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Ear to the Ground

Palin Will Step Down as Alaska’s Governor

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Posted on Jul 3, 2009
Palin
msnbc.msn.com

At the end of this month, Sarah Palin will no longer be Alaska’s governor. The Thrilla from Wasilla made her announcement on Friday, sparking speculation that she may be preparing to run for president in 2012—or that she was compelled to resign for less opportune reasons.

Declaring that she doesn’t want to be another lame-duck politician, Palin said she will be on hand to swear in Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell at the end of the month and said, “I know when it’s time to pass the ball for victory.”

Update: Palin’s abrupt announcement, of course, is also striking some as a sign that she could be the subject of a scandal, including The Brad Blog’s Brad Friedman, TPM’s Josh Marshall and The Huffington Post’s Shannyn Moore. 

MSNBC:

She said the decision has been “in the works” for a while and comes after “prayer and consideration.”

She is handing the reins over to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, who will be sworn in on July 25. Parnell and most of Palin’s cabinet were present at the announcement.

“We know we can effect positive change outside government at this moment in time on another scale and actually make a difference,” she said, adding that politics had become a “superficial, wasteful bloodsport.”

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Watch Palin’s announcement below:

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OzarkMichael's avatar

By OzarkMichael, July 7, 2009 at 1:13 pm Link to this comment

”... the supposed ‘attacks’ on Palin’s family and children were self-generated efforts to use her children to garner more publicity and keep herself in the spotlight[.] The infamously silly Letterman incident being only the most recent example[.]” -Josh Marshall

She told Letterman to say those things? She encouraged the rape talk? The very fact that you want to blame her for the attacks is basically the same as the rapist’s rationale: ‘she deserved it’.  The gains of feminism in the last 50 years are proving to be illusory. 

If you can treat some women that way, you are not so far from treating all women that way. If you want to stay in that mindset, there is nothing I can do about it.

As far as her resignation, I think she was trying to project a brave face, when in fact she is afraid. I think she was resigning when she didnt really want to. It is quitting and she knows it. She is not a convincing liar.

Although she listed many reasons, obviously she was not direct about it, and she is sending mixed messages. That mix makes her look very weak, which is just the opposite of what she was trying to accomplish.

Of course everyone is guessing it is about a scandal. I dont know. It could be something very simple but whatever… she has to hide whatever it is. That much I percieve.

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By Inherit The Wind, July 6, 2009 at 7:49 pm Link to this comment

ardee, July 6 at 5:41 pm #

Also a republican sophist as well…...oh wait, drat, a REPUBLICAN SOPHIST…sorry.
********************************************

“Republican Sophist” is redundant.

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By ardee, July 6, 2009 at 2:41 pm Link to this comment

“ok, can we talk about Michael Jackson or Gov Warner now? I dont want to think about Hondouras, or Gaza,or Af-Pak or the health care crisis or Obama in Russia or….anything of substance.”

Hee, so what do you think Michael Jackson thought about the Democrats refusal to beat down the GOP because to do so would alienate the folks who fund both parties?

I know, I know, I am soooo bad. Also a republican sophist as well…...oh wait, drat, a REPUBLICAN SOPHIST…sorry.

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By KDelphi, July 6, 2009 at 12:59 pm Link to this comment

ardee—yes, but the cowtow to the GOP in the name of “bi-partisanship”.

ok, can we talk about Michael Jackson or Gov Warner now? I dont want to think about Hondouras, or Gaza,or Af-Pak or the health care crisis or Obama in Russia or….anything of substance.

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By richard roe, July 6, 2009 at 10:21 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

No one willingly steps down from a $160,000.00/year job, particularly if they’ve not been in that pay range normally.  Most people, politicians included, try to hang on power and position.  So what would prompt someone to give up so much money, power and position? No one with designs on the presidency would quit the 1st year of their governorship. So it’s not to focus on a run in 2012 as president or V.P.  she had her shot. So what is it?  Something tells me there’s a HUGE scandal in the pipeline with her name all over it.  Anyone want to bet it has something to do with oil?

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godistwaddle's avatar

By godistwaddle, July 6, 2009 at 9:30 am Link to this comment

Neither Dems nor Repubs wish to destroy this country, their meal ticket. They wish to preserve government by the predator, of the predator, and for the predator.  Madison prevailed: wealth is enshrined in the Constitution.

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By FiftyGigs, July 6, 2009 at 4:41 am Link to this comment

“The way Palin and her family was treated was wrong.”

The way Palin deliberately stuck her family and her so-called spirituality in everybody’s face was wrong.

“... the supposed ‘attacks’ on Palin’s family and children were self-generated efforts to use her children to garner more publicity and keep herself in the spotlight[.] The infamously silly Letterman incident being only the most recent example[.]” -Josh Marshall

A person, such as yourself, who tries to use rape as a debate point—as in, inferring that people are “defending” rape because people won’t let you sidetrack the real issue under discussion—proves you have no real sense of morality or humanity.

