Sarah Palin: "this decision has been in the works for quite a while"

TheCaucusBlog:

Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska announced Friday that she would step down by the end of the month and not seek a second term as governor, fueling speculation that she is seriously weighing whether to seek the Republican nomination for president in 2012.

Ms. Palin, who was Senator John McCain’s vice presidential running mate last year and solidified the support of the party’s conservative base, explained her decision at a news conference at her home in Wasilla, Alaska, accompanied by her husband, Todd, and other family members.

“We know we can effect positive change outside of government,” she said in making the announcement.

Known as Sarah Barricuda when she played basketball in high school, Ms. Palin used point guard analogy in explaining her decision, saying she knows “exactly when to pass the ball so the team can win.”

She said that she planned to hand over the reins of the state government to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, who would be sworn in at the governor’s picnic in Fairbanks on July 25.

“This decision came after much consideration,” Ms. Palin told reporters gathered at her home, and added, “I really don’t want to disappoint anyone with this announcement.”

...

“Some are going to question the timing of this, and let me say this decision has been in the works for quite a while,” she said.

A hint as to why might come from the response to this event given by a friend of John McCain (and no friend of Sarah Palin):

"We've seen a lot of nutty behavior from governors and Republican leaders in the last three months, but this one is at the top of that," said John Weaver, a longtime friend and confidant of  Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.), the party's presidential nominee in 2008 whose of selection of Palin catapulted the first-term Alaska governor to national prominence.

What an a-hole.

Sarah Palin has been a breath of fresh air and a stalwart conservative in a field where no voice seems to represent my own.  God bless her and her family as she moves on.

Comments

[Locutisprime]

I was tickled when she was chosen as McCain's running mate last year. I thought "finally, they are going to do something to inspire the party."

Now? All I can do is shake my head and wonder WTF?

I saw all this unfold live today on the cable news channels. and IMO? Regardless of how much lipstick Sarah Palin and the GOP try to put on this pig of a decision?

It is over for her in politics peiod IMO.

I could understand her deciding not to run for reelection as Alaska governor, in order to focus on lining up her 2012 campaign.

But you don't tip your hand on that strategy this far in advance and you definitely don't just walk away from a governorship in mid term and then cite all the gang housing by media and ethics complaints that you have weathered.

In my opinion? that doesn't denote leadership or fresh ideas. It denotes someone unable to stand the heat and thus they are leaving the kitchen.

On the heals of the Sanford and Ensign affairs? I see the present GOP as a rudderless ship.

[allyHM]

I cannot fault Gov. Palin for resigning. The leftists and the media haven't left her or her family alone for one minute...and she was on the LOSING side! Considering the media assault surrounding the whole Letterman thing, she made the right decision for her family - as any good mother would and should do.

[Paul Mitchell]

Sarah Palin has been a breath of fresh air and a stalwart conservative in a field where no voice seems to represent my own. God bless her and her family as she moves on.

Well said!

[Shifty1]

It would seem to me that those who see this as her political death knell would've rather her held on to the title of Governor, no matter the waste of taxpayer dollars; forget the fact that all of the trumped-up ethics investigations cost $$ and more importantly HER TIME (the wasting of which, AGAIN, fritters away tax dollars. Nope, cling to your office till the bitter end, Ms. Palin, no matter how little actual governance you can do.

Like it or not, her being chosen for the national ticket, and the way she energized the conservatives on the grass-roots level, has placed her more in demand on the national level. Between this pull to fight for conservative from a bigger platform, and the tremendous waste of time and energy fending off the unending BS ethics charges from her increasingly hysterical enemies, what does hse have left to offer the good citizens of Alaska in exchange for their tax dollars?

But no, whatever you do, keep the title! Without it, your enemies (who most assuredly wouldn't vote for you anyway) will think you're a "quitter" and will surely tell everyone! Yes, play the game by the established rules....who cares if you're literally stealing from Alaskans, who elected you to run the state government? Do I have that right, Locutisprime?

C'Mon people, don't we have ENOUGH elected officials who do this? I for one am ready for a politician who will do the job we pay her to do, not phone it in while she is busy with "other" stuff!