Greed! There is way more money available on the speaking circuit. Book deals, talk shows, maybe even a cable news anchor position. She would fit right in at Fox.

Palin was toast five seconds after McCain picked her. An insult to the elective, democratic process. Buh, bye ...

I think that if she was going to run for president she would have given more thought to her exit from the governorship. This was a news dump day, and there wasn't even a small crowd present.

I say it's a scandal. Her speech was so choppy and disjointed that it said to me "oh shit oh shit oh shiiiiiit"

A pity, she might have been the Republican candidate in 2012, and Obama would cream her like a mack truck over a gnat.

ambition, arrogance, and conspicuous unintelligence

Steve, Steve, STEVE: tell me when these qualities have ever failed in the history of american politics?

Unless it's a big scandal, it's obvious it will be a Fox News gig. She has no interest in governing but loves being a celebrity. And the money ain't bad.

The GOP insiders have lost faith in her, but the morons who watch Fox News, "the base", love her. Her only chance for a 2012 run is to mobilize those idiots through TV. It might work.

If she stayed as AK gov, she would have had to master the issues for a 2012 run. She can't do that, so instead she'll leverage her charisma. It's her only hope. She probably made the best choice knowing who she is.

Combine greed and the prospect of the rest of her tenure being just as contentious and deadlocked as it is now and she can see she'd have almost no chance of re-election.

If she's going to cash out, now's the time.

That was not the speech of a confident woman. She's being pressured to resign. I smell a criminal indictment.

Even Fox News wants people who can construct a coherent sentence. Listening to Palin every day would be like being stuck in an elevator with Mmmm Bop playing over and over again.

I found this (http://imgur.com/g1r9A.jpg) in a thread over at Crooks and Liars. If what the image suggests is true, Palin getting out of politics would be the smartest thing she's done in years.

Enough already!

Whatever Sarah Palin's strategy is, it will be based on her own Bizzaro World reality so it won't make sense to the rest of us anyway.

Sarah Palin has been fun to laugh at -- I still chuckle at her macabre "Turkey pardoning". And certainly it's fun to make fun of her supporters (disciples?), the basest of the Republican base. But she's declined to the point where laughing at her is like laughing at Trig.

Let's just let her fade away. Either she'll be a TeeVee host and her show will crash and burn like Limbaugh's did, or she'll become another Paris Hilton, a celebrity who's a celebrity because she's a celebrity.

Either way, it won't be long before she's nothing more than a WTF footnote in political history.

I'm with Hoyt.

Even Redstate is calling her gone. Erik now has his own hate mail from the neo-condria..... Sweet!!

I think it's some combo of 2,3,5 and 6.

My money is on #3. I feel that her political advisers can't be so terrible that they would let her do it for #1 or #4. #2 and #5 assume the best of Palin, I just find her too unpleasant a person for that. She's already demonstrated that she embraces the worst of politics and has no problem exploiting her kids for political gain. #6 is my guess after #3, and #7 isn't really an explanation.

Especially with rumors of the SBS deal, I feel like Palin committed a major ethics breach.

#7. She's beat. Stop the madness. There's gotta be a easier way to live.

I was agreeing with Steve (#1 is the most likely explanation) as late as yesterday, and it's still a viable hypothesis - she wants to be President, and she's stupid/crazy enough to think this move will help her do it. But after seeing the video of her announcement, I'm not so sure. She was behaving like someone forced to do something she really really didn't want to, and forced to do it in a big hurry.

If I had to guess, I'd say yesterday morning when she woke up, Sarah Palin was not aware she'd be resigning during the course of the day. She knew she would not be seeking re-election (a given, due to her evident dislike of/incompetence at the job). But something happened during the day to force this move to happen right away, and during the announcement she was both pissed and terrified, as well as unprepared to give even a semi-plausible excuse.

What was it that forced the situation? The most obvious answer is the rumored federal indictments coming. And if you look through the other explanations, none really fit what we saw from Palin yesterday.

