WASILLA — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin surprised supporters Friday and announced she is resigning from office at the end of the month without explaining why she plans to step down — throwing into question whether she would seek a run for the White House in 2012.
The news rattles a Republican Party plagued with setbacks in recent weeks, including extramarital affairs disclosed by two other 2012 presidential prospects, Nevada Sen. John Ensign and South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford.
Palin hastily called a news conference Friday morning at her home in suburban Wasilla, giving such short notice that only a few reporters actually made it to the announcement. Security blocked late-arriving media outside her home, and her spokesman, Dave Murrow, finally emerged to confirm that Palin will step down July 26. He refused to give details about the governor's future plans.
The former Republican vice presidential candidate said she had been considering leaving office since she decided not to run for re-election.
"Many just accept that lame duck status, and they hit that road. They draw a paycheck. They kind of milk it. And I'm not going to put Alaskans through that," Palin said.
Palin spokesman David Murrow said the governor didn't say anything to him about this being her "political finale." Murrow said he interpreted Palin's comment about working outside government as reflecting her current job only.
"She's looking forward to serving the public outside the governor's chair," he said.
Political analyst Larry Sabato, in Charlottesville, Va., said Palin's announcement left many wondering what her plans were.
"It's absolutely bizarre, and I think it eliminates her from serious consideration for the presidency in 2012," he said.
Palin hinted that she had a bigger role in mind, saying she wanted to make a "positive change outside government." But she kept supporters in suspense, promising later Friday on Twitter: "We'll soon attach info on decision to not seek re-election ... this is in Alaska's best interest, my family's happy ... it is good. Stay tuned."
Jerry McBeath, a veteran political science professor at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, called the pending resignation a "smart move," both for Palin and the state.
"Alaska is an isolated stage from which to operate if you want to figure in American national politics. I don't know what she has in mind, some TV show or some national radio show. There are opportunities for her, I'm sure."
"After all, Rush Limbaugh is getting old, and cranky, and the airwaves and the videowaves would benefit form a new present. She certainly is photogenic, and that is her area of experience. So I would say it's a response to opportunity instead of 'getting out before they get you,'" he said.
As for the state, he said Palin's departure will reduce the distractions and return Alaska to normal politics.
Palin said her family weighed heavily in her decision.
"This decision has been in the works for a while. This decision comes after much consideration, prayer and consideration," she said. "Finally, I polled the most important people in my life, my kids, where the count was unanimous. Well, in response to asking, 'Hey, you want me to make a positive difference and fight for all our children's future from outside the governor's office?' It was four yeses and one 'Hell, yeah!" And the hell, yeah sealed it."
Palin's decision not to seek re-election was a familiar one for a potential presidential candidate. Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney chose not to seek another term as he geared up for an unsuccessful 2008 presidential bid. Minnesota Gov. Tim Pawlenty has announced he won't seek another term, giving him plenty of free time ahead of a potential 2012 bid.
And Alaska's remote location seemed prohibitive for her to visit key early states such as Iowa, New Hampshire or South Carolina. She would lose at least a day for travel on each trip, while her competitors could make day trips to Des Moines, Manchester or Columbia to drive news.
By exiting the governor's office early, she wouldn't be held back by her day job's duties or be drawn into state-level fights with national implications. But the early exit from the governorship also raised questions about how seriously she takes her job.
Palin emerged from relative obscurity nearly a year ago when she was tapped as then Republican presidential candidate John McCain's running mate.
She was a controversial figure from the start, with comedian Tina Fey famously imitating her elaborate hairstyle and folksy "You betcha!" on "Saturday Night Live."
She didn't leave the limelight once McCain lost the presidency. She recently led a public spat with "Late Show" host David Letterman over a joke he made about one of her daughters being "knocked up" by New York Yankees baseball player Alex Rodriguez during the governor's recent visit to New York. Palin's 18-year-old daughter, Bristol, is an unwed, teenage mother. Letterman later apologized for the joke.