You need to spend less time with Playboy and more time with the bible, pal. Don’t dump your issues on me.

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OzarkMichael's avatar

By OzarkMichael, July 5, 2009 at 6:49 pm Link to this comment

I said “By the way, does Sarah Palin deserve that? If so, for what sin exactly?”

Fifty Gigs responded: Let’s not forget the basic point here.

My reference was what Sarah Palin deserves, which according to an article in Playboy magazine, is to be raped.

The basic point here, which it seems you are not capable of keeping in your head, is that the way Palin and her family was treated was wrong. It should be condemned but you defend it. I will follow your train of thought and see where it goes.

Fifty Gigs says about Palin: Okay? Forget what they say. Look at what they did.

They pal around with people who videotape speeches teaching others that the best way for their people to infiltrate your society and mine is to present themselves as conservative Christian Republicans.

What this means is “Forget what Palin said. Look at what other people have said.”

What other people say isnt something Palin ‘did’.

I note some of you are against the dehumanization and i salute you for it.

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By ardee, July 5, 2009 at 4:12 pm Link to this comment

“If Republicans want to destroy this country, why do the Dems keep cow-towing to them?”

I think, KD, that it ain’t the GOP to whom the Dems kowtow, but the folks who write the large campaign checks, to both parties in fact.

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G.Anderson's avatar

By G.Anderson, July 5, 2009 at 3:22 pm Link to this comment

Because the democratic party is weak.

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By KDelphi, July 5, 2009 at 3:14 pm Link to this comment

Great “plan”!

If you want Obama to win again, you should be begging Palin to run!

If Republicans want to destroy this country, why do the Dems keep cow-towing to them?

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Ed Harges's avatar

By Ed Harges, July 5, 2009 at 12:10 pm Link to this comment

OOPS.

I wrote: “Bill Kristol’s trying to convince us that this move was not part of some orderly master plan…”

I meant: “Bill Kristol’s trying to convince us that this move was part of some orderly master plan…”

(That is, strike the word not.)

Sorry.

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Ed Harges's avatar

By Ed Harges, July 5, 2009 at 12:00 pm Link to this comment

Bill Kristol’s trying to convince us that this move was not part of some orderly master plan on the way to her 2012 Presidential run. But that just doesn’t fit the facts. Her own father was shocked to hear the news - which he got via email news alert. What caused her to make this sudden, panicked, impulsive decision? I think she must believe that some bombshell scandal’s about to break — or she’s just flat-out lost her tiny mind.

Josh Marshall reports:

Sarah Palin’s decision to quit her job as governor was so long planned that her father-in-law was shocked to hear the news—which he got as an email news alert on his cell phone.

http://www.talkingpointsmemo.com/

Marshall’s source is people.com:

http://www.people.com/people/article/0,,20289481,00.html

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G.Anderson's avatar

By G.Anderson, July 5, 2009 at 11:34 am Link to this comment

Well some of it you got right. The Republican party want’s to destroy this country so they can create something else in it’s place.

No doubt about it. This is why Republicans say out loud they want Obama to fail. If Obama fails then this country will be destroyed, same difference.

I’m sure you can find a moderate Republican somewhere that supports Obama, but it’s the Republican party as a whole that matters. They clearly want Obama to fail no matter what the consequences are, or how many people suffer because of it.

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By JohnRJ08, July 5, 2009 at 11:21 am Link to this comment

I don’t agree that a single Republican wants to “destroy this country.” I do think that many Republican politicians are more interested in preserving their ideology than the doing what’s right for the country. Everything they do is based upon positioning themselves for the next election and finding fault with anything that Obama tries to do. Call it obstructionism or just partisan politics, it is intended to create a lack of confidence in the country’s leadership during a time of crisis. The Republicans will oppose health care reform, global warming initiatives, tax reform, and foreign policy, just to have slogan lines ready for the next election. While every expert on international affairs was saying that Obama was handling the crisis in Iran exactly right, Republicans were attacking him for not being more aggressive in his statements. If Obama had been more aggressive, they would have criticized him for interfering in the internal affairs of a sovereign state. This political posturing has become so obvious that most voters see right through it, and it will make things even worse for the GOP in 2012.

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G.Anderson's avatar

By G.Anderson, July 5, 2009 at 10:39 am Link to this comment

What choice is there but to blame Republican’s for the mess we are in now, because they won’t take any responsibilty for what they have done.

On top of it the Republican party consistently opposes the reform and change that this country needs in order to survive. This is why blame can be laid at their door, and all the convienient rationalization and hair splitting won’t change the facts. Bottom line they - the Republican’s, would rather destroy this country than save it.

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By Mary Ann McNeely, July 5, 2009 at 10:38 am Link to this comment

Palin speaks directly with God.  God told her to quit and await His further instructions.