If it's a presidential run, it would make much more sense to finish her term, and there's no reason for her to be pissed about things. Ditto for a Senate run. If it's a personal medical condition, why not just disclose, and why bother with all the vituperative sniping? If she's sick of politics, a more likely emotion would be relief at laying down an unwelcome burden (In any case, I think she likes politics, provided she gets to be her own boss at it.) She could be just bonkers, but even I don't think she's that far out to lunch.

However if you consider it as looming legal troubles, everything makes much more sense. The forced, abrupt resignation, and personal anger and fear, all jibe with her performance yesterday. Either she's having to resign due to a deal with prosecutors, or she wanted to get out of office pronto and this holiday weekend was the time to do it (Friday before a major national holiday).

I could be wrong - I changed my mind since yesterday - but this seems much more likely than Steve's scenario 1.

If you people watched a real news channel like Fox instead of your left-wing state-run propaganda channels, you'd wouldn't have to guess at all this, and you'd know that Sarah didn't resign at all. She "stepped away from the governorship" because of all the cruel and unfair attacks on her and her family that were bankrupting Alaska. Unlike you lefties, she knows when to pass the ball.

/wingnut

if she's "gone mad" (#7), she sure didn't have far to go.

10. She is ready for the talk-radio circuit, where she can make more money without the need for the morals and accountability that comes with governing.

For months, I've heard complaints from political professionals that Palin and her team aren't just amateurs, they're too green to even realize they're amateurs.

Exactly. She thinks she's clever. I think she just had a brainstorm and cashed out.

I'm putting my money on #3 (#7 is a given).

She and Todd will be indicted, Todd will plead to multiple counts in exchange for Palin's charges being dropped. Then Palin will be a permanent guest on Fox (see #7 as to why not her own show) and make paid appearances as an inspirational speaker.

I go with those who think she woke up yesterday morning not knowing she would be out of office at the end of the day. It's always amusing to watch jumped-up trailer-park trash that just knows it's far, far more than that, finally get caught on some piece of moron stupidity.

The only thing more pathetic (and frightening) than Sarah Trainwreck are those who sincerely wanted her in office, expressing their worldview.

Why is it that you people obsess about Sarah Palin so much? [bangs head against wall]. Can't you see that Charlie Rangel's embarrassing tax issues threaten the very existence of man?

Saaaaarrrraaahhhhh!!!!

I have to go with the indictment. She spent way too much time talking about the ethics complaints and how outsiders are being mean to her and her family. It looks as if she's prepping her supporters for an appeal to contribute to her legal defense fund.

I don't see how #1, the run for Prez, cuts it. It certainly wouldn't hurt that to go ahead and finish up AK Gov. in 2010, fer chrissakes, would it? Quitting now, just before July 4th - looks more geared to ensuring no late night comics are performing live. REM those reports from Brad Blog, Firedoglake about scandal issues - ?

About that "long commute" - didn't some commenters explain, she doesn't usually really have to go that far? Any scoop?

As for Sarah Palin's groupies (I am coy whether I am one ... in some sense) - she won't be as "stimulating" once she leaves office, since having power is one of those kickers, know what I mean ;-). Come on girl, stick in there!

You'd have more luck finding a dildo in Alabama than finding the answer to that question. But my guess is that she is going to be the next pink Power Ranger...

You'd have more luck finding a dildo in Alabama...

Does Jeff Sessions count?

Quitting now is a very peculiar step for her to make. It weakens her value as a candidate - because who wants to elect a quitter? It weakens her value as an ally, someone to help other candidates, because with no connection, she doesn't have any policy strings to pull.

It even weakens her value as a book author. The story arc of a young up-and-coming star sells - see Obama's book. But her story arc now looks like a tragic melt-down, and that's only going to sell to Palin loyalists. No one buys a meltdown story for their grandma or college graduate.

Quitting now diminishes the value of her "Brand" in every area except for one - it actually increases the most tabloid media's interest in her personal life. Now the speculations will be about her mental state or sex life, not her appointment of a Dairy commissioner.

And in her speech she even throws out an anecdote about one of her kids - the "hell, yeah" bit - that further enflames the curious, now about the kids.

So instead of shielding the kids and her family, she's making it worse, she's increasing interest in them.

