By Paul Chesser on 7.7.09 @ 3:35PM
Sarah Palin certainly has her flaws, but it has been interesting
the last few days to watch her swat away one criticism after
another of her decision to resign the Alaska governorship.
Sarah Palin certainly has her flaws, but it has been interesting
the last few days to watch her swat away one criticism after
another of her decision to resign the Alaska governorship. What's
most refreshing is that, unlike most others whose lives are a
campaign or who place their value on whether they hold elected
office, Palin does not appear to make every life decision a
calculation to maximize personal political benefit. She admits
her inability to hide "Mama Grizzly" when her children are
ridiculed or attacked; she clearly places a higher importance on
God and her family than on government office; she understands
that the moment she accepted the vice presidential nomination
changed everything about her profile and her ability to help
Alaska; and she recognizes that the state she governs can
continue just fine -- maybe better -- without her in office.
AP
reports:
Palin wouldn't rule out a 2012 presidential run, and told
CNN that "all options are on the table" for her future.
"I don't know what doors will be open or closed by then,"
the Republican told Time magazine. "I was telling Todd today, I
was saying, 'Man, I wish we could predict the next fish run so
that we know when to be out on the water.' We can't predict the
next fish run, much less what's going to happen in 2012."
But she told ABC's "Good Morning America" that she
recognizes she might not have political staying power after her
surprise resignation Friday, which came just as she had been
expected to elevate her national profile ahead of a possible
2012 GOP presidential run.
"I said before ... 'You know, politically speaking, if I
die, I die. So be it,'" she said.
That's not to say she has never made a political calculation in
her life in her decisionmaking -- we all do to some degree or
another -- but at least she's courageous enough to recognize
reality, make a bold decision, and suffer the negative
consequences if there are any. Whether it's to free her up for
national speaking, or to concentrate on a 2012 presidential run,
or just to make money -- well, so what? Better that than to
burden your family with hundreds of thousands of dollars in legal
debts, when a state can run just fine without you.
It's foolish for pundits to say her political career is over. It
may have only just begun. If the mocked, ridiculed, and washed-up
Michael Jackson can draw adoration in death, then anything can
happen.
topics:
Sarah Palin
