Thoughts: Palin's Resignation

I mentioned in the last post that I would venture my thoughts about my interests more, and one of my primary interests is following political news. Last Friday, Sarah Palin announced that she would resign later this month as Governor of Alaska, seeking instead to effectuate positive change from outside the government. This, of course, is only news because Palin is the former Vice Presidential candidate, and one who was very popular with the conservative base of the Republican party. Since the November election, its been widely speculated that she would run for the White House in 2012, or at least seek the Republican nomination for 2012. This resignation clearly flies in the face of that speculation.

I obviously have no knowledge of why Palin deciding to resign. I understand she has said that her reasons were in her address last Friday. I've heard that address several times, and read the speech, but I am still not sure if there was one specific reason why she did this. The things she talked about, media coverage, ethics complaints, and so on, well, that's politics, particularly for someone as high profile as she is. So, if I am supposed to interpret from her decision that she wants nothing more to do with politics, that makes sense I suppose. Because I can't imagine this decision doing anything to further her political career or agenda.

Its possible this decision was a family decision, to remove herself from the spotlight so that her family wouldn't be in it and under scrutiny as well. Leaving aside the whole debate about whether the family should be in the spotlight, and who put her family in that spotlight, if that is the reason she decided to step away, that at least makes sense to me, and has some admirable qualities to the decision.

But from the political side of this thing, one has to figure that she has no realistic chance for the presidency in 2012. Maybe later, as she is still young, if she gets back into the political arena and continues to gather more national policy experience. As it stands right now though, she remains a candidate that has no national policy experience, and her political experience is limited to less than a year and a half as a governor of a small state, politically speaking, a small town mayor, and serving on some administrative and regulatory boards. While I imagine she will stay popular with the conservative base of the Republican party, as she promotes their core philosophy of Pro-Life (anti-abortion), less government, lower taxes, less economic regulation, pro gun, etc., its hard to imagine her having any broad national appeal to the independent voters that usually decide national elections. Particularly in 2012, when presumably the Republican nominee will be facing an incumbent President, who can no longer be attacked for not having a lengthy track record of experience, or associating with terrorists, etc. (well, I guess Obama can be attacked for that, he still is now I suppose - but to middle of the road independents, barring something outrageous happening by Obama in the next few years, it would stretch their imagination to see a sitting U.S. President as inexperienced an un-American).

It will be interesting to see how, and if, her political career proceeds from here on out.