For once in her brief, strange political career, perhaps it is time to take Sarah Palin at face value.
With the announcement of her Thursday resignation, speculation has run rampant over what could have possibly triggered such a move. Is it an as-yet-unveiled scandal? Preparation for a possible presidential run in 2012? Has she finally received her signal from the mothership, telling her that it’s time to come home?
As tempting as all of these potential answers are, none hold up to close scrutiny. Maybe – and this might be wishful thinking – Sarah Palin has finally realized that she is not very good at being a national politician. It is clear that her life is shaped around a set of very specific values, and equally clear that she has been less than adept at broadening their appeal to a larger audience. The Thrilla From Wasilla is very good at rallying her base, an individual with obvious strengths in the field of community organizing, and she can’t discuss foreign policy to save her life. Let us hope that when she said that she desired to “effect positive change outside government,” that is exactly what she meant.
Let’s take a look at some of the other hypotheses floating around regarding Palin’s decision, and why they don’t work. (With the exception of the “E.T. Phone Home” idea, which we’ll leave to the tabloids.)
Smoking gun. Palin’s speech, described variously as “rambling” and “confusing,” led widespread media debates over whether or not its rushed quality indicated that a hasty departure was necessary. While Palin wouldn’t be the first politician who tried to resign in advance of bad news, the fact remains that, quite frankly, there aren’t very many scandals left for her to dodge. Teen pregnancy? Check. Association with unscrupulous drug-dealer types? Check. Allegations of nepotism? This is the woman who cited “a childhood love of cows” as justification for hiring one of her friends for a prominent position within the state Department of Agriculture. And let us not forget TrooperGate, the Bridge to Nowhere, and the time she tried to fire her town librarian for not allowing censorship. Short of incest or human trafficking, there’s very little that she hasn’t been accused of – and hasn’t survived.
The 2012 presidential race. Nothing says “I accept responsibility” like ducking out of a job halfway through one’s contract. With her early exit from office, Palin is not only missing out on more valuable opportunities to build her record and her experience, but she’s also giving the appearance that she simply can’t handle the stress. And a halfway commitment to the job says to voters that if Palin gets that infamous 3 AM phone call, she might just turn over and go back to sleep.
It’s worth considering that Palin’s downfall has not been her beliefs – beliefs that are, to her credit, shared by millions of Americans and frequently flattened and mocked in the media. What has consistently tripped her up is her apparent inability to make wise or even logical decisions – running for vice-president with a daughter pregnant out of wedlock, for example, or claiming that her ability to see Russia from her home state qualified her to work with the United Nations. By making her evangelical credentials a central part of her image while simultaneously exhibiting her strong lunatic tendencies, Palin is giving social conservatives everywhere a bad name.
And so the idea that Palin has taken one for the team – stepping aside to allow for a saner voice to articulate the concerns of Palin and her followers in a clearer and less alienating way – is no stranger than any other. Her small-town, corner-cutting style has ill-equipped her for success in the national arena, and her tendency to find herself in ethically questionable situations doesn’t forecast great long-term progress. She’s proven herself time and again to be inarticulate, stubbornly resistant to constructive criticism, and not overly flexible, and the fact that she has become synonymous with the values she espouses only hurts the people she purports to represent. She’s become the face of the Republican identity crisis. In short, she’s not going to win, for herself or anyone else, and perhaps this latest move represents a rare moment of clarity – the realization that sometimes, if you love something (like your country), the best thing to do is to let it go.
Addendum:
In the original draft of this article, the author wrote that Sarah Palin claimed “to be able to see Russia from her house.” This is incorrect, and the author apologizes for the error.
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Ryan… some interesting things here. You *do* realize however that it was Tina Fey who claimed she could see Russia from her house right? Sarah Palin actually said you could see Russia from Alaska. Which you can.
Hopefully if you choose a career in journalism you will get better facts than just watching SNL
July 4, 2009 at 7:00 pmHi Colorado Matt…I actually wrote the article above (although Ryan posted it). You are, in fact, correct – you can see Russia from Alaska, and I will create an addendum. I maintain, however, that being able to see another country does not qualify you to shape foreign policy.