Her 2008 running mate, Sen. John McCain, wouldn't be offering reaction on Friday, a spokeswoman said.
Palin also complained that her 14-month-old son, Trig, who was diagnosed with Down's syndrome, had been "mocked and ridiculed by some mean-spirited adults recently." She didn't elaborate.
Fred Malek, a Republican strategist who has advised Palin over the past year, said Palin was "really unhappy with the way her life was going."
"She felt that the pressures of the job combined with her family obligations and the demands and desires to help other Republican candidates led her to decide not to run again. Once that decision was made, she realized, why not do it now and let the lieutenant governor take over and get a head start on his election," Malek said.
The 2008 vice presidential nominee was seen as a likely presidential contender in 2012 and had proved formidable among the party's base. But the last week brought a highly critical piece in Vanity Fair magazine, with unnamed campaign aides questioning if she was ever really prepared for the presidency.
The backbiting continued through the week, with follow-up articles recounting the nasty infighting that plagued her failed bid. Her advisers sniped with other Republicans, underscoring the deeply divided GOP looking for its next standard bearer.
Palin's resignation announcement caught Republicans and Democrats alike by surprise, but it also suggested she had her eyes on another presidential run. She alluded to how she could help change the country and help military members — code that she didn't think her time on the national stage was over.
But the early exit from the governorship also raised questions about how serious she takes her job.
Palin's resignation, timed on the eve of the July 4 holiday when many Americans had already begun a three-day weekend, seemed designed to avoid publicity while openly leaving office.
Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will be inaugurated at the governor's picnic in Fairbanks at the end of the month.
Palin was first elected in 2006 on a populist platform. But her popularity has waned as she waged in partisan politics following her return from the presidential campaign. Her term would have ended in 2010.
Palin expressed frustration with her current role as governor.
"I cannot stand here as your governor and allow the millions of dollars and all that time go to waste just so I can hold the title of governor," Palin said.
Palin's decision even took Parnell by surprise. He said he was told on Wednesday evening, and was not aware that any presidential ambitions were behind the move.
Other recent GOP troubles include affairs by Ensign and Sanford. Ensign, a member of the Christian ministry Promise Keepers, stepped down from the Senate Republican leadership last month after admitting he had an affair for much of last year with a woman on his campaign staff who was married to one of his Senate aides. Ensign later disclosed he had helped the woman's husband get two jobs during the affair.
A government watchdog group, Citizens for Responsibility and Ethics in Washington, wants the Senate ethics committee and the Federal Election Commission to investigate.
Just days after news of Ensign's affair broke, Sanford admitted an affair with a woman in Argentina. Some lawmakers are now calling for his resignation. Before the admission, Sanford had been missing from the state for five days visiting his lover. He had slipped his security detail, lied to his staff about where he was and failed to transfer power to the lieutenant governor in case of a state emergency.
The party's troubles seem to have left two prominent 2012 prospects, former House Speaker Newt Gingrich and 2008 presidential hopeful Mitt Romney, unscathed, however.
BB, One more thing. There is a huge difference in having children that have learning disabilities and those that have Down's Syndrome. She also has five children, which is a large number to have in this day and age. Add in the unwed daughter that now has a baby of her own and no husband. I don't see Palin's situation to be "run of the mill". By the way, don't you think that it is just a little unusual that a woman would be willing to leave a five month old Down's Syndrome baby at home to run for office? I do. Or maybe when the fifth one came along, it just wasn't a big thing any more. Just think...Trig is Bristol's kid's uncle! No, not unusual at all. Right?
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I still would like for you to see the Video of Trig, Piper and Sarah Palin......I found it on twitter and it shows how that baby relates to his mother.
I know families that have DS children and a child that is mentally challenged and of course they are different that children with learning disabilities.....a lot of difference.
don't you think that it is just a little unusual that a woman would be willing to leave a five month old Down's Syndrome baby at home to run for office?
