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Monday, July 6, 2009

Politics Why Are We Still in the Dark About Why Palin's Resigning?

Posted by Christopher Frizzelle on Mon, Jul 6, 2009 at 10:19 AM

Andrew Sullivan, this morning:

Can we all be grown up for a minute and concede something very simple? There are three explanations for the latest circus act: either Sarah Palin is so crazy she actually believes that what she just did is good for her political career; she has decided that her future is as a celebreality star and she's pursuing the lucrative Coulter-style, long legs and fascist farrago strategy; or, a scandal of monumental proportions is about to hit.

Like Savage, I've been banking on that last explanation. Here comes a scandal. That was what came to mind on Friday afternoon when I was standing at a Conoco gas station in Eastern Washington and happened to look up at the convenience-store TV, on mute, tuned to CNN; and it was what led me to block out some time over the weekend to scour the essay on Palin in the current Vanity Fair (no signs of imminent scandal in it, alas). "What kind of scandal is it?" was a main topic of conversation among friends all weekend. Sex? Corruption? Mismanagement? Bribery? Something huge the FBI has quietly been working away at for months?

The FBI has taken that last possibility off the table:

The FBI is taking the unusual step of declaring that Gov. Sarah Palin is not under investigation...

"We are not investigating her," FBI spokesman Eric Gonzalez said on Sunday. "Normally we don't confirm or deny those kind of allegations out there, but by not doing so it just casts her in a very bad light. There is just no truth to those rumors out there in the blogosphere."

Meanwhile, Alaska's lieutenant governor, soon to be in charge, says Palin's impetus to quit was all the legal fees incurred in defending against 15 ethics complaints filed in the last two and a half years:

Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell of Alaska said Sunday that Gov. Sarah Palin’s decision to resign was largely prompted by the personal legal costs of the ethics investigations against her.

That seems... slight. And with Palin, the official explanation is almost never the truth. Increasingly, the leaving-to-pursue-a-career-in-TV possibility seems logical—or at least it seems like where she's wanted to end up all along. Even though, paradoxically, TV has not exactly been kind to her. To refresh your memory, today the Daily Beast presents Sarah Palin's 10 Most Awkward Media Moments. Friday's press conference comes in third.

Comments (18) RSS

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My first reaction was the "maximize earnings while she still can" route (Fox News, book deals, etc.). And then I thought, well, maybe she's just crazy enough to believe this could help her politically. It's possible, I guess, since the Vanity Fair article seemed to imply she doesn't have anyone other than Todd advising her. A scandal is the long shot, in my book.

Posted by Julie in Eugene on July 6, 2009 at 10:26 AM

Do you guys read the news or just the clippings that Dan Savage puts in the manila envelope? How about investigating the 2 trillion dollar theft of public money by Obama-Biden?

That's right...the Democrooks are asking for more stimulus because the money they stole never got to the People...and now they want to steal more of it!

Where's the slog post on that?!

Posted by Palin 2012 on July 6, 2009 at 10:33 AM

I'm with Julie in Eugene. The "rising legal fees" is going to be a great excuse to take a high-paying Fox gig AND she gets to be on the tv every day without having to answer any questions.

Posted by monkey on July 6, 2009 at 10:39 AM

Sarah Palin killed Steve McNair. And Michael Jackson. And caused swine flu.

She didn't kill Ed McMahon, though. At least not on purpose.

Posted by Gomez

on July 6, 2009 at 10:42 AM

...or she could be sick and tired of politics, in which case fair play to her and buh-bye.

Posted by Toe Tag on July 6, 2009 at 10:46 AM

Most in my circle are thining the book deal is the most reasonable... The AK Constitution bans a Gov from outside employment. To get the 8 mil, she had to quit.

I think she is just plain old bat-shit crazy.

Or... The rumor that Trig really is not her baby is true. That is the only scandal I can think of that could get her to quit.

Posted by AK Rob on July 6, 2009 at 10:54 AM

I think her advisors and handlers just make bad decisions.

I would find it delightful though, if her resignation was due to her having sex with one of her many gay and lesbian friends.

Posted by Urgutha Forka on July 6, 2009 at 11:04 AM

she just wanted to steal Michael Jackson's thunder.

Posted by flk on July 6, 2009 at 11:07 AM

The resignation will blow over quickly, she will stop getting negative press as the corrupt Governor of Siberia (or wherever the fuck she lives), she will be campaigning starting now, she will be earning more money, and she will continue to successfully play the martyr role (legal fees, higher calling, media elite, leave my family alone, etc).

Stop making fun of her retarded kid, and stop making up scandal stories, because they have the opposite effect that you intend on people who currently support her. She is fucking dangerous, and she should be taken seriously.

Posted by Mahtli69 on July 6, 2009 at 11:13 AM

When in doubt, assume that she's motivated my money. I have no idea what she wants for herself, her family or her career, but we do know that she needs money.

Posted by Hernandez

on July 6, 2009 at 11:15 AM

I think Vladimir Putin reared his head in her backyard, and it's about to come out that she's been hiking the Appalachian Trail with him.

Posted by suren~o on July 6, 2009 at 11:17 AM

Of COURSE she's out to be a media star because that's whaat I said last week!

Look,
1. you don't need to be in office to run for president anymore; Edwards, Romney.
2. She's ardently loved by 15% of the nation and could hit the lecture circuit. She could pull in $20 grand a week easy!
3. Her book could be worth millions to her.
4. As governor she'd have to cut budgets wrestle with the governing and the dark and the snow, and campaign in every little town in Alaska all next year, and every time she tried to get on a plane to hit the lower 48 it's hours out of her life and another ethics complaint.....really how will taking stimulus dollars or cutting her state budget help her? she's already big time.
5. She's too big for Alaska now, and being full time in the media spotlight can help her win every GOP primary and build her own favor bank and her own 5 million strong e mail list.

She's able to attract media attention and in fact it's our ire that spurs her base, btw.

But yes in short.... once again.....ITYS.

Posted by PC on July 6, 2009 at 11:30 AM

http://divasblueoasis.com/diary/699/neve…

Posted by flk on July 6, 2009 at 11:34 AM

@12 - Thank you. Someone else gets it.

You mentioned Edwards and Romney ... Let's not forget Ronald Reagan, who was 5-years out of office when he was elected in 1980.

Posted by Mahtli69 on July 6, 2009 at 11:53 AM

@ 12, 14, both Edwards and Reagan finished their terms before running for office. It would make sense here if the next POTUS election was in 2010; since it's in 2012 then resigning at this juncture rather than serving out the term and not running for re-election makes no sense if POTUS is her goal.

Posted by regular poster without his password on July 6, 2009 at 12:47 PM

@15 - Nonsense. She will be more visible now than ever. Just watch.

Her only gamble is hoping that the controversy over resigning will blow over quickly. Given that she's already spinning it to say she has a "higher calling", the gamble will probably work.

Posted by Mahtli69 on July 6, 2009 at 12:59 PM

@16: I think the quitter perception is going to stick. Every single person she goes up against in any political contest is going to holler it loudly -- as they should; she's shown contempt for elected office and her constituency with this move.

Her only chance is to go independent where her base can heap adulation on her for completing her job by not completing it and she doesn't have to run against anyone in a primary.

Posted by Cracker Jack on July 6, 2009 at 1:26 PM

@17: I can hear it now: "I knew that I'd be running for President in 2012, and I knew that it would take several years of fundraising to be successful. Unlike some elected officials who hold office while running for another and end up doing both poorly, I opted to do what's best for Alaska and for America by stepping down."

Posted by Mahtli69 on July 6, 2009 at 3:16 PM