BA BYE...

She is quitting after only two and a half years of being governor. Could she be doing this with 2012 in mind? It doesn't really reflect well on her that she only lasted half a term as governor. I wonder what is going on here.

Oh okay I was confused as to whether she is stepping down or just not going to run for a second term. So she's stepping down.

I don't see what the point of saying you wont run for a second term is if you're stepping down because if she steps down and then says hey I want to run again Alaskans are gonna be like sorry Charlie you left.

I think a presidential run is a far reach at such an early date...I foresee trouble of the "GOP Kind".

Something must be going on for her to take this drastic step. I, too, think it may be a little early for her to be thinking of 2012. Plus it doesn't exactly look good for you as a presidential candidate if you can't stick it out through one term as governor.

Yeah this is really strange. I wonder what the real reason behind it is. Like you said Kas, it doesn't make sense to step down now, just to make running for President easier cause you lose the credit of completing an entire term as Governor.

I don't see why she would have step down to start a campaign for the Presidency rather than just finish her term.

She wouldn't have to step down. Especially at this point.

Yeah she could just choose not to run for reelection in 2010. Maybe a huge scandal is about to hit the fan? Or maybe she's been offered a better deal doing something else. Though bailing on your term for a better offer doesn't say much about your commitment. Could also be a family emergency...

D*mn, now I really want to know what happened!

I just heard this in the car. I also wonder about her reasons, but for now I'll just take her at her word. After all, I really don't blame her for being so disillusioned about anything to do with Government positions. I wouldn't want to be in her shoes. Or any other political leaders for that matter.

I honestly don't think she'll be running for President.

OH MY GOD WHERE IS SHE GOING ?

I always like to have an eye on her. When I know that she's in Alaska, I feel so safe... because the threat is contained...

(Guys, this is a joke, don't jump on me, ok ? )

"When I know that she's in Alaska, I feel so safe... because the threat is contained.."

I watched a few minuets of her press conference. She is rambling over over the place, she appears to be under great duress...

Yeah the speech was odd. She seemed agitated or something. She has certainly given better speeches.

"After all, I really don't blame her for being so disillusioned about anything to do with Government positions"

AMEN! This woman has been dragged through the mud so much, over nothing, that I wouldn't blame her for stepping down and disappearing.

However, it it does seem fishy... she is kind of an oddball though and has this odd way of saying things and sticking to them (very strange for a politician) so maybe it makes sense if you look at it in the pattern.

it would be awesome though if she turned out to be Mark Sanford's mistress and the Argentine was a cover!

Ahaha, Haus, I'm currently laughing my ass off...

I think the media pundits' heads would explode...

Here's the press conference:

"it would be awesome though if she turned out to be Mark Sanford's mistress and the Argentine was a cover!"

If she is running for election in 2012 and that is the reason for her stepping down, I have to have respect for someone who knows that they cannot devote full attention to their current job and serving the citizens of Alaska, vs. running for president the entire time you were a senator, and not even voting on behalf of your citizens more than any other senator. But there could be personal reasons, and i am more inclined to think that is the real reason (but that is just a hunch)

Hain - I agree, I think she's just sick of it and wants to be with her family and call it day. I can't beleive the attacks on her and her family, its sickening. So I wouldn't blame her for bowing out.

However, if I were an Alaskan who voted for her I think I'd be a bit pissed that she couldn't finish out the term. Then again, Alaska will have more money now that its not busy trying to fend off the BS lawsuits that come against this woman.

I think she sounds unstable, and what reasonable grown up declares their job complete and a wild success halfway through and walks away?
She signed on for four years and if the scrutiny and fighting was too much for her, she could have kept her daughter off the cover of People and not publicly denounced every critic or comedian - that's how other people do it.

Fox News claims that Davis Letterman was the straw that broke the camel's back.

I'm sure Letterman and Vanity Fair will get the blame. But Palin's unstable, like Mark Sanford unstable.

GKitty, the right word being "claims"... I don't think that a joke, even in poor taste, pushed her to make that kind of decision.

DAVID LETTERMAN! go get my glasses....

OH MY GOD...will someone please make her take a speech class? I don't even understand what she's saying. What does any of this have to do with anything?

So basically she doesn't like the way things are going so she's giving up and having other people fight her fight instead.

Whatevs.

She's stepping down on my birthday. Please don't let this take any of the attention away from me.

Yeah, HF, she should have used a teleprompter.

LOL....nice birthday present mich.

I think she made it clear that she is going to work for child advocacy in speech. I heard it clear as a bell, didn't anyone else?

I agree that she and her family were picked apart like a rabbit dropped in an Eagles nest which was ridiculous to me. Criticizing her knowledge and experience is one thing and fare but going aggressively after the family was just ugly.

And I'm very glad the David Letterman incident happened because it acted as a reality check for all of us that maybe we have gone too far.

Ok I don't watch a whole lot of tv so I'm going to need to google this David Letterman business.

Though I call bs on an adult stepping down because of the media pressure. I wouldn't blame her for choosing not to run again, but come on...but shirking your "freely chosen" responsibilities for something that frivolous rubs me the wrong way.

I agree Jessiebanana (if) it were just that issue but I think it's quite a few issues that are going on here.

Yeah I got that. Protect the children. It was all very vague. Absolutely no specifics.

Ok I saw David Letterman skit, why did the Palin's jump to the assumption that he was talking about their young daughter? It's the older one that's pregnant. Joke was definitely in poor taste, funny, but in poor taste.

Ok now back to the op...

I feel like she's pissed or "disillusioned" cause she wanted to bring her personal beliefs and life into politics, but is mad because she can't have it without the backlash. I don't think her daughters should have to suffer because of her, but I think it's primarily her fault. She turned herself and her family in caricatures.

Happy Birthday Mich!

Oh yes happy birthday!!! How old are you now?

Oh yeah HAPPY BIRTHDAY. lol

LMAO! I'm watching the speech on TV and I guess the you tube vid didn't pic up the waterfowl in the back ground but on the TV broadcast the birds sound like they're laughing hysterically at her.

Jessie, because the younger daughter was the one at the game. The older daughter Bristol was not there nor even in the same town. He simply should have said he made a mistake and move on but he wouldn't do that and drug it on. He may have intended the joke to be about Bristol but willow was the one at the game. He handled the situation, and even made more jokes. It made me lose respect for him for not accepting responsibility to begin with. And I actually like to watch him.

"OH MY GOD...will someone please make her take a speech class? I don't even understand what she's saying. What does any of this have to do with anything?
So basically she doesn't like the way things are going so she's giving up and having other people fight her fight instead." - HF
I totally agree with this.

"it would be awesome though if she turned out to be Mark Sanford's mistress and the Argentine was a cover!"

Will Saturday Night Live have a SPECIAL? Between the bird calls and the baby (I guess) I fell asleep...I still don't know what the hell she's talk'n about.

Then don't watch. I don't know why you all care so much!

I think after getting a taste of the national spotlight she got bored with Alaska. "Outside of government" she can make whatever money she wants without having to worry about pesky ethics and she can have all the attention without having to deal with the ho-hum, everyday duties of elected office. However I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. After the whole Sanford thing, I think this is too bizarre to be "nothing."

I agree Woop. This is too strange and too sudden to be about nothing. She could have stuck it out to the end of her term. Even to the end of the fiscal year. But to bail at the end of the month? Just odd.

Has there ever been a governor who has just quit? Not step down because of scandal but just up and quit?

Sorry guys, it's not my birthday yet! I meant her actual last day, on the 26th. But thank you anyways!

(Jessie, I'll be 21)

21?

Any reason to drink.