I do believe that she had Trig with her on the campaign and that is one thing that everyone was complaining about that she had a DS child on tour with her. She can't do anything right in other people's eyes no matter what she does it turns out to be the wrong thing.....I feel bad for the lady.....
BB, Of course, Trig responds to his mother! And, actually Sarah could have done things right, but she didn't. I don't feel sorry for her. I never feel sorry for opportunists, egomaniacs, liars, etc.
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Just face it. you can't get past the HATE.
dunno where the hate, come in, but I always knew, love/hate have one thing, in common, you have to know the person, to love/hate him/her and as far I know, I didn't see tweetheart, stateing she hated her, besides I would state, I also does feel pity for Sarah Palin, hate her for what she is, wouldnt ever be my agenda, after all, she's the one, there have to live with herself, not me.
Demoness.
Demoness
I believe to really hate/love someone you do have to know them, but the vile that is spewed about Sarah Palin shows the hatred they feel for her even without getting a chance to really "know" her.
I dunno with other's BB.
I can only go with what I feel, but for sure believe, reason people dislike her,,,,, is her profound repetition, of values she wanna apply to women, as long those values, isn't her's to live by.
secondly, I dislike the open closset policy, so many of the rightwing ideals throw out, for us to live by, like abstinance, I mean if I so do choce, to live by those, it's up to me to live by them, not talk about them, sex and the agenda about sex, is an individual thing, not something there needs to bassuned out, too all the corner's of the world.
I am in a way, old fassion and don't wanna know, about people are straight or gay, I think, it's a private matter and isn't something, you need to tell the world about, like Ellen Degenris and Rosie O'Donnel, like you couldn't figure out they are butch.
I mean, why is it we all have too know? like for real, it matters, what sexual prefferences people have and it's here, Sarah comes in too, like by declearing abstinens, after the fact, is an excuse, for not being a parent, when things was going on, the values, should have been applyed and she shouldn't have allowed, him in her bed, in the first place.
Then the mistake is made, now you for all, don't need to make it worse, by adding insult to injury and dragg you daughter, into political statements and make it, all public, that she made a mistake, if she couldn't run for VP. without being a hypocrit, she should have stayed out of the race, also don't for a sec tell me, she wasn't aware about that would make, her daughter a fullblown target for being pointed finger's and laughed at, with public media scruteney.
Third : when a doctor tell you, that a pregnancy you wanna go into, have 84% of a chance, that you will get a child, with down syndrome, you don't go ahead and do it anyways and have US taxpayers, pay for this child and exspect, that you won't, hear for that either, for me it's not one thing about Sarah Palin, its all she have done the last 10 years, theres standing out, again isn't hate, in my mind, there make me detest her.
It's again the bashing, she gives others and if you wanna tell people, how they should live there lives and to be all that perfect, you better live, with those same ideals and virtues, you dictate other people to have.
If she was a saint, had those opinion's and lived by them, I would think less people had something against her, I still doubt, she would have enough cloud, to run for office because, she for real don't have, what it takes to lead the US.
That's my point of view, I don't neccesary have to be right in this, but is my opinion.
Demoness.
There are just too many libs, too many statists, whose every vote constitutes vote abuse. If you can't get a grasp of the issues and world history, just recognize your limitations and quit polluting the ballot box. Don't drag us all down with you.
well kiss it is, like you somewhere stated yourself, if you don't like America, feel free to leave anytime, no one holds you, it's a free country. (A)
Demoness.
Demoness
I guess you are saying here that Sarah Palin preached about things that she didn't live by....I don't think that is true.
On abstinence..........We all know that with abstinence that is the surest way you don't get pregnant or spread STD....(.sexual transmitted diseases.) Also realisticallyI don't see that happening with a lot of teens today with the freedom of birth control and abortion......Her daughter did make a mistake, but that to me is not Sarah Palin's fault, it is up to the daughter to make the wise decision not to have sex.