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By ardee, July 5, 2009 at 10:28 am Link to this comment

OzarkMichael, July 5 at 9:09 am #

Desr ardee,

did you or did you not post this right after GIS posted:

By ardee, July 4 at 10:31 am #

............
Sorry, GIS, but twaddle is as it is found. Attempting to blame only the Republican Party for the ills that beset this nation is distraction only and obfuscates the true nature of the beast.

The simple truth is that Democrats are every bit as responsible as their Republican counterparts for the mire in which we are enmeshed. Every vote for bills, every refusal to impeach, every refusal to filibuster, to inform the public, its constituency, of the evils they allow to come to fruition, every dollar they accept from lobbyists and corporate sources in order to gain their approval or silence is a betrayal of us all.
.......
So, either you are insane or so completely agendized that you post compete distortions of my meaning, while posting the exact words I used, thus negating your befuddled criticism all by yourself…Thanks much for that.

Those with a modicum of reading comprehension skills can certainly read the crap OzarkMike posts blaming ONLY the Democrats, and then noting my more tempered, sane and rational judgments.

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godistwaddle's avatar

By godistwaddle, July 5, 2009 at 9:37 am Link to this comment

I use “it” to describe things like Palin because, since she was brought so abruptly to my attention, I have yet to see a shred of common human decency in the “woman.”  It is an ignorant thing, without sympathy or empathy for real humans.

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By FiftyGigs, July 5, 2009 at 8:59 am Link to this comment

“By the way, does Sarah Palin deserve that? If so, for what sin exactly?”

Let’s not forget the basic point here.

This so-called public servant and her First Dude believe Alaska should secede from the United States of America.

Okay? Forget what they say. Look at what they did.

They pal around with people who videotape speeches teaching others that the best way for their people to infiltrate your society and mine is to present themselves as conservative Christian Republicans.

Whether they really are or not, you see.

Are you “getting” any of this? Is this really what’s good for the country or for religion as you see it? Because frankly my God is really pissed at her.

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By rodney, July 5, 2009 at 8:57 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

If I was ignorant enough to name my kids Trig,Track,Tripp,Willow,Bristol, and Piper I’d quit my job too.

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Ed Harges's avatar

By Ed Harges, July 5, 2009 at 7:00 am Link to this comment

re:By ardee, July 5 at 8:50 am:

Sarah Palin is useful to the neoconservatives, but she is not a neoconservative.

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By Mike, July 5, 2009 at 6:36 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

The sad part about Sara Palin quitting is that she will emerge stronger than when she first appeared as the GOP vice presidential nominee hopeful. She has never been prepared for politics beyond the Lower 48.  Her ambitions now are to make a ton of money gaining political clout through book deals, speaking engagements and behind the scene endorsements. Her political issues will come behind the scenes as a seven figure television analysis either on Fox, MSNBC, or CNN.

The truth to the matter is that she is not popular in her own state. She has issues with any and everyone that disagrees with her. No one is trying to bring her down. She is her own worst enemy. By getting out of office now she will be schooled in the political stronghold of right wing left wing politics. She will emerge three years from now stronger having rid of that know it all can’t tell me nothing made up hockey mom mentality. Chances like this can only happen in America. For the sake of argument Sara Palin wins the presidency. She will quit because the political cartoon section that’s in every news paper will show her in a skirt each day.

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OzarkMichael's avatar

By OzarkMichael, July 5, 2009 at 6:09 am Link to this comment

Desr ardee,

did you or did you not post this right after GIS posted:

By ardee, July 4 at 10:31 am #

............
Sorry, GIS, but twaddle is as it is found. Attempting to blame only the Republican Party for the ills that beset this nation is distraction only and obfuscates the true nature of the beast.

The simple truth is that Democrats are every bit as responsible as their Republican counterparts for the mire in which we are enmeshed. Every vote for bills, every refusal to impeach, every refusal to filibuster, to inform the public, its constituency, of the evils they allow to come to fruition, every dollar they accept from lobbyists and corporate sources in order to gain their approval or silence is a betrayal of us all.

You did write the above, or did someone else? Issue settled I hope. Your criticism of GIS is that he shouldnt limit his witty use of ‘itness’ to Republicans.

ardee, the next time you want to deny what you wrote, wait till it scrolls off the page like darling Fadel does!


A sentiment from ardee and others, but the quote is from my friend ITW: Palin brought the abuse on herself

Which would be one thing. But the MSM has been going after her family lately, even her youngest children.
Oh, but of course her kids deserve all that, since they are the unwashed spawn of the ‘it’.

Come GIS, you need to speak up. This is your little project. Lets hear some of your talk about execution of the class enemies. 

Notice meanwhile that Obama’s kids are not grist for mocking in the MSM. Which is odd if the MSM is so ‘conservative’ as you all claim. And the conservatives are the mean folks, right?

What a bunch of sauce. Even Limbaugh doesnt go after Obama’s kids. Even Limbaugh doesnt call Obama an ‘it’. Even Limbaugh doesnt put out a list of leftist women who need to be raped.

