Anyone who is in any way surprised by Sarah Palin's announcement today that she will not be seeking re-election, and, even more significantly, is stepping down as Governor of Alaska, has not been paying close attention. The signs have been everywhere.

Palin has absolutely zero interest in running the State of Alaska. She steadfastly refused to live in Juneau after her first year there, had the gall to charge the state for residing at her home in Wasilla 600 miles away, and she basically mailed in her performance as the state's top administrator during Alaska's most recent legislative session. She has alienated virtually all the key legislators in her own party--that's right, Republicans--and had failed to move any key legislation forward since her return to Alaska from the national campaign trail last November.

In fact, her bizarre appointment for Attorney General, Wayne Anthony Ross, was rejected nearly unanimously by the state legislature--a first in Alaskan history. Even in respect to energy policy, her supposed bailiwick, she has been categorically ineffective. When I asked those in-the-know what role Palin had played in putting together the recent pipeline deal between TransCanada and Exxon, their response was simple: "None."

None. That about sums up Palin's accomplishments as Governor of the Last Frontier.

The evangelical right can wallow in denial all they want about Palin being victimized by liberals or Democrats or even George Soros (some illiterate wingnut recently tried to link me to him), but the fact is that most of the people with really bad things to say about Palin--from John McCain's staff to conservatives in Alaska--come from the Republican Party. The charges of a left-wing conspiracy are so ridiculous as to be absolutely absurd.

But then what coming from the Palin camp isn't?

Moreover, Palin was facing what would have been a hugely embarrassing veto override by the Alaska legislature at the beginning of the next session in January over her politically postured refusal to accept Federal stimulus funds. If this past legislative session was a setback for Palin, the upcoming session would have been an absolute public relations disaster--hardly the proper entree for her presidential campaign.

My sources in Wasilla tell me that Palin's father, Chuck Heath, has spoken repeatedly about the "liberal press" and dreaded "bloggers" taking their toll on his daughter. I recently discovered an early, telling email by Palin complaining to her pal Meg Stapleton about something a blogger had written in the Anchorage Daily News and how significantly it bothered her--"kind of makes my stomach turn over," she wrote. Palin can dish, but she can't take it. She's got a terribly thin skin. When I reported here less than a month ago that Palin had clearly lifted passages from an article by Newt Gingrich and Craig Shirley (whose name she didn't even bother to mention) she and her entourage went apoplectic. What she had done was blatantly obvious and she would have been tossed from any reputable college or university for such slipshod citation. Palin, and the sycophants with whom she surrounds herself, simply have no moral compass.

Some pundits have said that Palin's resignation is out of character. Hardly. Don't forget that she resigned from her last statewide office--that as chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. Sarah Palin is a quitter. She fancies herself something else. But, in the end, she quit her position read more »
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In fact, her bizarre appointment for Attorney General, Wayne Anthony Ross, was rejected nearly unanimously by the state legislature--a first in Alaskan history. Even in respect to energy policy, her supposed bailiwick, she has been categorically ineffective. When I asked those in-the-know what role Palin had played in putting together the recent pipeline deal between TransCanada and Exxon, their response was simple: "None."

None. That about sums up Palin's accomplishments as Governor of the Last Frontier.

The evangelical right can wallow in denial all they want about Palin being victimized by liberals or Democrats or even George Soros (some illiterate wingnut recently tried to link me to him), but the fact is that most of the people with really bad things to say about Palin--from John McCain's staff to conservatives in Alaska--come from the Republican Party. The charges of a left-wing conspiracy are so ridiculous as to be absolutely absurd.

But then what coming from the Palin camp isn't?

Moreover, Palin was facing what would have been a hugely embarrassing veto override by the Alaska legislature at the beginning of the next session in January over her politically postured refusal to accept Federal stimulus funds. If this past legislative session was a setback for Palin, the upcoming session would have been an absolute public relations disaster--hardly the proper entree for her presidential campaign.

My sources in Wasilla tell me that Palin's father, Chuck Heath, has spoken repeatedly about the "liberal press" and dreaded "bloggers" taking their toll on his daughter. I recently discovered an early, telling email by Palin complaining to her pal Meg Stapleton about something a blogger had written in the Anchorage Daily News and how significantly it bothered her--"kind of makes my stomach turn over," she wrote. Palin can dish, but she can't take it. She's got a terribly thin skin. When I reported here less than a month ago that Palin had clearly lifted passages from an article by Newt Gingrich and Craig Shirley (whose name she didn't even bother to mention) she and her entourage went apoplectic. What she had done was blatantly obvious and she would have been tossed from any reputable college or university for such slipshod citation. Palin, and the sycophants with whom she surrounds herself, simply have no moral compass.

Some pundits have said that Palin's resignation is out of character. Hardly. Don't forget that she resigned from her last statewide office--that as chair of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission. Sarah Palin is a quitter. She fancies herself something else. But, in the end, she quit her position ">            |   Bookmarks  

On the morning of August 29, 2008, minutes after the stunning news of the Vice Presidential nomination, I wrote a post entitled "What Is McCain Thinking? One Alaskan's Perspective," and my humble little blog was never the same. And now, less than a year later, the strange saga of Sarah Palin, the "hottest governor in the coldest state" is coming to an end.

