I thought this was a good article and really tells it like it is on how nasty politics and the media can be. Sarah Palin is a terrific person, sharp, tough and super Mom and I think she has done a great job as Governor of Alaska.
Palin: Why she left is no mystery
Sandy Rios - 7/9/2009 7:00:00 AM
The reason Sarah Palin resigned her post as Governor of Alaska is really no mystery. And yet we must make it one. A person can never be taken at her word. What did she mean by a "higher calling?" She's looking for a way to make money. It must be a huge book deal. But wait, she already has a book deal.
She must be getting a talk show on FOX...but FOX has said there is nothing in the works. Then NBC? Maybe taking Katie Couric's place on CBS? Now that's a great idea. Or maybe there's a grand...secret...strategy to take the White House in 2012. It's a brilliant strategy. It's a ridiculous strategy. It's risky...it's smart. There has to be more to this. What's the angle? How can we read further between the lines? What's in this for her?
She is a coward...a quitter. She's crazy like a fox. She is laying the groundwork for a new political movement. If she can't take the heat, she should get out of the kitchen -- and on it goes, from both sides, ad nauseam.
But maybe there is a logical explanation after all with no mystery involved. Governor Sarah Palin said the following: She is a no-frills governor who wants to get the job done. All the investigations launched -- which by the way, have been proven false -- have cost the Alaskan taxpayers over two million dollars to respond to the flood of accusations and FOIA requests. Today, most of her time and her staff's time is spent responding to the constant barrage of criticism and attacks -- and the work for the people of Alaska is being neglected.
Based on that alone, she is "passing the ball," as the good basketball guard she once was, so that the "team," the conservative movement, can win. She wants to keep her focus on what really matters, help the people of Alaska continue on a path of good government, and stop facilitating the time- and life-takers of the left.
She said it was difficult. She said it was painful. That doesn't sound like someone who wants to "quit." She said her recent visit to the troops was the clincher, referencing their sacrifice and reiterating the theme of remembering what really matters. She was alluding to her own need to step down when she personally didn't want to, I believe, feeling it was her duty as a statesman and as a duly elected servant of the people of Alaska.
But the higher calling? I don't think it's a book deal or a talk show or a new political movement. I believe it's the heart of a mother who can't bear to see her children brutalized by a cannibalizing, angry opposition.
What person in public life has ever had her children and family so maligned and attacked so brutally, explicitly, and disrespectfully?
Was it Jimmy Carter with his strange little Amy? Or Lyndon B. Johnson with his Bird girls? Or Nixon or Ford or Reagan? Ron Reagan, Jr. contributed to his own ridiculousness by appearing in his tighty whities in a parody of Tom Cruise. Jenna and Barbara Bush got a little burnt by reports of underage drinking, but that was quickly stifled. Cindy McCain was trashed for her pain-killer addiction and Teresa Heinz Kerry for her weird campaign remarks. Barack Obama issued a stern warning to anyone who would ridicule Michelle for her declared shame over the country, but (rightly) not a word was said about his precious girls. Wives and husbands active on the campaign trail are fair game, but not children. That's the way it has always been and that's the way it should remain.
Too bad the door was opened wide for debasement, and ridicule, and gutter humor for not just one of Sarah Palin's children, but for at least three of them. Within days of her selection, Trig was not her baby, but her teenage daughter's. Then the gleeful news, that Bristol was, in fact, pregnant and unmarried. Throw in a tasteless remark on SNL about Todd committing incest with his girls -- things that should not be spoken, much less joked, about have become the norm for the vermin class who hate anyone who loves and tries to represent healthy, whole families.
When the search for sexual indiscretions, pictures, photos, came up short on Palin, she was mocked for her beauty, her voice, her sense of humor and alleged lack of knowledge of public policy. Her interviews were edited, the interviewers powered up to make her look foolish, her McCain "handlers" became her worst enemies...the people she trusted stabbed her in the back.
But the children...David Letterman described Governor Sarah Palin, the ultimate beautiful lady, mother of five, grandmother of one, wife of a man who loves her dearly, dressing like a "slutty flight attendant." But to go yet lower, joked about her 14-year-old daughter being "knocked up" by Alex Rodriguez at a Mets game. His apology was that he thought it was the 18-year-old daughter, the young single mom, and not the younger. Only a sick mind could tell the difference.
And then the mockery of Trig, baby Trig...Down syndrome Trig. Altering his photo...blogging inexpressibly profane remarks about his birth and leaving them on the website for over a week, despite complaints. Perhaps this was the last straw.
"I think much of it [her family's counsel to step down] had to do with the kids seeing their baby brother mocked by some pretty mean-spirited adults recently," Palin explained in her resignation speech. "By the way, sure wish folks could ever, ever understand that we all learn so much from someone like Trig -- I know he needs me, but I need him even more...what a child can offer to set priorities right -- that time is precious...the world needs more 'Trigs,' not fewer," she said.
