In a news conference today Alaskan Governor Sarah Palin gave a passionate speech saying:
“People who know me know that besides faith and family, nothing’s more important to me than our beloved Alaska,” and “Serving her people is the greatest honor I could imagine.”
And with that she put in her two weeks notice and quit with more than a year left on her current term.
“I am determined to take the right path for Alaska even though it is not the easiest path,” said Governor Palin after the announcement. “Once I decided not to run for re-election, I also felt that to embrace the conventional ‘Lame Duck’ status in this particular climate would just be another dose of ‘politics as usual,’ something I campaigned against and will always oppose. It is my duty to always protect our great state. With that in mind, my family and I determined that it is best to make a difference this summer, and I am willing to change things, so that this administration, with its positive agenda, its accomplishments, and its successful road to an incredible future, can continue without interruption and with great administrative and legislative success. I look forward to helping others – to fight for our state and our country, and campaign for those who believe in smaller government, free enterprise, strong national security, support for our troops, and energy independence.”
I am not sure who is advising Palin about her political future, especially a possible 2012 presidential bid, but this will just make things harder for her. If she does decide to run in 2012 she will be tagged as “The Quitter” early in the campaign. Hardly a day will go by during the race where she would not hear from her opponent's camp that she “cut and run” when the going got tough.