I too do not care about ones sexual preferences, but today everything is so PC.
What was Sarah Palin suppose to do, drop out of the race to be VP because her daughter made a mistake? I do not agree. But I do think the Media should have left the 17 year old daughter alone and the bloggers should not have beat her down.
So you think Sarah Palin should have gone against her beliefs about abortion and had TRIG aborted.....I am sorry you are wrong there as well.....He is her baby....he can hold down a job one day....I know several Downs Syndrome adults that are working in fast food chains. They are such nice and sweet people. I also know someone with a blind child, she could have had her aborted because she is blind, but that is her baby and she loves her, and yes she receives a check from the government for aid.
After I type all of this what I see about Sarah Palin is love and caring for people. I don't see her bashing at all.
I don't see her as a Saint at all and I will never believe that she pretends to be one.
dont now change the subject matter BB I wanna argu fair not pretends you know it and I know it she was adviced before she was pregnant she knew up front before pregnant what the score was and decided to go on with it anyway's
like she knew and allowed boyfriend in her daughters room.
and Oooops, they wasn't reading the bible in there, in the dark.
my parent's wouldn't have allowed a guy around me alone, in my room even in full daylight, sleeping with a guy, are you kidding me ???
Demoness.
dont now change the subject matter BB I wanna argu fair not pretends you know it and I know it she was adviced before she was pregnant she knew up front before pregnant what the score was and decided to go on with it anyway's
Demoness, show me where I changed the subject matter...I went through every Paragraph of yours and responded with my thoughts about what you said.
Now I don't know who you are talking about "know what the score was before pregnant and decided to go on with it"......Are you saying that Sarah Palin got pregnant knowing her chances of having DS child. I don't know too much about Sarah Palin getting pregnant that it was planned or an accident.....I do know that when she found out it was a DS baby she decided to go ahead and give birth and not abort it.
like she knew and allowed boyfriend in her daughters room.
and Oooops, they wasn't reading the bible in there, in the dark.
I don't know about all of this either, but I can tell you that you don't have to sleep in a bed to get pregnant, if they want to have sex it can be in the back seat of a car, or front seat in a truck, or down by the riverside. I did read the rumor about the sleep over, but I believe that was after the pregnant fact. However, I wouldn't have allowed that in my house....
my parent's wouldn't have allowed a guy around me alone, in my room even in full daylight, sleeping with a guy, are you kidding me ???
But do you know this for a fact that she did.....before Bristol got PREGNANT?
BB
I reffered to her own statements, about she allowed bristol, the sleepovers, but was on the ideer, she would make the adult decision not to have sex.
But you saw what happen.
Does it make her innocent, giving her daughter the charge, I dunno, I am the wrong one to state, for or against, just know, I wouldn't have been in that possision, my parent's isn't hip, or my friends but my parent's, there use final verdict and would have been, a no go, in that direction.
Her main physisian "Sarah Palin's" MD. stated that being concieving, in her age and her medical history, was to risky and chance, for getting a child with down syndrome, was in the 84% chance and she should be happy with amount of children, she already had, out of that, she still made her own decission, against doctor's advice.
thats all, I dunno her motives and for real don't care, people do strange things, why they do them, is all in there minds, maybe she had motives, we don't know about, maybe she thought, the doctor wasn't sounding, to sure, and she knew, clock was ticking, towards the end and toke a chance.
I am not God and don't wanna redicule any, just is, she open herself up, for all these attacks, when she try to tell others, what to do, and pull her sainthood out, like she's clear of all, only the ones she approach, is the sinners and have a need, for a better moral and that to me, is the sound of a hypocrit.
Demoness.
Demoness
I just wish you would link where you read that Sarah Palin got pregnant against Dr's advice.
The sleep over thing was out of the mouth of Levi Johnston trying to get attention on the Tyra Banks show......I didn't believe a word he said, and you know why? He is a JERK.....a nice guy wouldn't get on TV and boast about having sex with someone he had a close relationship with....