It's no mystery why Sarah Palin stepped down now to stop the waste of time and money for the Alaskan people and to quench the infliction of pain on her family. If the love of the governor for her state and the mother for her children causes her to step down and become a "quitter," then may her kind of "quitting" increase.
Excellent article, Frank. Thanks for posting.
I agree, Frank... a very good post. It is such a shame the way the MSM has treated her. I not only blame them but the Obama machine as well.
I can't believe you people don't give the lady any credit at all.
I wholeheartedly agree that the media was especially harsh regarding the Palin children. But Sarah? The minute she agreed to join the campaign, she agreed to all that entails. I think the worst thing she could do for her family is to keep them in a perpectual spotlight. As wrong as it is, the scrutiny will be just as intense -- why would she continue to put them through that?
Of course, she could put an end to all the speculation by just stating plainly what her intentions are. For someone who says she doesn't like media attention, she gives plenty of reasons to keep the questions coming.
I too agree that a lot of the media attention towards her family was out of bounds. But like Indygal said, she's a public figure, she's going to have people looking at her, her personality, her policies etc under a microscope. There's nothing wrong with that, politicians should be examined closely. I'm not sure about the statement "she left no mystery." Even Conservative leaders are sitting around scratching their heads. the term "higher calling" is very vague. It can mean that she wants to focus on her family, or it can mean that she wants to be more religous, or it can mean that she's interested in national politics. It's very vague, and she has refused to clarify the comment.
As far as ethics investigations, she has been found guilty of abusing her power in one investigation already. There are several other ongoing investigations which have yet to be concluded. I don't think it's accurate to claim that Palin has been cleared in all the investigations. Frankly, the fact that the article makes that claim throws a lot of doubts as to the credibility of the author.
Anmar I assume you are talking about "Troopergate" involving her brother in law. Yes a panel said that she violated her authority. The Alaska Supreme Court said it was indeed a matter for the Alaska Personnel Board. They found that she was not guilty. If you are talking of some other episode let me know. She has beat all ethics complaints.
David
Why she left is no mystery she spelled it out in her statement, which I posted on the other thread on this topic. There is a question
as to what she will do next that is true. I don't think she knows for sure herself. Some of the possibilities are being batted around and are just speculation. My speculation is that she is going to run for US Senator from Alaska. We will all get the mystery resolve when she decides exactly what she is going to do. In the meantime she will be spending it with her family and fishing for Salmon. That is worth a lot when you live in Alaska.
David
Here is the real Sarah Palin. I posted this when she was named to be McCains's VP. She is not the Saturday Night Live persona, Lipstick on a pig, Hockey Mom, she is a person dedicated to government doing its job. She, the media, and the McCain advisors did herself\her a disservice by her portrayal during the campaign in my opinion.
http://www.charlierose.com/shows/2007/10/12/2/a-conversation-with-governors-janet-napolitano-sarah-palin
David
What is it about Palin that elicits such furious bipartisan Washington dismissiveness? After all, the polls show her to be tied with Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee for the very early lead in the 2012 Republican primary. As an outspoken conservative with about an 80 percent favorable rating among Republicans and a high-40s percentage favorable plurality among independents, objectively she should be seen as quite competitive nationally compared with other Republicans.... Palin draws by far the biggest crowds of any current politician, other than, perhaps, the president.
She was the only news phenomenon capable of knocking the Michael Jackson story off the cable news lineups.... At a time when governments around the world -- left, right and center -- are failing to gain public confidence and even the winning Democratic Party in the U.S. struggles to match independents for the leading political category (while the Republican Party struggles to get to 25 to 30 percent market share), it might behoove those same party professionals who have been failing to connect their parties to the public to pause before calling Sarah Palin an incompetent politician.
She's announced that she isn't running for the senate.
One thing thats going on the the Alaskan legislature is that now, they are trying to get the 27 billion in federal bailout money that Palin refused. Alaskan officials are actually saying that Palin's resignation cost the state 200k, because they now have to hold a special session to work out the mess she left behind. Apparently, she tried to circumvent the state constitution and appoint a replacement lt governer who shouldn't get the post.
For the love of the Lord --- every one is screaming at the top of their lungs about Sarah Palin not saying this - not saying that, and here we are stuck with the big eared Chimp and all in the hell he has ever said - has been lies on top of lies and has any one said "What does he mean" ??? NO -- it is just go along and let the sorry excuse for a humane being just keep on doing what he is doing and getting by with it. It makes me sick! We need to come up with a way to throw all the sorry, no good, mealy mouthed ones in office down the deepest well that has no bottom. Let the woman alone -- she has every right in the world to have her own reasons to do what she does and let the rest of the bad mouthers go straight to Hell.
Jo, well said. Mr. Hillbilly and I just want you to know that we love you and love your ability to speak your mind! ;)
Aww Mrs Mcdonald, people are all just wondering what she's going to do next.
WELL SAID JO !!!!!!!!!!
She can do whatever the Hell she wants, though it may not be to well.
She might be Palin's running mate in 2012
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=paeuC-i8E1o
Finally, a politican that understands the meaning of the 2nd admendment.