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.

Follow John R. Bohrer on Twitter: www.twitter.com/JRBwrites

Comments

[redsongia]

"Some Alaskans don't mind wasting public dollars"

Which Alaskans are these? I'm so glad Sarah Palin is so much better than everyone else.

[2008CaliforniaFan]

And isn't it time to shut down that " Alaska Trust Fund" which has no oversight by any organization.

But...Mayb­e Kristan Cole has already run off with the money... like her Mother did.

Alaska's name should not be maligned with her in control of it.

[ReedYoung]

The ones who mail their dividend checks to NRDC, Sierra Club or PETA to petition against the kinds of atrocities against nature that Palin, et al, commit for kicks.

[LiteSleeper]

She was referring to herself up until the point she decided she wasn't that person anymore.

[JumpDownTurnAround]

Rumor at NBC is, since Tina Fey doesn't really want to have to impersonate Sarah any more, Lorne Michaels wanted to hire Sarah herself, but she didn't pass the audition because she just wasn't believable enough!

[Panglos]

QUITTER FOR PRESIDENT!

[Irksome]

Bwah ha ha!

[JulieSA]

It's cost the state $2 million to investigate the frivolous ethics complaints, all of which so far have been thrown out, plus she took on personal legal bills to save the state $500,000 in defending against this stuff.

This is really hurting the state. It costs nothing to fie a complaint, and the stalkers who do this do it every time she leaves the house. The complaints are complete bs, but have to be investigated nevertheless.

This is not ok. This is thuggish individuals abusing the system and victimizing an entire state.

[WIpatriot]

When the SBS scandal hits the news, you be sure to come back for a slice of pie, dearie.

[ArticleFriendly]

uh huh .. and if you will believe anything your queen tells you, I've got some ocean front property in Arizona...­.

[redsongia]

It cost less than 300,000 to investigate the ethics complaints. Almost 200,000 of that was because of the "troopergate" scandal. You'll recall, as that was being concluded, the McCain campaign had her file another "ethics" complaint against herself so that this very issue would be "investigated" by a second board completely appointed by the governor. The duplicative "investigation" is what blew up those costs. The all Palin appointed committee found her innocent of all charges, while the bi-partisan board found she abused power.

I would hardly call this a waste of money, except for the second complaint she filed against herself for strictly PR reasons.

[syllepsis]

The "all Palin appointed committee.­" I like the sound of that.
In these days of base partisanship and corruption, they showed admirable loyalty to their executive by finding her innocent of all charges.

[2008CaliforniaFan]

It is PROVEN that it was $300K. She refuses to say how much it has cost her Attorney.

It it REALLY was 2 Million... she would want to show everybody. She says it is a ' secret '.

[sjones66]

yeah, right. It actually cost 300,000.00 for ALL of the ethics complaints. the most expensive one being the one Sarah filed against herself, which cost over 100,000.00­.

And that was because she didn't like the answer the first report came back with...whi­ch was GUILTY OF VIOLATING ETHICS LAWS.

But I realize facts make the Saga of Sister Sarah much less the Story of Ruth, so carry on.

[sticksnstones]

Yeah, right .... confuse the issue with, with, with .... FACTS.

[terramartom]

Palin will have a FOX news TV show.

[mikeHAWKhertz]

She is going to move out of Alaska, watch out.

[JumpDownTurnAround]

"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."


BINGO!

[easarsfield]

I think my biggest fear is that we might have a future, female Newt Gingrich on our hands.

[Altruth]

No problem, Newt was "newted" back in the 1980s and hasn't recovered yet! Remember the Contract for America which became the Contract on America? The Alaskan fraud will driff into the back woods if she is smart.

[easarsfield]

yeah but if she goes the way of Newt, she'll be on Fox n friends in no time. I just want her to go away already.

[KayJay90]

Only if Newt continues to let her plagiarize his speeches.

[moderatemike]

While finding little humor in the idiocy of these conservative muckrakers, commentators and some politicians I also see a disturbing and continuing hyperbolic effort to undermine the basic foundations of our Republic, it's duly elected officials and the Constitutional foundations of this country. While being a Texas Democrat on the outside looking in I personally have been disparaged, denied employment and attacked for my views which are far from being considered liberal by the majority of this country. My friends: Palin, Rush, Kristol, Hannity, et.al are not jokes but are dangerous demagogues fueling the fires beneath ignorant and uninformed reactionary right-wingers who will stop at nothing to destroy those who disagree with them. Their lies, misrepresentations and outright slanders have no limits and soon the "wrong" type of person will act on their impetus and truly harm individuals who they see as a threat to their "way of life." There is no longer a level of honest discourse. It has been replaced with a dangerous "fuel" that will eventually start a fire. First Amendment rights; these people and the conservatives who follow their lead and provacations know no limits and will stop at nothing. They are zealots of the worst kind who make Bin Laden look like a Sunday school teacher. They are dangerous and they use our system to further their untruths and attacks while stuffing millions in their pockets while they do it . I detest them all. THEY ARE DANGEROUS!

[freelyb]

I think you're absolutely right. These people need to be seen for what they are, taken seriously, and dealt with accordingly. They are a threat to the rest of us in very far-reaching ways.

