Governor Palin and Governor Fitial at the Governor's Conference
July 4, 2009
Sarah Palin, Governor of Alaska and John McCain's vice-presidential candidate has abruptly announced that she will resign from office at the end of this month. The question is why.
Paul Bagala's TakeSarah Palin, Governor of Alaska and John McCain's vice-presidential candidate has abruptly announced that she will resign from office at the end of this month. The question is why.
Elected officials must have a very good reason to abandon their post before the end of the term if they expect to maintain a career in politics. The news conference she gave yesterday left many scratching their heads.
Palin was one of the most undignified, unconventional candidates ever to hit the national political scene. I couldn't stand to listen to her (except when she wasn't Palin, but was Tina Fey). Unfortunately, I doubt that she will be leaving the airwaves after she leaves office.
From the New York Daily News:
Shannon Moore on Huffington Post reported that an "iceberg scandal" is looming:The Brad Blog reports that:
Read more at The Village Voice and also The Odd Lies of Sarah Palin at the Atlantic.
Here's a transcript of her rambling resignation speech.
Palin was one of the most undignified, unconventional candidates ever to hit the national political scene. I couldn't stand to listen to her (except when she wasn't Palin, but was Tina Fey). Unfortunately, I doubt that she will be leaving the airwaves after she leaves office.
From the New York Daily News:
Sarah Palin's bizarre bailout dooms her chances of ever being President, Republican mandarins said Friday - but she was already finished.
The Alaska governor's disastrous star turn as John McCain's running mate, followed by her lurching, controversial encore on the national scene, had already sealed her fate - except, perhaps, with the GOP's most far-right wing.
Still, the experts were unanimously stunned to hear her walk off the job with 16 months left in her term - shrinking her résumé even more and surrendering the best platform she has beyond her double-edged celebrity status.
"If you aspire to the highest office in the land, then suddenly think your lieutenant governor can do a better job - not exactly a profile in courage," one party pro told the Daily News.
Few GOP insiders were surprised Palin decided against running for reelection. The Alaska statehouse is too isolated a locale for any politician aspiring to high national office, they said.
"You need to be in the Lower 48 to be credible politically," a senior adviser to several Republican Presidents noted.
But quitting mid-term with a rambling rant is not the way to get there.
"She proved she couldn't play in the big leagues last fall and now she's proven it again," one of the party's most prominent kingmakers said. "If you can't even handle a governorship, there's no way you can handle the White House.
"She couldn't win - but now she can't even run," added the official, who once was among her most fervent boosters.
"She has an incredibly thin résumé, a serious lack of gravitas, no coherent philosophy and the people around her are amateurs," another top Republican pol argued. "She's finished."Senator Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska) had this to say:
“I am deeply disappointed that the Governor has decided to abandon the State and her constituents before her term has concluded.”
Some speculate that Palin is leaving office because she has a better gig waiting for her. Others are saying that she wants to get paid for her public appearances and perhaps even become the queen of hate radio, the female Rush Limbaugh (scary thought).
But I'm leaning towards those who claim that a scandal is looming. There have been rumors since last year that questioning improprieties in the building of the $12.5 million Wasilla Sports Complex and the Palin home.
Shannon Moore on Huffington Post reported that an "iceberg scandal" is looming:
Sarah Palin's speech this morning rocked Alaskans and people around the country. Palin's predictability is her unpredictability. I'm seeing Alaskan flags on cars, in front of houses, some citizens expressing their own Independence Day. Other citizens are angry and playing the blame game; the bloggers, the MSM, Alaskan legislators, her family under attack, etc.
For weeks the rumors of a criminal investigation against the governor have been brewing. They are rumors, but are swirling fresh again with Palin's resignation. I'm holding my breath for the other "Naughty Monkey" to drop. Another theory for the resignation is that the Palins would have to disclose the book deal as well as other financial details as governor.
...Rumors of an "iceberg scandal" have been circulating.
Resignation is certainly out of character for Sarah Palin. Senator Mark Begich had a meeting with Sarah Palin two days ago with no mention of her leaving office. Palin's press secretary, David Murrow had posted on his Facebook page Wednesday, "David Murrow is considering life's ironies." He was hired less than a month ago. Yesterday he wrote, "There's gonna be some fireworks this weekend!"
Palin's father, Chuck Heath, told Fox News that he thought her resignation was due to the negativity from the media. According to Heath, the governor was unable to be effective while she was constantly having to defend herself against ethics complaints and the media.
"I've now been able to get independent information from multiple sources that all of this precedes what are said to be possible federal indictments against Palin, concerning an embezzlement scandal related to the building of Palin's house and the Wasilla Sports Complex, built during her tenure as Mayor. Both structures, it is said, feature the "same windows, same wood, same products." Federal investigators have been looking into this for some time, and indictments could be imminent, according to the Alaska sources.There's more on the Palin house-sports complex connection on The Daily Kos:
The BRAD BLOG has not been able to receive confirm from any federal sources on this. Our information comes from local Alaskans who follow Palin, and who have been keeping an eye on this for some time, while keeping it quiet at the request of federal investigators."
"Remember the massive, and horribly overpriced sports complex that Sarah Palin pushed through in Wasilla? Well, it seems that the sports complex contractors and architect have strong links and ties to Palin. Spenard Building Supplies was one, and wouldn’t you know, they also supplied the materials for the Palin’s home. Sure, a small connection, but get this–Spenard also was the supplier for Ted Stevens cabin. This one building supply company is involved with Palin, Stevens, the Wasilla sports complex, and is a financial contributor to Palin. Keep in mind that the sports complex was being constructed at the very same time as the Palin’s home.
