by John M. Curtis
(310) 204-8700

Copyright July 4, 2009
All Rights Reserved.

              Throwing the state of Alaska and Republican Party for a loop, 45-year-old telegenic Gov. Sarah Palin called it quits, announcing she would resign her job by the end of the month.  When Palin decided to not run for reelection, she also figured why stick around as a Lame Duck on her measly $125,000 salary.  Book deals and possible cable TV and radio deals with FOX News were offers Sarah couldn’t refuse.  While speculation surrounds a possible 2012 presidential run, Sarah’s political future was far less certain.  “Once I decided not to run for reelection, I also felt that to embrace the conventional Lame Duck status in this particular climate would just be another dose of politics as usual, something I campaigned against and will always oppose,” said Palin July 3 in a prepared statement.  Bailing out on Alaska had more to do with dwindling poll numbers and lucrative book and TV deals.

            When former GOP presidential nominee Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz.) shocked the political establishment Aug, 29, 2008, picking the obscure Alaska governor as his VP.  McCain’s pick goes down as one of the worst political miscalculations in U.S. history.  Sarah’s disastrous Sept. 24, 2008 interview with mild-mannered CBS Nightly News anchor Katie Couric exposed her glaring naiveté and lack of preparedness for the VP.  Apart from appealing to the shrinking GOP base, Palin didn’t appeal to women, independents and so-called Reagan Democrats.  McCain never admitted his fatal mistake and to this day pretends Sarah expects to play a leadership role in the GOP, including a future presidential run.  If she hurt the ticket running as VP last time around, just imagine what she’d do running for president.  Her decision to quit as Alaska governor makes her look more flaky.

            Since running for VP, Palin’s popularity plummeted as Alaska governor.  Had she run for reelection in 2010, there’s no assurance she would have made it.  “I cannot stand here as your governor and allow the millions of dollars and all that time to go to waste jus so I can hold the title of governor,” said Sarah covering up her altruistic motives for resigning.  Diminished popularity and lucrative book, TV or radio deals opens the door for more opportunities than continuing as Alaska governor and facing a possible defeat in 2010.  Palin got it right telling supporters it was in Alaska’s best interest for her to resign.  “We’ll so attach info on decision not to seek reelection . . . this is in Alaska’s best interest, my family is happy .  . . it is good.  Stay tuned,” Palin wrote on Twitter, not yet prepared to announce details of a rumored seven-figure book and TV deal with Rupert Murdoch’s HarperCollins and FOX News

            After tasting the limelight, Palin no longer has the same appetite for Alaska’s tundra.  She now seeks the glitz and attention that comes with a media career and phalanx of publicists fueling speculation about a future presidential run.  Palin became a lightening rod for comedic relief, immortalized during the ’08 campaign by “Saturday Night Live” in Tina Fey’s hilarious impressions.  Capitalizing on her notoriety, Sarah continues to mix it up with late-night comedians, especially CBS’s “Late Show” with David Letterman, who caused a stir joking that one her daughters was knocked up by New York Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez.  Sarah’s 18-year-old daughter Bristol is an unwed teenage mother.  With South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford and Nevada Sen. John Ensign’s peccadilloes dominating the GOP headlines, the Republican Party needs more than another joke.

            Palin’s decision to bail out of Alaska directly relates to yet undisclosed book and TV deals pending with Murdoch’s network.  At this point, her future looks brighter in the media than politics, where the Republican Party no longer enjoys contagious conservatism stemming from the iconic presidency of former President Ronald Reagan.  Only recently, former Florida Gov. Jeb Bush, mentioned as a possible presidential candidate in 2012, declared that the Party must get past Reagan’s legacy.  Needless to say, he wasn’t met with too much enthusiasm, especially among conservative GOP faithful.  When Palin accepted her VP nomination Sept. 2, 2008 at the Republican National Convention in Minneapolis-St. Paul, she was a big hit bashing the Democratic Party.  She articulated the Reagan talking points better than any other GOP politician, including McCain.

            Palin’s resignation as Alaska governor helps the GOP as long as she takes seriously her new media career, avoiding aspirations for higher office.  Conservatives won’t find the Party rescued by the telegenic Palin who should stick with book promotions and possible career on conservative TV or talk radios.  Her disastrous attempt to salvage the McCain presidency backfired and promises to repeat itself in the future.  GOP politicians can only hope that Barack’s economic recovery program fails before the next presidential election cycle.  “I think it [Palin’s resignation] eliminates her from serious consideration for the presidency in 2012,” said University of Virginia political scientist Larry Sabato, also convinced that she’s pursuing book deals and media opportunities.  Palin correctly read the tealeaves, bailed out of Alaska and seized new opportunities in Murdoch’s media empire.         

About the Author

John M. Curtis writes politically neutral commentary analyzing spin in national and global news. He's editor OnlineColumnist.com and author of Dodging The Bullet and Operation Charisma.

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