[RRundbaken]

She's running from something. This is a sleazy family. Just look how they grabbed hundreds of thousands of dollars in swag during the campaign. Even the husband got a makeover. And how is this dedicated mother of now five children, one with Downs Syndrome, one is a teenage unwed mother, going to care for this brood while she's running around the country helping mankind. Yes, I know men do it but she has made her mothering a central issue and with the failed judgement she showed with her oldest daughter and to young girls in general with her disdain for proper sex education along with her own high risk pregnancy it is fair to ask. People saw right past her during the campaign with her nonsensical answers to questions. The GOP thinks this lady is the best person to negotiate with Hu Jintao or whichever lunatic is running North Korea? She's going to keep Hamas in line? Stare down Putin? Please.

[JumpDownTurnAround]

Shoot. She can't even handle the fighting within her own party that's coming out about HER when she was McCain's running partner. What is SHE and what are THEY thinking?
You hit the nail right on the head RRundbaken!

[oldjerseygirl]

Did I hear right? In her "resignation" speech didn't she say all 5 of her children voted for her to step down? And, I suppose hubby was not allowed to vote?

[ReealOne]

Are you kidding? She can't even handle late night TV talk show hosts talking about her without going after them like a juvenile..­. how do you think she will handle other world leaders (most of them don't even think a woman should be a leader of anything) when they criticize her... my God, she will have US fighting all of her ill-perceived wars.... in every country on the planet.

[Leatherhelmet]

Look Borer, she is 15-0 against the ethics complaints.

Now she can attack your side without worrying about spending money on legal bills.
It was a smart move. She can attack at will on Obama. Even Cheney carved him up
unlike McCain who was a wimp on the campaign trail.

[sticksnstones]

And you are as delusional as this little drama queen. Da girl is toast.

[idesign]

Not even close.

[Altruth]

Member of the No Class, No Plan, No Substance, No Ethics, Party of NO!

[JumpDownTurnAround]

I thought there were 2 still pending against her....per­haps you could list your link for 15-0?

Then there is that little argument going around about during the campaign and Todd's involvement with the AIP and the LIES she wanted them to release about said involvement!
The emails she sent out....the facts in the Vanity Fair article...­.

If she doesn't like the attacks about her and her family as a politician­....how do you think she's going to like the attacks that will come if she's an on-camera no talent commentator?

[ArticleFriendly]

The only good thing she's done is admit through out her "good-bye" speech is "that for the good of Alaska, I'm resigning"­... Really stupid move for any elections she may have had aspirations to, but really a good move for Alaskans! And you are right.. she can attack more now, and as before, she'll look like the b igoted, narrow minded repub that she is, and turn off the majority of thinking people....

[KayJay90]

Are you hanging your hat on the ethics complaints tally sheet?

Just in case you and anyone else wants to know about the ethics complaints and has been living in a cave for the past 10 months, Palin has a Personnel Board of volunteer citizens of conservative persuasion -- two of whom were appointed by her Republican predecessor and retained by her (which is meaningful because she doesn't let anyone she doesn't trust stay in her administration or on her staff) and one which she appointed herself.

They've rejected all but two ethics issues; and those two were so egregious that the Department of Law and the legislators wouldn't let them slide.

All the rest didn't even get to her Personnel Board. The investigator for the Board asked her a few questions about each one, and made a decision based on her answers.

Rubber-stamped "No".

[KayJay90]

Rumors are picking up that she resigned because there's a pending indictment -- no doubt regarding fraud for either her house and the Wasilla Sports Complex, or the Matanuska Maid dairy scandal.

Her Alaska Fund Trust administrator, Kristen Cole, was heavily involved in the Mat-Su Maid dairy scandal, regarding non-repayment of a loan the state (authorized by Palin) made to bail out the dairy.

[2008CaliforniaFan]

And the 'Alaska Trust Fund ' that Kristan Cole is in charge of needs to be shut down... Fast!

She has no right to use Alaska's name that way as well.

[oregonbird]

She asked her children if she should resign, and got four yes vote, and one heck, yeah. A year old kid with a bottle in his gob voted? A grown woman, the governor of a state, stuck this in a speech and expected us to just accept it, along with the rest of the nonsense -- 90% of which has been debunked previously?

Heck, yeah.

[Raina12]

I think when she said family she meant Todd and 4 of her kids, not the baby. But, yeah none of this makes sense. The truth is coming....

[oldjerseygirl]

Sorry... but I heard her say 5 kids, also!! And I thought the same thing: "You mean Trig gets a vote, but Todd doesn't?!" LOL!!!

[Jimmyboyo]

I think she and her staff were/ are stupid enough to think this was going to be a brilliant move to segway into running 2012

STRESS they thought

Sorry kids and backwoods barbie, national politics is the big league and this sh@t don't fly. She cut and ran. A quitter. Fled ethic complaints­....whatev­er

Romney and Huckabee both will sikply say in the debates "I never quite." Huckabee especialy kept plodding along in the primaries even when mccain had obviously won.

She is done and showed how stupid she is

[redsongia]

That's true. Huckabee never did quit. He ran his whole campaign on a stick of chewing gum and some stale chips and he still got quite far for a practically unknown governor from the south.

He was rather nastily blogged about a first, if I recall, but didn't flinch, and got most of his exposure from going on the liberal daily show and contemplating a run with Steven Colbert.

[wavelength5]

I feel for the Alaskan's who are looking at the state of their state on wondering "Whaaaaaat­ttttt???".

[schicklett3]

Fox News will save her....LOL­OL
Anyway, she's deserted her state, and has no chance of ever running for higher office.
Her political life is finished (thank Goodness!).
But, she'll stoop even lower and use her Down's Syndrom baby to try and garner public sympathy and support.
The conservatives and republicans are tumbling down like a house of cards....o­ne card at a time.
I have a suspicion that Palin is one of Mark Sinfords "other women that he crossed the line with."