Why Sarah Palin Quit

[Allhallowsday]

Why Sarah Palin Quit 
In bowing out as Governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin harkened back to her high school basketball days - although there was no sign of the "Barracuda," as she was nicknamed for her ability to cut through the opposing team's offenses. In a hastily called press conference on the eve of a three-day holiday, Palin presented herself as a point guard exhausted by the "full court press from the national level." The 2008 Republican vice-presidential nominee explained how the metaphorical point guard should respond. "She drives through a full court press, protecting the ball, keeping her head up because she needs to keep her eye on the basket, and she knows exactly when to pass the ball so that the team can win," Palin said. "And I know when it's time to pass the ball for victory." Or take a timeout, as the case may be.

Palin's stunning announcement raised more questions than it answered: Is she bowing out of public life? Is there a more nefarious reason for her resignation after only two-and-half years in office - yet another G.O.P. scandal in the offing? Or is the woman who tops most G.O.P. 2012 shortlists to challenge Barack Obama stepping down to get a head start on her next presidential campaign? Palin took no questions after her unscripted, rambling address, and her comments seemed to hint both ways: that she's "passing the ball" of elected office, and that she plans on working for all Americans, not just Alaskans. "Some are going to question the timing of this and let me just say that this decision has been in the works for a while. In fact this decision comes after much consideration," Palin said, holding up her left index finger as she amended her thought, "Much prayer and consideration. And finally, I polled the most important people in my life, my kids. And the count was unanimous. While in response to asking, 'Hey, do you want me to be a positive influence and fight for all our children's futures from outside the governor's office?' it was four yeses and one 'Hell, yeah.' The 'Hell, yeah' sold it." (TIME Photographs: Sarah Palin...)

http://news.yahoo.com/s/time/20090704/us_time/08599190866900

[indianasmith]

Best of luck to her!! Anyone the mainstream media worked so hard to destroy must be someone remarkable.  Depending on the opposition, she may well have my vote.

[Jim H]

Best of luck to her!! Anyone the mainstream media worked so hard to destroy must be someone remarkable.  Depending on the opposition, she may well have my vote.

If she got the nomination, it means the Republican party has basically conceded the election already.  So, I think it is unlikely, even if she tried for it.

[indianasmith]

Personally, I want the candidate to be a real conservative first and foremost.  I'd rather lose on principle than win with someone who doesn't have any.

Secondly, if the GOP is going to stand a chance, we HAVE to nominate someone young and charismatic.  Obama and Clinton clearly demonstrated that young and hip will beat out old and grumpy every time, even if old and grumpy is a real war hero, and young and hip has no substance at all beyond their image.

Last of all, even though we took a good "woodshedding" from the voters last time around, don't write off the GOP!  If the "Cap and trade" bill passes the Senate and becomes law, it will create huge tax increases, enormous new federal bureaucracies, and massive unemployment.  The American body politic is a big ol' sluggish beast, but it can only take so much before it rises up and shakes off those bloodsucking parasites.

[3mnkids]

Best of luck to her!! Anyone the mainstream media worked so hard to destroy must be someone remarkable.  Depending on the opposition, she may well have my vote.

If she got the nomination, it means the Republican party has basically conceded the election already.  So, I think it is unlikely, even if she tried for it.

yeah, I dont think it will happen. She appeals only to the far right wing of the party. Also, if she cant handle the job of governing a state like Alaska it doesnt seem likely that she can run the country. Personally I think we dodged a huge bullet.  Had McCain won I would have been moving to Canada.         Not because of him really, although it did show his lack of vetting and disregard for what was best for the country with picking her, but because of her, she scares me.

I really hope we have seen the last of her. For someone who is so vocal about family being off limits she took every opportunity to shove them in the spotlight. She used them when it suited her agenda. 

[Jim H]

Personally, I want the candidate to be a real conservative first and foremost.  I'd rather lose on principle than win with someone who doesn't have any.

I'm unconvinced Palin is such a person.  She didn't seem to be any more classically conservative, to me at least, than most of other republicans. 

I also have to say, do people really find her charismatic?  I found her mannerisms quite irritating, which is basically the opposite. 

[akiratubo]

even if old and grumpy is a real war hero

Being a war hero doesn't qualify anyone to run a country.

[meQal]

Barring any scandal, I would expect to see her on the ballot for the primaries. I honestly doubt she will win the Republican Party nomination however.

[Rev. Powell]

Why Sarah Palin Quit 
...tops most G.O.P. 2012 shortlists to challenge Barack Obama...

I'm suspicious of that statement.

[Doggett]

Personally, I want the candidate to be a real conservative first and foremost.  I'd rather lose on principle than win with someone who doesn't have any.

I'm unconvinced Palin is such a person.  She didn't seem to be any more classically conservative, to me at least, than most of other republicans. 

I also have to say, do people really find her charismatic?  I found her mannerisms quite irritating, which is basically the opposite. 

Yeah, she comes across as very cold. She's basically a more attractive version of Hilary.

Why Sarah Palin Quit 
...tops most G.O.P. 2012 shortlists to challenge Barack Obama...

I'm suspicious of that statement.

I'm just plain suspicious...

*doggett whistles innocently...*

[Fausto]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mPYP0puqgBk

[Mofo Rising]

I'm not going to tell you what I think of Sarah Palin, because it includes nothing good.

As to why she quite, I think she's probably in one of those stages that people reach when they first become super famous. Like a pampered movie star, she has surrounded herself with people who only tell her the things she wants to hear. Granted, she has an inexplicable popularity with a certain segment of the populace, but her handlers are probably telling her that extends to everybody. It doesn't.

Politically, I don't think abandoning your post is ever going to help you, which is what she just did. Stranger things have happened, politics don't make much sense because people don't make much sense. They do love humiliating others, though, and Palin is well primed for a very public burn-out.

[Allhallowsday]

Why Sarah Palin Quit 
...tops most G.O.P. 2012 shortlists to challenge Barack Obama...

I'm suspicious of that statement.

Tryin' t'start somethin' smart a**?    Thanks for crediting ME with "that statement..."       

[Rev. Powell]

Why Sarah Palin Quit 
...tops most G.O.P. 2012 shortlists to challenge Barack Obama...

I'm suspicious of that statement.

Tryin' t'start somethin' smart a**?    Thanks for crediting ME with "that statement..."       

Note to all: AHD did not write that suspect sentence.  Some Time reporter did, I guess. 

[hellbilly]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RT_OwLS6Uew