And instead of positioning herself to be a strong leader in the party, she's diminishing her value.

Even if she's dumb enough to do something like this thinking she's being politically ambitious, you'd think Todd would know better.

It's probably a legal scandal, but I think she is also seriously mentally unbalanced.

And it may well have a lot to do with Todd - you'll note she did not mention him by name in the statement, barely referenced him, and there was no eye contact.

#7 doesn't contradict 1, 2, 4, 5, or 6, and actually explains why that press conference (and much of the rest of her behaviour) is so erratic.

Right now she's part Schrodinger's Cat and part Rorhschach Test, existing in a state of political uncertainty, as likely mad as corrupt as inept, and our reactions really telling us more about our perception of her than anything about her motivations.

Heh, since Palin said "only dead fish go with the flow" - looks like she had it backwards? Let's call her Sarah the dead Barracuda. I mean, I don't think her political career has life left, but the Faux gig is definitely on the front burner. She just the type they want to stir up the angry yahoos.

Re: JCtx - I looked at that link - that's pathetic and disgusting - I hope that line of speculation gets shut down pretty quickly. UGH

I watched her whole 20 minute word cloud. I haven't watched many of her performances - but I have to agree with those who believe she's scared.

the Faux gig is definitely on the front burner. She just the type they want to stir up the angry yahoos.

And with her sense of self-importance and Poutrage when criticized, she'll make the perfect O'Reilly vacation fill-in.

Don't forget Heinlein's prophecy:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/If_This_Goes_On%E2%80%94

Regarding your #1, see #1 at this article from Politico: http://dyn.politico.com/printstory.cfm?uuid=E60C43AF-18FE-70B2-A849A3955D62A719

The annotated Sarah Palin resignation speech can be found here: http://buildabettermousetrap.blogspot.com/

But isn't she just a hoot? I haven't laughed so much since the Couric interview.

If she intends to be a Senator she now has 16 month to raise the money and schmooze the peeps in Alaska till they forget what a sad governor she was.
If there is an official scandal, resignation is the price to keep the lid on it.

Some people think she projects a 'tough but warm' personality?

Honestly. I think she projects a vicious, harsh, shrill, cold, contemptuous, selfish and infantile personality.

Republicans are people who want to believe.

They don't want to know. Just believe.

"Your guess is as good as mine" is exactly what I wrote at Bleeding Heartland yesterday.

I lean toward number 3 (major scandal about to break) or number 6 (secret) as the explanations. If she were just planning to run for president, it would suffice to serve out her term and not seek re-election. Quitting in the middle of your first term as governor won't advance her presidential ambitions.

Anyone who writes off Palin at this point is making a foolish mistake. I remember how Reagan was ridiculed in the 1970s and have read how people wrote off Nixon before he became president.

It may be true that she is engulfed in a mega-scandal, but more likely there may be smaller issue that she can safely weather.

And she is an idiot when it comes to policy, but she knows how to tap support from a certain type of person. And it may be enough to become president if the Dems get into trouble on the economy.

It's always possible that there's a huge scandal over the horizon...

...but if not, my theory is that Palin is trying to play the sort of psychological game that cult leaders use to control their members. You keep people off balance, you keep testing their loyalty, you keep shifting the ground under their feet. Note that Palin belongs to a borderline cult in her religious beliefs-- so this sort of behavior is probably something she's seen before.

I have to go with Scandal to win, Health to place, and Sick of It All for show.

As Steve pointed out earlier, quitting -- even by simply not filing for renomination -- has never helped people, but quitting in mid-tern is unheard of. (Dole did it in the middle of the campaign, not two years earlier.) More so for the Senate seat, especially for someone who already said she wasn't running for it.

The FNC gig has always been ridiculous. FNC people may be vile idiots, but they are at least professionals which means they
a) can speak coherently even when ad libing
b) can read from a teleprompter
c) can interreact with guests -- even if insultingly
d) can deal with the unplanne emergencies that frequently occur during live broadcasts
e) have 'air-quality' voices

None of which is true about Palin -- who is also a loose cannon who might not be counted on to 'stick to a script.'