By the way, does Sarah Palin deserve that? If so, for what sin exactly?

Oh, thats right, she was the only one who dared mention certain inconvenient facts about Obama. She dared to criticize the Annointed One. Such blasphemy must be punished!

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By ardee, July 5, 2009 at 5:50 am Link to this comment

G.Anderson, July 5 at 2:58 am #

The Republican party will continue to do it’s best to undermine president Obama until the next election.

The Democrats do a fine job of self destruction all by themselves.

They would rather destroy America completely than to see Obama succeed. If the Republican party succeeds in destroying this country, then there won’t be an election next time.

Hyperbole, fun for the whole family. If the GOP purposely destroys the nation, dont they also destroy themselves? Seems a silly goal, that. No, its just about power, prosaic surely, but thats all it is.

Corporate American will do their part as well, they will do anything possible to worsen economic conditions in this country to ensure that Obama fails.

Why then did corporate America give hundreds of millions of dollars to the Obama campaign? Why then does Obama do all in his power to benefit those corporations instead of benefiting the people of these United States? You overestimate much and fail to see the obvious I fear.

What we have now is a civil war in slow motion. Just like the Russians in World War II, the Republicans have decided to destroy their country in retreat, to prevent the Democrats, from using it to their advantage.

The neo con’s still posses large reserves of cash, and the political will to pursue their own selfish plutocratic vision of this country no matter what the cost. Sara Palin, is just one of many millions of neo cons, for them the end justifies the means.

Rather we have a system pointed at the few, while the many go begging. We have, not so much a conspiracy, as a whole lot of self interested and monied folks subverting the nature and purpose of our government.

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By Logician, July 5, 2009 at 12:33 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

BREAKING NEWS!!!!
Fox News announces its new anchor and her new show,
Sarah Palin, on “Fairly Imbalanced.”

She does deserve respect, though, since she seems to be the only Palin to ever “pull out.”

The only thing any rational human being can do is laugh at this pitiful excuse of active carbon.  To even consider the possibility that this ignorant, arrogant idiot could even come close to the White House is too terrible to contemplate and a truly sad indicator of how much anti-intellectualism has increased in this country.

Slapping her and her inbred following down again will be as disgusting a spectacle as it was the first time.

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G.Anderson's avatar

By G.Anderson, July 4, 2009 at 11:58 pm Link to this comment

The Republican party will continue to do it’s best to undermine president Obama until the next election.

They would rather destroy America completely than to see Obama succeed. If the Republican party succeeds in destroying this country, then there won’t be an election next time. 

Corporate American will do their part as well, they will do anything possible to worsen economic conditions in this country to ensure that Obama fails.

What we have now is a civil war in slow motion. Just like the Russians in World War II, the Republicans have decided to destroy their country in retreat, to prevent the Democrats, from using it to their advantage.

The neo con’s still posses large reserves of cash, and the political will to pursue their own selfish plutocratic vision of this country no matter what the cost. Sara Palin, is just one of many millions of neo cons, for them the end justifies the means.

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By JohnRJ08, July 4, 2009 at 7:45 pm Link to this comment

I’ve posted this quote in other blogs before today, but it seems especially fitting now. Elia Kazan, the Academy Award winning director, once said, “The greatest danger to our democracy during these complex times is that a simple minded person would gain high office through nothing more than their charm.”  He was talking about someone exactly like Sarah Palin. She is a vacuous dogmatist who is completely unaware of her own limitations. In my opinion, if the GOP were to endorse or assist her in acquiring any power at all, they would be guilty of sedition.

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By FiftyGigs, July 4, 2009 at 6:56 pm Link to this comment

It’s worse.

“... our values of less government intervention, greater energy independence, stronger national security, and much-needed fiscal restraint.”

Palin cannot contribute to any of that.

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By ardee, July 4, 2009 at 5:36 pm Link to this comment

felicity, July 4 at 2:42 pm #

What it says about “we the people” (ardee @8:18) is that the presidential ‘ticket’ for 2012 will be Palin (Republican) vs. whoever is the American Idol of the moment (Democrat.)
...........................

The GOP would have to be batshit crazy to run Palin. While I am not an Obamabot it would be great fun to watch a debate between those two. Obama, for all his flaws, foibles and phoniness, is a bright and articulate man, one who would destroy Palin intellectually until she was reduced to tears.

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By Martha Elias, July 4, 2009 at 2:41 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

SARAH PALIN IS BEGINNING TO BELIEVE WHAT SHE PREACHES.
SHE ACTUALLY BELIEVES SHE HAS A CHANCE TO BE PRESIDENT.
SHE IS GOING TO USE THIS TIME TO READY HERSELF FOR A RUN
AT THE PRESIDENCY.  WHAT SHE NEEDS TO DO IS TEND TO HER
YOUNG FAMILY,  AND MOST OF ALL TIGG, WHO REALLY NEEDS HER
MORE THAN ANYONE ELSE.  I FOR ONE AM GLAD SHE IS GONE,  MAYBE
FROM THE FRONT PAGE…............

