed rather than the GOP controlled legislature.

[madisonhack]

She beat the ethics complaints because her commission has been adjudicating them all. The largest ethics complaint that was filed was filed by Palin herself as a self defense ploy.

The indictment which is around the corner for corruption and possibly racketeering charges won't be heard by her commission. And I think the IRS may be in on this one, too.

[julia23]

The job got too tough for her and she's quitting to spend time with her family, which can obviously use some guidance.