It's most likely a scandal, the question is whether it's financial, sexual, or family. (The thought that she and Sanford 'hooked up' at a Governors' conference is unlikely but delightful.)

Put me down for #7. Being a Republican in the first place suggests a certain amount of mental instability.

This is what she gets for coming out swinging at the "big boys". I think they came down on her with whatever paltry threat they had and from every direction. Her stuttering seemed to reflect a compromise between saying what she really wanted to say and saying what they'd demanded.

I expect a tell-all book deal in the near future.

start a palin watch: a countdown until the truth about her resignation is revealed. This could also spawn betting pools of how long it will take to be revealed and which of the numerous possibilities it will be. Endless wingnut entertainment. Only problem is that although palin lunacy is entertaining, it is depressing how much of our national media attention she grabs, how easy it is for her to do so, and how very unserious republicans/conservatives are about governing America and solving problems.

A phrase I've seen nowhere in all the reams about Palin's late-second-trimester gubernatorial abortion:

"Third party"

This may prove to be a significant gap in the convetional wisdom.

after we're done doing the kabbalah-thing on palin's speech, can we get back to more important hermeneutics?

like this from the dandy warhols' album with the same name:

"welcome to the monkey house"

Wire's coming back again,
Elastica, got sued by them
When Michael Jackson dies,
We're covering Blackbird
But won't it be absurd then
[ Find more Lyrics on www.mp3lyrics.org/G5D ]
When no one knows what
song they just heard
Unless someone on the radio
tells them first
So come on, come on, come on, come
Come on, come on, come on, come on
Come on, come on, come on
You monkeys.

I actually fear that g. powell is on to something. However "awful" Palin is - to most people - there's plenty who can be steered into supporting a faux (or Faux) populist if things get bad. And now, she can make more money and buzz around better. When 2012 rolls around and if things have gotten crappy, her fans and new-won acolytes won't remember or care how weird it was for her to quit Governor now. As for her being dumb, flaky, whatever - I remember my mother saying "They like him [GW Bush] because he's dumb like them." Kevin Drum wrote back, she's right. See, Sarah is "one of us."

Are we witnessing the political death of the Queen of Popsicle, or just a regrouping?

Indictments coming. But why would they go away if she resigns? Lieutenant Governor pardon?

The timing also fits a Senate run.

Although its dangerous to your health, you have to venture inside the dementia of the wingnut mind to divine what palin is up to. It is a given that:

* hypocrisy is involved
* coverup of scandal is involved
* egocentricism plays a huge role
* opportunities for corruption are involved
* her stories are for distraction and have nothing to do with the truth

So, based on the facts above, it is clear that:

* attending to her family has nothing to do with it
* defending scandal is an unlikely cause because she'll have to do that either way. Resigning will not limit her exposure to the media frenzy of her scandals.
* Surely the pretense of national office (POTUS or Senator) will afford her the opportunity to fund raise to her hearts delight.

My guess is that she'll fund raise and network on the running for office pretense until she maxes that out, and then she'll quit that to be a lobbyist to continue compounding her fortune.

I think net net this is probably a great decision by Palin. Granted, she's all but proven that she's not qualified to run her state, that she's not to be trusted to meet her responsibilities, that she considers her Oath of Office a joke, her donors dupes, public office merely a stepping stone in her own self-aggrandizement, and by today's incoherent ramble which reinforces her many other moments of unscripted blather during the campaign, that her brain canters as smoothly as a three-legged dog.

So what?

40% of the Republican party adore her. The same 40% who think that BHO's a Christian separatist Muslim who had Bill Ayers write his biography, that Hillary Clinton is a lesbian who had an affair with Vince Foster just before murdering him and forging his suicide note, and that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the back of a dinosaur. These 40% don't care what she does. She could've bitten the head off a chicken on the podium today and they'd love her even more because she's regular folks, just like us.

And they're right: in many many ways she is the perfect emblem, the standard bearer, the Jeanne D'Arc of what the Republican Party has become. If, 30 years ago - as Reagan's handlers led the party down a road paved with ignorance, deceit, incompetence, jingoism, racism, and egocentricity - you could've imagined the logical terminus off in the hazy future, she's it -- The End Of The Road.