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Eric L. Prentis's avatar

By Eric L. Prentis, July 4, 2009 at 2:05 pm Link to this comment

Governor Sarah Palin is a quitter, I don’t vote for quitters.

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By JohnRJ08, July 4, 2009 at 2:04 pm Link to this comment

Palin has become the victim of her own sycophantic, deluded following which ignores her galactic ineptitude and self-absorbed behavior. She, no doubt, thinks that if she dedicates herself to world travel and raising money in the lower 48 over the next three years that she will be able to stand toe-to-toe with Obama and get elected president in 2012. Once again, her impromptu and hastily prepared “speech” yesterday demonstrated her utter inability to put more than three words together in a complete sentence. By her logic, all lame ducks should resign from office before the end of their terms because they’ll just waste tax-payer’s money and become corrupted if they don’t. In abandoning the people of Alaska out of naked political ambition, she reveals a deep cynicism and lack of respect for the people who voted her into office.

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By steve, July 4, 2009 at 12:52 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

I would not be surprised to see her end up somewhere like Fox news; much like Karl Rove is now.  It will keep her on television and along with the other news bunnies will help keep her in the news.

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By felicity, July 4, 2009 at 11:42 am Link to this comment

What it says about “we the people” (ardee @8:18) is that the presidential ‘ticket’ for 2012 will be Palin (Republican) vs. whoever is the American Idol of the moment (Democrat.)

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Ed Harges's avatar

By Ed Harges, July 4, 2009 at 10:57 am Link to this comment

I think the hunch that she’s resigning ahead of some big scandal is a good one. As TPM’s Josh Marshall says, this is so weird, she’s either getting out because some big sht’s about to hit the fan, or else she’s even crazier than we thought.

As for those who say she’s merely preparing to run for Prez, please note: she says she wants to work outside of government now. You can’t be President “outside of government”.

Therefore, we must conclude that this is her resignation from politics, and it shows every sign of being undertaken in frantic haste.

Something has happened - either she’s simply snapped mentally, or she’s just learned that something huge is about to blow up in her face.

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By Inherit The Wind, July 4, 2009 at 10:45 am Link to this comment

OzarkMichael, July 4 at 11:59 am #

It is therefore a fascist whore for predatory capitalism. It is traitorous to the American people, as all Republicans are.

The dehumanization of Palin began before she even opened her mouth 9 months ago, and proceeded since then. Final fruition in the quote above, where she becomes an ‘it’ and the ‘itness’ is then spread to more people.

And what is the response to such talk? One person speaks up, but not for humanity. Apparently(according to ardee) we have to turn a lot more people into ‘it’ for the equation to be balanced. Not much of a criticism really.

To speak of any human being as an ‘it’ is the product of totalitarian thinking. This thinking justifies any action taken against the ‘its’ in the future. For now its only words, thats true. But words mean something.

Such ‘it’ talk may be fashionable on Truthdig, but I wont countenence such. Even if I am the only one. Of course i expect to be called ‘fascist’ etc, as usual.

Which brings to me to my last point.

All the handwringing about totalitarianism is just an act on Truthdig. You have your own hopes for totalitarianism and that is why you project it on to me, and Sarah Palin too.
******************************************

Well, I for one never called her an “it” and I agree that it’s dehumanizing to all to call Sarah Palin an “it”.

But that doesn’t change the fact that even though she is not an “it”, she still is a shit!

(and crazy-weird to boot.)  BTW, it’s EASY to improve your state when for every tax dollar your people send to Washington, the Feds send you $1.84—that’s almost DOUBLE your money.  In fact, if we in New Jersey got $184, we’d be getting THREE TIMES AS MUCH Federal Revenue—we get $.61 for every dollar we send to DC.  We wouldn’t be having a budget crisis either.

In fact, Alaska’s prosperity is coming DIRECTLY from New Jersey, New York, Mass, Connecticut, Nevada, Illinois, California…ANYONE can “balance” their budget with someone else’s money.  Palin has no gift or talent. 

Now if Jon Corzine can balance the New Jersey budget, or Arnold Schwarzenneggat can solve the Cali budget crisis, THAT would indicate talent and ability!

Palin brought the abuse on herself—her lies about Obama “pallin’ around with terrorists”, saying being able to see Russia from Alaska made her a foreign policy expert, and the kicker: advocating abstinence-only programs when her own DAUGHTER proved such programs a failure.

Hopefully, like Dan Quayle, she will fade into obscurity.

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Blackspeare's avatar

By Blackspeare, July 4, 2009 at 10:41 am Link to this comment

In 2012 her main opposition will be Romney though being a Mormon may play against him.  But the main consideration will be the economy.  If BHO can’t turn the economy around in 3 more years——he’s toast.  However, all historical data indicates the economy will recover within that time and since the economy trumps all, BHO is a good bet for a second term.

