Why Is Palin Quitting? Ask Auburn, NY
To say she received a hero's welcome would be an understatement. She rode in a parade down streets jammed with gushing well-wishers. Local television showed smiling faces -- young, old, male, female -- all saying how attrractive she was, how sweet, how much they admired her.
She has deeply devoted, dedicated suppporters. One high school senior attending her prom the night of Palin's Auburn appearance skipped her hair appointment - a date she'd booked weeks in advance - to see Palin live.
On that day, Palin enjoyed a kind of rock-star celebrity that was a far cry from her more pedestrian day-to-day dealings with legislators back home in a state where her approval ratings have dropped significantly since she stepped onto the national stage.
As Palin noted in today's jaw-dropping news conference, she and her husband Todd have racked up half a million dollars in fighting accusations of ethics violations.
The equation of Palin's resignation is easy to add up. She experiences love and cheering crowds when she travels to select locations. She's having a hard time back in Alaska and feels that if she continues on as a lame duck governor, she'll be playing politics as usual. It's more appealing to be a maverick and quit instead of continuing to press her nose to a grindstone that doesn't give her warm fuzzies. It's a matter of the instant gratification of "We love You Sarah!" screamed by fans in the lower 48 vs. the delayed gratification of a full term served out in Alaska. It's a crazy move, but it's consistent with what we've seen of Saran Palin.
There's one thing that puzzles me. Palin hails from a family that takes its commitment to team sports seriously. One of the first things a student athlete learns is never quit. Her perseverance as an athlete and runner has constantly been referenced, and ironically enough, she's being featured in an upcoming issue of Runner's World. So doesn't quitting equate to being a bad sport?
We're all still reeling from the news of her resignation. As we wonder about the possible reasons why -- an undisclosed scandal about to surface? bad times ahead as the governor of Alaska? more ethics charges lodged against her? -- remember the story of Auburn, NY. It isn't so far-fetched.
Comments
Auburn, New York has a toilet paper factory and a prison. It is a true rusty toilet of a town, and it is places like this that she is popular. go figure. She will never be elected president of the united states.
Sarah Palin is Toast – She’s finished as a Presidential Candidate – the DEMs will just point out how she is a QUITTER and can not take the pressure. WHAT IS THE REAL REASON SHE QUIT?!
Another nail in the GOP coffin if Palin is the 2012 nominee. There is a related post at http://iamsoannoyed.com/?p=2048
I live in Auburn, NY. Believe me, we were NOT all out supporting Sarah Palin. Yes, she is attractive and drew a small crowd of gawkers, however that is about the only positive thing I can say about the woman. FYI, we may have a Prison here, but we are located in the very beautiful central New York Finger Lakes region, come visit sometime
Couldn’t it just be that what she says is in fact the truth? That she’s not interested in being a distraction to state politics any longer? I, for one, believe her.
Palin is all fluff. Her only attribute is that she presents herself well. Beyond that, she is hollow and phony, certainly not practicing what she preaches. Maybe this is what is bringing her down. People typically don’t appreciate hypocrites.
MY prediction? Palin has big money contracts for media gigs and her book, has pr handlers who have helped her orchestrate her rollout as “the voice of the Republican Party” and position her for a presidential run. Her speech was rambling, filled with platitudes, and nonsensical, but that has never bothered her dedicated supporters. She may well have resigned because there was a scandal brewing and/or she has big problems in Alaska. But this resignation is her way of staying in control, of asserting her power. Her gutsiness would be admirable if it were possible to see any reason other than self serving ones for this move.
Auburn is a beautiful small town. The best in New York State. It is a caring community and when strangers come here we welcome them with open arms.
I suspect that the former Governor Palin has been offered a position with Fox News or some such place to spew her venom.
I wish her well, however not as a politician.
You either like her or not. We believe what we want to hear or not. It just kicked people’s b*tt that she has all the same qualities of Obama, except he had two years and Clinton advisors to prepare him and she had “two weeks”. Charisma, energy, good looks, spunk, honesty, down to earth attitude,and intelligent, yes, intelligent. Unless you have worked on a campaign, you won’t understand what it takes to get elected.
Most politicians’kids are off limits to the media, not sure why not hers?? And, I am a democrat, but also a feminist to support and help our sisterhood.
I guess enough was just enough. I mean someone has to protect her family and for sure the media could give a good da*n!!!
Pamela, I think you might be right. She’s better suited IMHO to on-air personality than politician.
Well Seasoned Woman, an Alaskan blog, has a very humorous graphic which plays on her resignation as well as that infamous photo of her with the dead, bloody animal ~ the blogger also used it as an illustration to an opinion piece:
http://dustybee.wordpress.com/2009/07/04/happy-birthday-i-want-a-divorce/sarah-hunter/
I live in Auburn, it’s a great city- given the choice to see Palin in the parade or mow my lawn was easy. I mowed my lawn!!!!!!
Don’t take your comments out on the city as they did get some attention. Where is this toilet paper factory that the earlier comment refers to?
Fox News would be right for the soon to be former governor. A great step toward the future for Alaska!
Hi, Linda … as I told Justin, you might be interested in this article on Palin from a new site: The Twittering Class Reacts to Sarah Palin’s Resignation.
Cheers!
(PS – if your ears were burning Sunday evening, it’s because Carolyn and I were talking about you!)
She keeps us guessing, doesn’t she? Which keeps her in the news.
I’m thinking it’s a combination of what you’re saying, Linda, plus simple math. Book deal, millions, no stress vs. stress, expense, a day job that’s not as much fun as it used to be.
I think the Fox News possibility is likely but I saw someone on Fox the other day say it best: “What would William Buckley say if he knew Sarah Palin was being proposed as standard bearer for the GOP?”