So: she's prob going to take a job w/ Fox or make speeches to the faithful every day at $250K per, bankrolled by the usual suspects, the depraved spawn of the first Gilded Age, as over-the-limit campaign donations disguised as speaking fees, and in one year she's going to earn $50+ million, so much that the First Dude can buy a platinum snowmobile and her probable scores of illegitimate great-grandchildren will never have to work for a living.

Not bad for a hick from nowhere who spent more time getting thru college than Bluto Blutarsky.

Then, around 16 months from now when she announces for Pres, she'll have a personal war chest to tap as well as the abovementioned 40% loonies, who've been lighting votive candles and hoarding ammunition in fervent hope of this day, and it'll be nearly impossible for a Romney or Huckabee or Pawlenty or whomever to keep her from scrounging up that last 11% she needs for the nomination, and once she does the rest of the Republemmings will fall in line, as they always do, declaring her the reincarnation of Einstein, Churchill & Pericles.

So, like I said, this decision makes a lot of sense for her.

And besides, it's just so (wink) mavericky!

I think a scandal and/or a secret sounds likely. Looking at the video, she didn't make any sense, but she lacked the bravado (I won't call it "confidence") that I remember seeing in her VP debate performance, where you could tell she was convinced she was right, or at least was acting the part of a star politician. She was stuttering a lot in the video and seemed to lose her place, so it seemed very thrown together and something she wasn't planning on.

I vote 3 or 6. The timing is to protect some big $$$ deal that is in the works.

She'll be out of Alaska by the fall - need enough time to enroll the kids in new schools. But they'll hang on tthe Wasilla house.

Well, to be kind I'll float an idea that maybe Sarah Palin wants to get into handicapped child advocacy. In her speech, there's this:

In fact, this decision comes after much consideration, and finally polling the most important people in my life - my children (where the count was unanimous... well, in response to asking: "Want me to make a positive difference and fight for ALL our children's future from OUTSIDE the Governor's office?" It was four "yes's" and one "hell yeah!" The "hell yeah" sealed it - and someday I'll talk about the details of that... I think much of it had to do with the kids seeing their baby brother Trig mocked by some pretty mean-spirited adults recently.) Um, by the way, sure wish folks could ever, ever understand that we ALL could 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...

So maybe she's angling for some big Down's advocacy involvement etc., if indeed she's really sick of politics. Note this can combine with other angles.

Sarah Palin seems rather like Ross Perot. Like Perot, she doesn't have the thick hide necessary to work in the national and international spotlight. She has many of the same reactions that Perot had - the personalization of pointed questions, the problems with collegial work, the petulance when she is crossed, contradicted, and confused. Add to that her narrow view of the world and it's almost creepy.

The next question is whether she'll be back, or if this one ride will send her into the oblivion of wingnut memory.

Trying to figure out Palin will only make your head hurt.

First Sanford and now Palin. I think the centrist, business end of the Republican party (the RINOs to the ignorant base) are doing some purging of their own. Sad thing is that with the religious ones, they still manage to give the world the means to do it.

If it is a federal indictment, I hope it started originally from a Bush DOJ investigation, and it is for behavior so obviously egregious that we won't have to hear too much about how Obama was targeting her.

All I know is that she isn't going to go away (lucky us?). That said, my thought this morning (barring the shoe/indictment angle) she'll be leading a new millenial movement to take back america (or maybe just Alaska?). It'll be outside the box (and the GOP process) and actually kinda scary.

Not enough mention around of the Politico article, "Sarah Palin story sparks Republican family feud"
at http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0609/24392.html.

To my eye, her facial and body expressions shouted that she was terrified, and her speech was, extreme even for her, almost 100% pure distraction from her actual point. I've gotta go with either 3 or 6, or a combination thereof.

As I noted in tea party thread, maybe Sarah Palin is angling to go from moose bagging to tea bagging.
;-0

I don't know if anybody else has said this or not, but it seems obvious to me that she has a contract with Fox News. Or perhaps CNN.

I think the centrist, business end of the Republican party. . .are doing some purging of their own.