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By KDelphi, July 4, 2009 at 10:04 am Link to this comment

you too, truth dig?? wow..

I am trying to find news about Obama’s af-pak war, the ship seized in Gaza, Honduras, etc and every site I go to, every news channel I turn to—its Palin and/or Jackson and/or Warner..

who cares?????????????????

No, I do not see this as “important” political news.

I know Dems were ho-ping she’d run for president, but you didnt really think she would , did you? What a joke.
Sorry if I missed some “important topical issues” but I am NOT watching that frcking video and crashing my browser…

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By ardee, July 4, 2009 at 9:52 am Link to this comment

OzarkMichael, July 4 at 11:59 am #
Apparently(according to ardee) we have to turn a lot more people into ‘it’ for the equation to be balanced. Not much of a criticism really.
..........................

I am sorry for your problems in reading comprehension. If you would take the trouble to reread that post you might find the citing your claim was mine was a cut and paste from another poster. My comments were critical of his position as well.
................................
The dehumanization of Palin began before she even opened her mouth 9 months ago, and proceeded since then. Final fruition in the quote above, where she becomes an ‘it’ and the ‘itness’ is then spread to more people.

The criticisms of Palin began the minute she began to speak publicly on issues she neither understood nor could articulate with any degree of coherence. The image of a right winger ( yourself) criticizing the left for bashing, especially in the face of your heroes, Savage, Limbaugh, O’Reilly and Hannity is more than absurd.

To condemn an entire political wing of this nation for the comments of an ignorant few is….well, ignorant and biased, rather than a truthful assessment.
....................................
All the handwringing about totalitarianism is just an act on Truthdig. You have your own hopes for totalitarianism and that is why you project it on to me, and Sarah Palin too.

A typically nonsensical comment from the well known radical right. A boring and oft repeated lie, period. It was not the left who abrogated our legal rights under the law, it was your heroes Georgie and Dickie.

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By hippie4ever, July 4, 2009 at 9:45 am Link to this comment

Ozark, I disagree that Sarah Palin was bashed by the media. She set herself up by her inconsistencies and many gaffs. As a politician she was a bully (abusing her powers to fire an ex-brother-in-law), and encouraged bigotry and hatred on the campaign trail. Her rallies were hate-fests where lies and half-truths were drilled into the minds of impressionable people. Governor Palin used public monies to finance her family’s vacations; her wardrobe established her hypocrisy. Her many “misstatements” were red flags to media, who couldn’t resist an easy target, being the lazy mouthpieces they are.

I agree that it’s wrong to dehumanize Ms. Palin—and inaccurate because she is all too human in her imperfections. Yet like many Rethugs she set herself up as a paragon of virtue, when she wasn’t, and had to deal with the reality of her hypocrisy. That hurt her feelings because she was used to the prior eight years of an unquestioning, rubber-stamping media supportive of the Bush Regime.

And Ozark, authoritarianism doesn’t have an exclusive on dehumanization. You find this whenever people have strong feelings about their opposition. Many have been seriously harmed by Rethuglican policies—the brutality of Bush/Cheney/Rumsfeld is infamous—and now all the chickens have come home to roost.

Finally, you say, “All the handwringing about totalitarianism is just an act on Truthdig. You have your own hopes for totalitarianism and that is why you project it on to me, and Sarah Palin too.”

You’re suggesting we are agents for Big Brother? Oh man, there are hits and misses, and then there are real misses. Three strikes and YOU ARE OUT, sorry Ozark. At least I didn’t call you an “it” or misrepresent YOUR beliefs.

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By FanC, July 4, 2009 at 9:41 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

I agree with OzarkMichael, omop and AFriend.  Some of the hateful, denegrating remarks are stunning. Unfortunately, for the last two or three elections, we have stooped to such uncivilized behavior, I found it much more peaceful to not discuss politics at all during election times.  If I would say something complimentary towards Obama, my conservative friends would look at me in despair.  If I said something complimentary about McCain, my liberal friends would jump all over it. I found that you couldn’t discuss politics at all anymore without making someone crazed with hatred towards one or other of the candidates.  I find myself longing for the “olden” days when I could learn from political discussions.  I wonder if we will ever return to a more civilized way with one another.

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By OzarkMichael, July 4, 2009 at 8:59 am Link to this comment

It is therefore a fascist whore for predatory capitalism. It is traitorous to the American people, as all Republicans are.

The dehumanization of Palin began before she even opened her mouth 9 months ago, and proceeded since then. Final fruition in the quote above, where she becomes an ‘it’ and the ‘itness’ is then spread to more people.

And what is the response to such talk? One person speaks up, but not for humanity. Apparently(according to ardee) we have to turn a lot more people into ‘it’ for the equation to be balanced. Not much of a criticism really.

To speak of any human being as an ‘it’ is the product of totalitarian thinking. This thinking justifies any action taken against the ‘its’ in the future. For now its only words, thats true. But words mean something. 