This connection is neither fleeting, nor minor. This appears to be a pattern of concurrent events that makes it more and more likely that the Palin’s home may have been some sort of quid pro quo arrangement for the massive influx of money into the building supply company. An area that could reinforce this connection would be if the architect of the Wasilla sports complex, Blase Burkhart (also a contributor to Palin), had anything to do with the construction of the Palin’s home.Another interesting twist to the story is that Sarah Palin was, at the time, also running for Lieutenant Governor, a position that could further reward those contributing to her campaign, and those that were involved with the Wasilla sports complex and the construction of Sarah Palin’s home. We know that Alaska has been a bastion of corrupt political activities."
The Juneau Empire reported that Alaska spent nearly $300K investigating ethics complaints against Palin.
Here's a transcript of her rambling resignation speech.
Photo of the Palin house from The Brad Blog
UPDATE:
The Los Angeles Times reports that Sarah Palin is not under investigation by the F.B.I.:
Despite rumors of a looming controversy after the Republican governor's surprise announcement Friday that she would leave office this month, some of them published in the blogosphere, the FBI's Alaska spokesman said the bureau had no investigation into Palin for her activities as governor, as mayor or in any other capacity.
"There is absolutely no truth to those rumors that we're investigating her or getting ready to indict her," Special Agent Eric Gonzalez said in a phone interview Saturday. "It's just not true." He added that there was "no wiggle room" in his comments for any kind of inquiry.
The FBI has been active in mounting corruption investigations in Alaska, some to see whether local, state and federal lawmakers illegally received favors, money or free construction work from businesses or people seeking favors.
So my guess would be that the self-anointed "pitbull" feels confined by the office and wants the freedom to be a full time, in-your-face spokesperson for the Republican Party.
Read also:
Update from the Brad Blog
The L.A. Times says Palin's speech had shades of Nixon's 1962 speech.
Maureen Dowd, New York Times: "Caribou Barbie is one nutty puppy."
8 comments:
I figured she had a better, more lucrative, offer waiting for her. She doesn't seem all that public-spirited to me, and I could see her leaving the job as governor for personal gain.
But scandal is another possible motive.
Somehow, I'm not convinced yet. I think she'd wait until the charges were filed and play innocent, if a scandal were brewing. Quitting in advance of indictment (assuming one is coming down the pike) means she has more integrity or conscience than I'd given her credit for.
Guess we'll wait and see.
She is a disgrace to womankind. She is a quitter and has proven she doesn't have what it takes to govern a state, never mind a nation. Heard another rumor she's joining FOX. Good. Never watch it.
Liberal rumor garbage. This comes right from the FBI:
"Normally, we don't confirm or deny those kind of allegations out there. But, by not doing so, it just casts her in a very bad light," said FBI Special Agent Eric Gonzalez, who confirmed for CNN the statement he made to the Anchorage Daily News. "There is just no truth to those rumors out there in the blogosphere."
Wendy before you start posting other sources of information (which this blog seems to simply cut & paste without any research) please do some research yourself.
Anonymous 3:14
Please read the post again. There are many questions (from liberals, conservatives and others) as to why Palin would abandon the office. Most elected officials just don't abandon ship. Many people, myself included, think the transcript of Palin's remarks is a rambling document that offers no real explanation.
The rumor that it is connected to the sports complex-house allegations has been circulating in hundreds of papers and online sources since October 2008. I presented it as a rumor and it was researched as a rumor. I also posted the FBI quote which came out after newspapers and bloggers reported on the rumor.
Speculation and rumors reported as just that -speculation and rumors - most certainly have a place in any blog and any discussion. Truth is revealed through discussion and apparently was here as the FBI said that Palin is not under investigation (right now).
As for your qualifier "liberal", let me say that what I write is my choice. I am not paid. I am not a reporter, and I certainly don't answer to anonymous commenters. Furthermore, considering what I think of Palin, this was a very polite post.
3:14
Bloggers interpret the news, opinions, rumors, gossip, and experiences through their own lenses and with their own perspectives. Wendy is clear on her political stand and values. Rumors that are so well distributed should be looked at. I see no problem with this posting and it's obvious she did do research to find the material she quoted. What's your real beef?
Liberal rumor gossip garbage huh? How about Rush Limbaugh in March 1994 with his comments on the Vince Foster murder investigation?
If I remember he stated on his radio program that carpet fibers from a condo owned by Hillary Clinton were found on his dumped body. He flat out stated Foster was murderded in Hillary's condo and then dumped in the DC park. Now he wonders why the Dems and Libs are attacking him.
"The White House travel office controversy, often referred to as Travelgate,[1] was the first major scandal of the Clinton administration. It began in May 1993, when seven longtime employees of the White House Travel Office were fired, after a brief investigation by the Federal Bureau of Investigation. The White House said the action was due to financial improprieties in the office operation. Critics said the actions were done to allow friends of the Clintons to take over the travel business and that the involvement of the FBI was unwarranted. Heavy media attention forced the White House to reinstate most of the employees in other jobs and remove the Clinton associates from the travel role."
Ultralibdems should point out that there are an equal number of Dems who are corrupt and do get investigated. Some even go to prison. It seems that any chance Wendy has she goes for the Republican throat...BTW, Obama has so far supported most of Bush's policies LOL!
http://www.gossiprocks.com/forum/u-s-politics-issues/80948-sarah-palin-hired-disgraced-crony-jack-abramoffs-lobby-firm-such-maverick.html
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