Mitt Romney has been striking a low profile these days, hasn't he?

She's quitting to study up for her GED.

After spending most of yesterday in hog heaven because there was finally a juicy political story to take some time away from cable news' 24-hour coverage of "Michael Jackson is still dead" I know what's up.

She just announced she's running for President.

Clear as day. Well, clear as mud actually, but finally, after much examination, clear.

Late last night, I watched the whole speech for a second time, paying more attention, after watching clips and commentary all day. I finally heard what she was saying.

For the people of Alaska, she's passing the torch, to take away all that expense, all those investigations, to let Alaska get back to its business, AND to work at a higher level for the people of Alaska.

I know she rambles, I know she gets emotional, but when I listened to it this time, it made some kind of sense. She has to move UP to help Alaska more. (Funny, not much mention about helping America -- yet.)

And the timing is perfect. A busy weekend here in country, with all the city folk coming out for the weekend. NO ONE knows this yet ... just us political junkies. By the time Monday rolls around, everyone will be talking about her taking control (maybe) of the Republican Party by moving down to the Lower 48.

We were just talking about WHERE she'll land down here, and hubby asked "Was't she originally from Wisconsin?" Well, it's better than that.

Sarah Palin is a native of IDAHO !!!

Yes, separatist, gun-loving, all-white Idaho.

She'll return to her native state, where she and Todd will be able to hunt, and run, and flaunt their guns.

See? She's off to take charges of the Republican Party, and to do so, she has to go down to the Lower 48. She has to be able to fly from speech to speech in a few hours. Pack a lunch and a dinner and still be home to tuck in Trig. She'll probably fly her own plane around the West!

And when you think about it, she has a good point as far as Alaska is concerned. She can't spend all the time she needs to "down there" to run for President and still attend to the needs of Alaska.

The time for her is to run now, if she ever wants to run. And do YOU think she wants to run?

She again exhibited the political shrewdness that is "native" to her. AND she'll earn beaucoup bucks for herself a la Ronnie Reagan.

Listen to her again, if you can stand it. It's all there. If you can hear around the syntax, and the ADHD, you can understand her clearly.

"Mitt Romney has been striking a low profile these days, hasn't he?"

Just learned (not following his doings that closely) that the Mittster has moved to La Jolla, the rich part of San Diego, where there's a big, typically ugly and evil-looking Mormon temple.

Moving where the money is, leaving remote Utah for a major media center. Adding yet a fourth "home" state to his resume.

He's tanned, he's rested, and he's ready!

The big question: will he take off his super-secret protective underwear for the Palin/Romney mud-wrestling match? Subsidiary question: will she have to tie one hand behind her back to make it an even fight?

It's not worth much effort to try to figure out Palin; she has obvious psychological and emotional problems that hinder her basic functioning and she will never be elected to dog catcher, let alone senator or president. Paying attention to her is the political equivalent of rubbernecking at a car wreck and just as enlightening. She has the support of a minority of the minority party; please don't invest her with any power to sweep Americans off their feet in 2012. The more she's exposed to sunlight, the more she smells.

America (the world) needs Bailin' Palin to take up the torch and run with it. If she follows through on the logical unindicted course she will BE the Republican Party until she gets destroyed in 2012, taking the remnants of modern conservatism down with her. This country needs two and a half years of a campaigning Sarah Palin like it needs universal health care; and if Bailin' Palin stays the course (yes, a long shot for such an inveterate quitter) by 2013 we'll have it. A modern health care system, that is, and a somewhat more sane political discourse. So everyone, with feeling: Bailn' Palin 2012!!! Wooo hooo!!!

Few things are interesting about this. For one, she never turned over her medical records during the veep campaign.
Second, she rallied support against Prez Obama being black. But, she claims the media was making fun of her child! Didn't she know that Prez Obama is someone's child?
And last, she claimed to have a journalism degree. Yet, she never appear to be educated above your typical high school graduate.

***Didn't she recently return from a trip to Iraq?

I think she needs to go away for good. There is no love-hate thing with me. For the good of America, she needs to go away.

My money's on indictments but I'd love to hear that she has a soul mate in Rio.