Such ‘it’ talk may be fashionable on Truthdig, but I wont countenence such. Even if I am the only one. Of course i expect to be called ‘fascist’ etc, as usual.

Which brings to me to my last point.

All the handwringing about totalitarianism is just an act on Truthdig. You have your own hopes for totalitarianism and that is why you project it on to me, and Sarah Palin too.

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By omop, July 4, 2009 at 8:57 am Link to this comment

According to Bill Kristol, Ms Palin’s resignation is a “shrewd gamble” and since Obama is already for all intents and purposes considered a Muslim in Israel Palin will run in 2012 as the AIPAC candidate.

  Either Bill Kristol knows where he speaks of or Sarah P. has gotten a million dollar contract to promote “toe-nail painting” products to teens who aspire to remain virgins till they marry.

  Regardless of either the time is opportune for any one on Broadway to cast a musical/comedy on the “surge” and “demise” of the Republican Party. The cast of S & D with Sarah in the lead, would include as a minimum Newt, Lindsey, Bolton, Limbaugh, Kristol, and Lieberman.

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By AFriend, July 4, 2009 at 8:43 am Link to this comment

For a female to make to the State Capital is an accomplishment in and of itself.

For a politician to give a surplus of money directly back to it’s population as Governor Palin did, instead of finding more government boondoggles to spend that money, is almost unheard of.

For anyone to put themselves in a position of national attention for the goal of working in the White House displays a courage most people do not posses. For a female this is doubly courageous.

For anyone to believe they know something of a person after 61 days under the lens of the press is the epitome of foolishness.

To call a handsome woman a slut with no evidence of any kind is adolescent behavior no matter how one looks at it. But to call the same woman’s teen daughter a slut, again with no evidence of the fact, is downright pitiful.

—-

I did not believe Governor Palin was yet qualified to be President of the United States. Vice President? Yes. But not the Oval Office. Yet what most people on these pages attempt to do to this human being is plainly shameful.

The deep seated pathology to make a demon out of those who hold a different point of view is the true cartoon/comic book behavior.

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By Blackspeare, July 4, 2009 at 8:35 am Link to this comment

This was actally a clever move by Palin and her advisors.  In six months she would have become embroiled in a campaign for governor and in an election anything is possible.  So by qutting now she avoids comments relating to losing the election.  And she keeps her name in the news.  Now she can be all over the country getting her ducks in order for 2012.

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By ecw, July 4, 2009 at 7:46 am Link to this comment

The problem isn’t Republicans or Democrats, it’s that we live in a society where crony capitalism reigns: look at the names, it’s the same people over and over again.  They are all friends and look out for each other. Politicians of all stripes need money to get reelected and then owe their souls to the corporations and individuals who supply those funds. We’ll never have meaningful health care reform because just about everyone in Congress gets money from the health care industry which has the most to lose under any plan. Our political system—I hate to admit it—is thoroughly corrupt and exists for the benefit of the powerful and rich.

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By FiftyGigs, July 4, 2009 at 7:41 am Link to this comment

... oh, and Sarah…?

Stop dragging my God through your mud.

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By ardee, July 4, 2009 at 7:31 am Link to this comment

godistwaddle, July 4 at 8:51 am #

It is Republican. It is therefore a fascist whore for predatory capitalism.
.................................

Sorry, GIS, but twaddle is as it is found. Attempting to blame only the Republican Party for the ills that beset this nation is distraction only and obfuscates the true nature of the beast.

The simple truth is that Democrats are every bit as responsible as their Republican counterparts for the mire in which we are enmeshed. Every vote for bills, every refusal to impeach, every refusal to filibuster, to inform the public, its constituency, of the evils they allow to come to fruition, every dollar they accept from lobbyists and corporate sources in order to gain their approval or silence is a betrayal of us all.

Instead of a somewhat cartoonish view of “them bad, we good” we need a bit of common sense and accuracy of vision to understand that it matter not at all which party holds a majority or occupies the White House. What we should be focused upon is the way our system has been subverted to the will of the small minority, the wealthy rule this nation with an iron claw. They run the Democrats every bit as much as they do the GOP.

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By Justin Macdonald, July 4, 2009 at 7:17 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

Ding! Dong! The witch is dead!

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By Rodger Lemonde, July 4, 2009 at 6:07 am Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

The question in my mind is Talk show or televangelist?
Or is it a larger agenda, head of a secessionist movement?

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By godistwaddle, July 4, 2009 at 5:51 am Link to this comment

It is Republican. It is therefore a fascist whore for predatory capitalism. It is traitorous to the American people, as all Republicans are. That it is an idiot at least makes it amusing.  My old New England Puritan mother said it best, “Of course Bristol’s a slut; so is her mother.”

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By ardee, July 4, 2009 at 5:18 am Link to this comment

I would be cautious about climbing on the ‘bash Palin’ bandwagon, though she is ,of course, such an easy target. The voters of Alaska elected this cartoon character to their highest office, this despite the fact that her husband is a member of a group that wants Alaska to secede from the Union! Further the voters of this nation voted in significant numbers for a ticket she was on as well….