July 5, 2009 at 2:42 amPalin is far to self centered to take one for the team as you suggest, everything she does is to advance herself financially!
July 5, 2009 at 6:02 amYou forget she was investigated, and disliked by Republicans in Alaska, and this dislike with many Republicans is also felt in tthe lower 48!
Palin's short comings and past troubles were all brought on by herself, and when she was scrutized by the Press during her VP run, the truth of her life, her short comings, her coruption, and her wackiness came out!
As far as Palin having milliions of followers, there are millions of racists in our country who still believe Hitler was OK, so that point is meaningless!
She has a big book deal, and more then likely she'll end up on Fox fake news, cause as I said before, with Palin, its all about her!
fox fake? no, no faux news, my dear. but no. my vote is she's going to be the new spokesmodel for smith and wesson's new wolf rifle.
July 5, 2009 at 7:07 amI would have preferred that Palin had not stepped down because this is exactly what liberals (like you) wanted. She appeals to millions of average Americans because she is one. You get knowledge by experiencing life, not by reading about it, and definitely not by going to Harvard, Columbia, etc and living in the Northeast corridor your entire life. She is the opposite of an elitist, and that's why liberals and elitists hate her and her supporters. Being President of the Judicial Review at Harvard Law, being a community organizer, and being on the Senate Ethics Commitee for 1 year doesn't qualify you to shape foreign policy either. These are the credentials of our President who didn't initially support Iranians protesting for their freedom to elect the pre-selected candidate of their choosing, who has also been very outspoken about his support for the reinstatement of a wannabe dictator who was ousted for violating his country's Constitution. What were Bill Clinton's foreign policy credentials? Al Gores? And Joe Biden's great qualification was being on the Foreign Affairs Committee forever, led him to the astute conclusion that Iraq should be split into 3 parts, I guess like we did to Germany over 60 years ago. What a bold, fresh idea that was.
Sarah Palin will excel in whatever her pursuits might be. She loves her country and has the ability to help shape the direction of our country politically if she chooses. She is young, and you will see her in politics again as much as you might not like it.
July 5, 2009 at 7:17 amMs Eason…1st let Me preface by saying , “I discovered Scoop44 thanks to Alex Heffner being on C-Span today…
July 5, 2009 at 7:31 amNow Hillary, if you will, I'm going to use jargon you're familiar with when commenting on your dim witted and cliche riddled opinion … Ever biting the bullet as I remark upon the clap trap you committed to print….
After revisiting your opinion I'm still unable to glean anything of substance …. all you've done is amass anything and everything stated by recent and past opponents of Palin …. The most transparent part of the article was your failed kazakh attempt to skewer the Governor…. You must have been chuckling when thinking you were slinging a real zinger, but by quoting Tina Faye you managed only to harpoon yourself … Now that was FUNNY…. How after that insert of foot A in to mouth B, do you expect to be considered credible …??? Maybe the fat lady is now singing about your journalistic career ….
If this exemplifies the best Scoop44 can deliver to its readers, then it is doomed to always loom in the shadows of the more serious watchdogs …
I don't watch C-Span often, but I must admit the non-confrontational articulate views of Mr. Heffner and Mr. Lewis presented this morning was refreshing and informative. Mr. Heffner appears to be bright and well versed on the discussed subjects, and because of this Xristo, it would not be fair to judge the Scoop44 site or think it may be headed towards failure based on the writings of one contributor.
July 5, 2009 at 8:51 amThanks for the clarification!
I tend to agree with you that being able to see another country doesn't qualify you to shape foreign policy. It does however mean that as governor of Alaska you have to be more cognizant of international issues than say Governor Ritter here in Colorado. And for what it's worth, President Obama has had more than one international relations faux pas so I think arguing over “who was better qualified for foreign policy” is a bit of a moot point now.