When the cryptic press release came from the governor's office this morning, heads were scratched. Why on the Friday of a long weekend was she having a press conference at her home in Wasilla, with less than two hours notice? In three days she'd own the news cycle, and wouldn't have messed up everyone's plans to knock off early for the 4th of July weekend. Instead, she chose to release the information at a time when people generally release the news they want to die.

The Anchorage media grumbled and hopped in their vans for the 45 minute drive north to Wasilla. She had a statement. She wouldn't be taking questions. That's all we knew, until reports started trickling in that there were commissioners there, and Lt. Governor Sean Parnell. This was going to be big.

Sure enough, we learned that not only would Palin not be seeking a second term, but that she would not even be finishing her first one. As of July 25, the state would be in the hands of Lt. Governor Sean Parnell, and Palin would resign. Palin who preferred to run the state from her Blackberry during her VP campaign, while simultaneously cramming for debates, looking after her kids, and calling the president a terrorist paller-arounder, rather than turn the state over to Parnell, suddenly hand a change of heart. Why?

Parnell, himself had an unsuccessful bid for Alaska's lone congressional house seat. He ran against the embattled 19-term Republican Don Young in the past election cycle. Young has racked up more than a million dollars in legal fees, and is widely rumored to be facing indictment. He seemed like easy pickens for a Democratic challenger, but Parnell was unable to unseat him in the primary, with a tally so close, a recount was mandated - a recount overseen by the person in the office of Lt. Governor; none other than Parnell himself.

The third in line for the governor, and the man expected to step into Parnell's shoes is Commissioner of Corrections, Joe Schmidt. He was appointed, accompanied by a few raised eyebrows, to the #3 spot in February of this year. His other claim to fame? He dated the governor when they both went to Wasilla High. He replaced embattled Attorney General Talis Colberg, who stepped down under allegations of mishandling the Troopergate investigation and telling state employees that they didn't need to comply with legislative subpoenas.

Palin's long, rambling, fretful speech had all the visible tension and clenched jaw muscles of her appearance when she returned back home to little old Alaska after her failed VP bid. She was interviewed by the press in her Anchorage office and said how glad she was to be back, and how much fun it was to run the state of Alaska. Nobody believed her. It's become more and more apparent that what she likes is the crowds, the attention, and the advocacy for her beliefs. But the day to day running of the state doesn't seem to have much appeal anymore. A common complaint among legislators and top state officials since Palin's return from the campai read more »
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Add to:      "What Is McCain Thinking? One Alaskan's Perspective," and my humble little blog was never the same. And now, less than a year later, the strange saga of Sarah Palin, the "hottest governor in the coldest state" is coming to an end.

When the cryptic press release came from the governor's office this morning, heads were scratched. Why on the Friday of a long weekend was she having a press conference at her home in Wasilla, with less than two hours notice? In three days she'd own the news cycle, and wouldn't have messed up everyone's plans to knock off early for the 4th of July weekend. Instead, she chose to release the information at a time when people generally release the news they want to die.

The Anchorage media grumbled and hopped in their vans for the 45 minute drive north to Wasilla. She had a statement. She wouldn't be taking questions. That's all we knew, until reports started trickling in that there were commissioners there, and Lt. Governor Sean Parnell. This was going to be big.

Sure enough, we learned that not only would Palin not be seeking a second term, but that she would not even be finishing her first one. As of July 25, the state would be in the hands of Lt. Governor Sean Parnell, and Palin would resign. Palin who preferred to run the state from her Blackberry during her VP campaign, while simultaneously cramming for debates, looking after her kids, and calling the president a terrorist paller-arounder, rather than turn the state over to Parnell, suddenly hand a change of heart. Why?

Parnell, himself had an unsuccessful bid for Alaska's lone congressional house seat. He ran against the embattled 19-term Republican Don Young in the past election cycle. Young has racked up more than a million dollars in legal fees, and is widely rumored to be facing indictment. He seemed like easy pickens for a Democratic challenger, but Parnell was unable to unseat him in the primary, with a tally so close, a recount was mandated - a recount overseen by the person in the office of Lt. Governor; none other than Parnell himself.

The third in line for the governor, and the man expected to step into Parnell's shoes is Commissioner of Corrections, Joe Schmidt. He was appointed, accompanied by a few raised eyebrows, to the #3 spot in February of this year. His other claim to fame? He dated the governor when they both went to Wasilla High. He replaced embattled Attorney General Talis Colberg, who stepped down under allegations of mishandling the Troopergate investigation and telling state employees that they didn't need to comply with legislative subpoenas.

Palin's long, rambling, fretful speech had all the visible tension and clenched jaw muscles of her appearance when she returned back home to little old Alaska after her failed VP bid. She was interviewed by the press in her Anchorage office and said how glad she was to be back, and how much fun it was to run the state of Alaska. Nobody believed her. It's become more and more apparent that what she likes is the crowds, the attention, and the advocacy for her beliefs. But the day to day running of the state doesn't seem to have much appeal anymore. A common complaint among legislators and top state officials since Palin's return from the campai">            |   Bookmarks  

Even as Sarah Palin prepares to leave office, the wait for her official e-mails goes on. Msnbc.com's Bill Dedman reports.