#1?
Don't think so.
Evidence suggests this was cobbled together in a panic. 30 minutes notice for the press?
Not a good sign. I'd bet on 3.

She is a Pentecostal! Maybe its the End of Days! Oh noze..

BTW, I think Palin's next move is this -

The GOP will slide (sneak) her through Pat Roberts or Robertson's University to get (not earn) a law degree. When the GOP manage to gain control of the both the house & senate they will either slip her into the DOJ, or try to get her a seat on the supreme court - trying to say they have a match against Sotomayor.

I know it sounds kind of odd, but, who better to fight for gun-rights, support on-off shore drilling.....

wingnut

Ah, stepped away. New euphemism for bolted on short notice?

After a week on the radio, even her base will only be listening to her with the sound turned down. They will have to put a warning on her show as they do with certain antidepressants. Be wary of suicidal thoughts.

Sarah Palin is a quitter and a thin-skinned bully. She can dish it out but sure can't take it.
When she finds that she can't run with the big dogs, she runs away.
Americans don't want a thin-skinned quitter in the White House; they want somebody tough who's going to stick around and do the job.
Americans don't like quitters.

***no one -- friend or foe, Dem or Republican, media or officeholder, in Alaska or in the lower 48 -- seems to have the foggiest idea what she's thinking right now.***

We here in Hawaii -- being neither Alaska nor one of the "lower 48" -- have the answer, but you will have to bribe or kill us to get it.

A friend in AK reports that the newspaper in Fairbanks wrote a scathing editorial re Palin's flop. He says they've never been this critical of her and notes, "her base is gone [in AK, at least]."

She's halfway back from being the toast of the the town. Now she's just toast.

8) A deal was probably struck involving Palin resigning in exchange for the feds not prosecuting her and/or her husband.

The DOJ still remains highly politicized, even with President Obama now in the White House and Eric Holder as Mukasey's/Gonazles' replacement as Attorney General.

The right-wing politicized DOJ is full of CRAP (Cover Republican Asses, Punks), with recent events in Alaska supporting this conclusion.

Gov. Palin resigning abruptly under a cloud of suspicion that federal indictments were forthcoming.

Don Young (R-AK). Two Republican representatives. Prosecutorial misconduct by Republican-appointed U.S. attorneys (on purpose?). Cases thrown out, no retrial or no trial at all. Elected Alaskan Republicans skate, with the Obama/Holder DOJ continuing the Republican-friendly policies of the corrupt and criminal Bush/Cheney years.

And then there's the strange case of former Alabama governor Don Siegelman (D-AL) in which there is massive evidence of prosecutorial misconduct by Republican-appointed U.S. attorneys, much more prosecutorial misconduct than that said to have occurred up in Alaska...and yet Obama's/Holder's DOJ throws out the Alaska cases while continuing to vigorously pursue and prosecutorially push the Siegelman case.

Thus, the DOJ is still highly politicized. It's still full of CRAP (Cover Republican Asses, Punks). And the abrupt resignation of Gov. Sarah Palin (R-AK) only makes sense if a deal was struck between the Republican/conservative-corrupted DOJ and her.

And how much do you want to bet that all these rumors of an impending indictment against Palin now come to nothing, now that she has resigned and said she's leaving politics for good (wink, wink)?

Oracle: there's got to be some shit lying around that people can write about, like Matt Taibbi etc. Even if someone pulls the heat, there are still "spores on the trail." I just wonder who will care.

She's overwhelmed by everything she's been through in the last year: losing the election, blame from Republicans, ridicule from Democrats, etc. The cumulative effect was more than she could handle, and she needs some time off.

That's slightly different than saying "she's gone mad." She needs to step aside and relax, but won't admit that to the general public, and she couldn't come up with a coherent rationale.

That's my best guess, though it could be some massive scandal.

If Palin runs for the Senate I would have to say Murkowski is the better pick for America. She's sane, reasonable, her husband isn't a secessionist (that I know), she knows the job and is born & bred Alaskan.

Of course, I would rather have a Dem win the seat. I wonder who is going to run for it this time.

r1yUVC