I am watching the liberal / progressive reaction to Palin's resignation with some fascination. As a fiscal conservative / social progressive I think it's a little bit funny how afraid the left was of Palin. She definitely excited much of the right wing base of the party but there are a lot of us who would rather find someone who is more moderate and a better leader to move us away from the far left fiscal agenda that the President and Speaker Pelosi have undertaken.
July 5, 2009 at 10:58 amXristo,
Not to be rude but you seem to be talking above your own head here trying to prove a point. Hillary is a high school student if I remember correctly (correct me if I am wrong Hillary.) There is no need to put her down with personal attacks. Her opinion is neither “dim witted” nor “cliche riddled”. I don't agree with it and where she got the facts wrong I certainly called her on it, but when did we as Americans decide that everyone who disagrees with us is dumb? I tire quickly of both conservative and liberals who can't see that it is perfectly valid to have differing opinions.
I have been reading Scoop44 for a while now and I enjoy the youth perspective here even though I don't often agree with it. As such I try to offer helpful comments even though my comments are biased by my conservative thinking. The young authors here might not appreciate my comments but they are offered with sincerity!
July 5, 2009 at 11:10 amThank you for your intelligent and thoughtful criticism. I am, for the record, a college graduate, but I appreciate your defense.
July 5, 2009 at 11:30 amDear Scoop,
Here is copy from your site today under the headline, “The Smartest Thing Sarah Palin Has Ever Done.”
“And so the idea that Palin has taken one for the team – stepping aside to allow for a saner voice to articulate the concerns of Palin and her followers in a clearer and less alienating way – is no stranger than any other. Her small-town, corner-cutting style has ill-equipped her for success in the national arena, and her tendency to find herself in ethically questionable situations doesn’t forecast great long-term progress. She’s proven herself time and again to be inarticulate, stubbornly resistant to constructive criticism, and not overly flexible, and the fact that she has become synonymous with the values she espouses only hurts the people she purports to represent. She’s become the face of the Republican identity crisis. In short, she’s not going to win, for herself or anyone else, and perhaps this latest move represents a rare moment of clarity – the realization that sometimes, if you love something (like your country), the best thing to do is to let it go.”
My retired wife, a former senior acquisitions editor and English teacher, University of Washington cum laude, just said after reading the above,
“I’m tired of all the immature parroting by liberals in the media. Palin’s child made her a target. Her belief in God made her a target. The church she attended made her a target. Having a loving family made her a target. Being against abortion made her a target. So what’s so wonderful about Obama and his foot-in-the mouth vice-president? You don’t hear anyone railing against him – how many people other than Obama think there are 58 states?” (Obama’s comment during his campaign. The media said he was tired.)
And what about recent embarrassing comments from so-called pros, such as the publisher of Newsweek, who said Obama was like a God and that former administrations cared about America ONLY while Obama cares about the world. (Yeah, sure.)
She finally asked who was “Scoop.” I replied, “Young journalists suffering from the sins of their fathers.”
So to Scoop: You may need a name change. Maybe “Parroting Inc.” would do better for the content image.
Just saying!
Webmaster
July 5, 2009 at 6:52 pmhttp://www.freedomisknowledge.com/
freedomsupport@aol.com
by now Palin's friends and foes have had a chance to react to her announcement; now for the late-night shows…
July 6, 2009 at 1:13 amPlease leave Govenor Pailn alone guys. Don't succumb to the habit of the other “drive by” media types. Just leave her alone. She has come across as honest, okay, maybe not as polished and “slick” as her counterparts in the lower 48, but honest just the same. A rarity in politicians these days.
July 6, 2009 at 2:28 amWrong Matt Sarah the SAVIOR of us all stated she could see Russian front her front porch. Sarah was the Mayor of the Meth Capitol of the North West and did nothing about it maybe because her husband was an avid USERS and did not want to jail his suppliers.
July 6, 2009 at 2:40 amPete she can across as exactly was she was a MORON with curves.