I dunno where it's located now, was on the vine, when I came on, I had a couple statements there and was an AP article, who had leaked it? and why and about you can trust the messenger, I dunno, just is, Sarah Palin never contested, that article, so makes you wonder, about maybe just maybe it was the truth.
But too me, it seems all things stated, she do contest, so why she didn't contest that doctor, if he was lying, makes you wonder.
Demoness.
BB.
Besides I didn't came on the vine, to for real go at Sarah Palin, as a person.
I was makeing my finals, in national eco/polit/science and had Alaska as project.
I, with three other student's never released any report or findings, but only made it as scorecard into the finals.
I am high profile myself and won't risk involvement in anything, there can look like criminal action's, but 9 other students, did leak there reports, to the bloggers and media.
About that was the reason for her to leave office I dunno and for real, again don't care just do I know. I have no involvement in this. what so ever.
Demoness.
PS. thats my final no more comment's.
I just explained why I don't like her. Isn't that reason enough?
Real advocates for a cause are high profile figures. No exposure, no money from the people holding the purse.
Angeline Jolie - UNHCR - for example.
Money, moolah, Benjamins...what part you people don't understand?
7 to 11 million dollar book deal, speech fees at at least 25,000 each....c'mon now!
kind,
How much money is and will be behind the machinery for re-electing our President?.
As you could judge his trip to Russia wasn't a success, in fact Putin had warm words for the former President Bush in his B-Day..
Why Obama can have it and not Sarah Palin?
As you could judge his trip to Russia wasn't a success
Why? Being his first full day your judgement seems premature.
Didn't Palin say she could see Russia from her backyard?
No, actually, it was Tina Fey who cracked that "I can see Russia from my house."
Palin's statement was that you could actually see Russia from land in Alaska... The fact that the idea that you could "see" Russia from land in Alaska (on a clear day) gave her actual foreign diplomatic experience, when she'd never actually BEEN to Russia or, as far as anybody can tell, had even SPOKEN to a Russian is just about as silly as Fey's comment.
Not good with History, but wasn't Alaska purchased from RUSSIA?
Palin's statement was that you could actually see Russia from land in Alaska
That's the same as saying "I can see Russia from my backyard," so she did say it.
Auteur
As for her own remarks during the campaign, she stood by at least one of them. She repeated perhaps the most lampooned of her campaign remarks when discussing the importance of Alaska’s geographical location to the country’s defense.
“Yes, you can see Russia from Alaska,” she said to much laughter.
When talking about what she says is her foreign policy experience, Sarah Palin told ABC news “…you can actually see Russia from land here in Alaska, from an island in Alaska.”
That quote made us want to go to that island.The island is called Little Diomede Gary Tuchman
Actually it isn't Standing in her backyard she may only see her neighbors, but at a certain point in Alaska you can see Russia.
It is amazing that everyone wants to remember what the so called comedian Tina Fey said and not what Sarah Palin really said.
Maybe they shouldn't have found an actress who's a near exact twin of Sarah Palin. Too bad it wasn't Tina Fey running for VP.
Yeh, Tina Fey might would have won........people loves a TV personality that is really the village idiot and not a woman who is really intellectual......
Except Tina Fey is actually smart and supports women's rights and doesn't shoot wolves from the air.
Tina Fey shoots beavers from bar stools.
Except Tina Fey is actually smart and supports women's rights and doesn't shoot wolves from the air.
By this remark I see you don't know much about preserving wild life.....Why do you think there is such a thing called "Hunting Season"? Look it up......read and learn.
I know alot about preserving wildlife -- freezing, canning, smoking, curing, drying. If you know more, post them please.
There is no season for shooting beaver.
She is a quitter and she always will be.
She is a loser and she always will be.
I just don't trust her, to me she is the female George Bush.
The society is facing problems with such laws. This has to go legal and it’s needed to be sorted at the earliest....................................
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