What does this say about we the people?

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By Case, July 3, 2009 at 11:22 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

As a person who considers myself semi-conservative, I could not stand Sarah Palin.  That being said, there are not many politicians that I do like.  But I find it hilariously hypocritical that you people bash Republicans but think your Democrats are perfect.  Reality is, none of these people leading our country have any commonality with the average person.  One, it is nearly impossible for a country with such extreme diversity as ours to govern its people fairly.  Two, you people fail to realize that many of the moves being pushed by your beloved politicians will eventually destroy the lives of people who don’t have a similar lifestyle or career path as you.  Personally, I wish Sarah Palin would just disappear, but I also wish many of our other “great” leaders would disappear as well along with the other right and left-wing political extremists who are hurting this great country.

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By hippie4ever, July 3, 2009 at 11:20 pm Link to this comment

Maybe she was caught wandering The Appalachian Trail?

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By Inherit The Wind, July 3, 2009 at 8:14 pm Link to this comment

Her resignation speech would be hilarious if only Tina Fey would pick it up again for SNL!

This woman is truly weird and ignorant.  One article on Huff-Po speculated that she’s pregnant again.  Please, God (that I don’t believe in), No!

Amazing that the great ignorant right of the GOP loves this unbalanced idiot.  Today Tim Pawlenty was on Leonard Lopate’s show.  I think if the GOP had be running guys like him for high office, this nation wouldn’t be in the mess it’s in. I’m no Republican, but Pawlenty makes Romney look like the class dunce.  And if Palin is a Kindergartener, Pawlenty, in comparison, is a chaired professor—that’s how vast the difference is.  There aren’t many Senators, GOP OR Dem who could keep up.

Where have these bright, practical, capable Republicans been hiding for 28 years?????  Why do we have to look at Reagan, Bush, and McCain, not to mention Palin, instead?

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By xyzaffair, July 3, 2009 at 8:11 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

If she does any better in a presidential race than Ross Perot did in 1992, it will be a sad indictment of the voting public

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By ecw, July 3, 2009 at 7:59 pm Link to this comment

I watched her rambling series of non-sequitors and I have to agree with her:  Alaska will be better off without her. Nice to know that after praying God didn’t want her as governor either. Notice the number of times she mentioned the word change? Bizarre how you can effect change as president, but not as governor.

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By Aliamoo, July 3, 2009 at 7:43 pm Link to this comment

I would not be surprised, if some very wealthy neocons didn’t offer her a job as a commentator she could not resist to let her job as a governor of Alaska go. She think by having new job which is so lucrative and at same time can trash democrats and liberals everyday and every minutes without hesitation and pressure.

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By mlb, July 3, 2009 at 6:36 pm Link to this comment

I’ve decided to resign as governor in order to spend more time with my moose.

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By Reubenesque, July 3, 2009 at 6:00 pm Link to this comment

What is that sage old adage?  “Quitters never win.”  Oops, sorry, I forgot.  Republicans can spin their way out of anything.  Even on Billo’s “no spin” zone.

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By freedom loving american, July 3, 2009 at 5:56 pm Link to this comment

She can get away with more crimes as a “private citizen” than as a public offical. She is the poster child for a “pig wearing lipstick”.

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By Reubenesque, July 3, 2009 at 5:50 pm Link to this comment

What a noble gesture… stepping down from a $160,000.00 job to save the world.  That really puts Joe The Plumber to shame.  I mean he was only making $35,000.00.  BTW what is Mark Sanford’s Salary will he get noble on us as well?

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By me-again, July 3, 2009 at 4:06 pm Link to this comment

I commend Sarah Palin for recognizing that she is incapable of handling the responsibilities as Governor and has done the honorable thing by resigning.

Now if only she had considered the fate of Alaska prior to ever screwing it up as bad as she has.

Pass the buck while you can Palin…

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By ocjim, July 3, 2009 at 3:59 pm Link to this comment

Based on her character assassination of President Obama, she should step down as a human being.

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By skulz fontaine, July 3, 2009 at 3:55 pm Link to this comment

The Federal indictment will come down on Friday July 10, 2009. Madam Vapid will start work for Faux News on Monday July 13, 2009. Cripes, that’d just so figure.

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By Marnie, July 3, 2009 at 3:32 pm Link to this comment
(Unregistered commenter)

She didn’t pass the ball.  She walked off the court in the middle of a game, after setting herself up as the team’s number one go to player.
The game got too tough for her, and she couldn’t handle it.

How can she run as a convincing Presidential candidate when she is the type of leader who quits when the going gets tough?

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By rwmenser, July 3, 2009 at 2:44 pm Link to this comment

Yep, now they can fly her and her idiotic statements below the media’s spotlight.

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By PatrickHenry, July 3, 2009 at 2:21 pm Link to this comment

Maybe she’ll get a job as a FOX journalist.

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