July 6, 2009 at 2:41 amYeah Lisa….you get knowledge by not going to school. Let's abolish all of the universities in this country and just do everything by the seat of our pants. What planet were you born on?
July 6, 2009 at 6:16 amThanks for the Liberal compliment.
Foreign policy?
What was bush's credentials on foreign policy? What were the results of 8 years of no foreign policy?
If you surround youself by idiots, you become one yourself.
Bill Clinton, Al Gore, Joe Biden;s qualifications for foreign policy is good management and use of your resources to make good sound decisions, something bush didn't have and Palin will never have. Her world starts and ends in alaska (if that much).
As for you last statement on Palin, every american loves their country. Does that mean that they all qualify to become a Mayor, governer, or president? Not in you life.
Being young, I hope that the news media finds more interesting things to write about then Palin.
The republican party wants her to go away. Most liberals are tired of hearing her name. As an independent, I feel the same. Did you know that independents are the majority in this nation, now.
Don't cater to us, you loose every time. Palin reminds me of the dumb blond jokes I have heard all my life. She acts that roll quite well. Maybe she can join Blogowich as a fun entertainer and be a littel useful in life.
As for her stepping down, beware….the democrats are going to eye that seat and pour millions into attaining it.
Hey Xristo,
July 6, 2009 at 6:21 amYou can keep your sarcastic remarks on your other blog web site…Fox Newless. You might find some takers over there. I hope you understand my jargon. It isn't so dim witted as yours.
I can't believe I am responding to this… but seriously, if you can find a video or audio clip of this I would love to see it. I can find lots of clips of Tina Fey pretending to be Sarah saying this but I can't find any evidence that Sarah Palin actually said this. If you want people to take your point of view seriously, you should learn to do some research.
From the Gibson interview I find this:
GIBSON: What insight into Russian actions, particularly in the last couple of weeks, does the proximity of the state give you?
PALIN: They're our next door neighbors and you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.
—
July 6, 2009 at 8:57 amGiven that you can't seem to get the facts right on this… why would anyone take you seriously on any of your other opinions? Just curious.
Ms Hillary…
You have graciously offered an addendum to your error of record ….and that was cool….However, when offering commentary in your name , subjective or otherwise, both you and your gaggle of groupies must expect a few retorts or more….
Answer Me this , Is it too much to expect an original thought ?… Why did you bother to type all you did? Wouldn't it be easier to furnish links to all the other journalistic menageries… What most offended Me, was the tired plagiarized thoughts and usual verbiage often associated with the likes of EJ Dionne and Mo Dowd.. True, they too, don't say any thing new , but at least they get paid the BIG bucks……. Me thinks being sooooo skewed to one side in your opinion also necessitates an apology … Doubtful it will be tendered… yet one can only hope……..
July 6, 2009 at 10:03 amEARS… I heard this stupid bitch with my own two ears… now go thump your
July 6, 2009 at 11:40 pmbible and bite me you silly moron
hahahah anyone who would support SARAH can't be taken serious…. you stupid
July 6, 2009 at 11:45 pmidiot… by the way f-wad I can't believe you responded either.
*here asswipe
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2008/09/25/palin-...
July 6, 2009 at 11:53 pm*
http://coverawards.com/2008/11/03/news_katie_co...
July 6, 2009 at 11:55 pmSARAH *PALIN CAN SEE RUSSIA FROM HER HOUSE*…IS SHE SMARTER THAN A 5TH
July 7, 2009 at 12:04 amGRADER???? HELL NO!!!
So…. um…. Hm. How to respond. Did you *read* the transcript? She says that Alaska shares a maritime border with Russia. She didn't say she could see it from her house.
I would link to a Google map to show you that she is right… but something tells me you wouldn't believe it unless it was on Huffingtonpost or DailyKos.
You can continue with the name calling if it makes you feel better.
July 7, 2009 at 10:01 amfuck off fagot
July 8, 2009 at 2:28 pmI'm going to block you idiotic biblethumping fagot ass.
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July 19, 2009 at 6:20 amHave something to add?