Palin Stepping Down as Alaska's Governor

[caskur™]

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/31726640?GT1=43001

Palin to resign as Alaska governor
Former vice presidential hopeful says she won't finish out first term

Breaking news
NBC News and news services
updated 4:52 p.m. ET July 3, 2009


WASILLA, Alaska - Sarah Palin announced Friday she plans to resign as governor of Alaska in a few weeks, saying she will try to "affect positive change" from outside government.

Palin, the Republican vice presidential candidate in 2008, made the surprise announcement at a press conference at her home in suburban Wasilla.

She said the decision has been "in the works" for a while and comes after "prayer and consideration" and discussions with her family.

She is handing the reins over to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, who will be sworn in at the governor's picnic in Fairbanks on July 26. Parnell and most of Palin's cabinet and Palin's family were at the announcement.

"We know we can affect positive change outside government at this point in time on another scale and actually make a difference for our priorities," she said, adding that she was tired of what she described as "superficial, wasteful, political bloodsport."

Some have speculated in the past that Palin may be interested in running for president in 2012, but she did not mention running for another office at her press conference. Sources told NBC's Andrea Mitchell that Palin is out of politics for good.

Palin said she didn't want to be a "lame duck" politician.

“Many just accept that lame duck status and they hit the road. They draw a paycheck and they kind of milk it. I’m not going to put Alaskans through that. I promised efficiencies and effectiveness," she said.

Palin was elected Alaska's youngest and first woman governor in 2006 at age 42. She was the surprise pick of Arizona Sen. John McCain as running mate in the 2008 presidential election.

She was only the second woman to appear on a major party presidential ticket — Democrat Geraldine Ferraro was the first when she ran unsuccessfully for vice president with Walter Mondale in 1984.

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She was hounded out of politics and no doubt she will remain someone they'll still use in satire comedy.....

[MightySting]

Sounds like she will run for President, I don't think she would be a good choice as she is not ready for that job. Not because she is a woman but because she just doesn't have the experience to hold the most powerful job in the world.

[Outlawed]

She belongs to a very strange church too.

I don't think she is a good choice to run for president or hold any power at all.

[MightySting]

Right now she is very nieve about things, she needs to do alot of work if she plans on being President. I would vote against her right now for that reason

[Damion Hellstrom]

This is my own theory:

Palin is stepping down to prepare for running for President.

Running for President is a full time job.  By stepping down as Governor she's freeing herself up to start raising funds, and basically campaigning.  Also, by stepping down she's removing herself from possibly making mistakes as Governor...mistakes the press can use against her later on.

[MightySting]

I think its to late, they will do like they did in the last election, they will go after her even more if she runs for the Presidency.

[Damion Hellstrom]

Probably true, but I think her advisers have told her to step down to "prepare to run for President".

She wouldn't be the first person with little experience to decide to just run.  I think she's insulated by her advisors right now.

The only other possibility is that

a)  She's cracked under the pressure

b)  Some scandal is due to come out and she's quitting before it hits the press.  This happened with Jersey's Governor, Jim McGreevey.  McGreevey is gay and was having an affair with a guy he gave a cushy government job to.  So essentially he gave a job to a guy because the guy was his gay lover.  It was going to come out so McGreevey announced he was quitting as Governor.  After his "resignation" it all came out.

Time will tell, but right now I suspect she's been advised to quit so as to position herself for running.

[MightySting]

Unless Obama really screws up I don't think she will beat him if those are the 2 choices.

[Damion Hellstrom]

That's probably true.  But again, it's probably why her advisors may have told her to step down as Governor. 

The game is wait for Obama to screw up over the next three and a half years while Palin will have no record for the Dems to criticize. 

Essentially, Palin would run on personality and campaign against Obama's record.  However, if Obama is Reagan like popular by the time of the election it won't help. 

But the entire idea is for Palin to have no record for the Dems to hit on during an election. 

[caskur™]

She won't be President of the USA, ever. I can guarantee that.

Her church performs "exorcisms" and talks about Satan  for crying out loud....there is no way the majority of US citizens believe in that crap.

She doesn't have the poise of someone like Mrs Clinton for instance and if Clinton couldn't pull it off, no woman can, not yet anyway. I am afraid the US is a long way off from having a woman lead them.....I listened to Palin's speech on the youtube about resigning and she is too wordy, repeats herself endlessly and if you notice when Mrs Clinton speaks, it is short, articulate and sound minded......and more importantly, she doesn't bring Satan and God into the issues...

Palin hasn't got the brains to be a President.....on a personal scale, she has a fair bit to cope with having a large family and a child with special needs.....she will have more power being on the sidelines and instigating policies if she chooses to turn her face towards any given issue....1. because she has a public profile already, and 2. she will appeal to the mums and special needs people and the religious right.

[Godfather]

Church and Satan, does not sound well.

And Americans have an habit of giving all their prez 2 terms unless they really screw up bad, I dont think Obama would **** it up, essentially with Hillary around mistakes wont be too much.

[caskur™]

No it does not sound well and recently I put up a disturbing doco I saw on our ABC about Nigeria and the Assembly of God [who Sarah Palin belongs to]....and what those cracked pots are doing to children they call "Africa Witch Children"....horrendous, disgusting and a complete abomination...

I think the USA people need to get a charge of their cracked pot religions once and for all.

[Godfather]

Ill effects of DEMOCRACY