They Won't Have Sarah Palin To Kick Around Anymore

YahooNews.com:

The announcement caught even current and former Palin advisers by surprise. Former members of the John McCain campaign team, now dispersed across the country, traded perplexed e-mails and phone calls.

But personal pressures have been mounting — scrutiny on her family, legal bills, ethics investigations and a running, public fued with McCain's camp that has flared up again.

In a hastily arranged news conference at her home in suburban Wasilla, Palin said she will formally step down July 26, and Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will be inaugurated at the governor's picnic in Fairbanks. She said she had decided against running for re-election as Alaska's governor, and believed it was best to leave office even though she had two years left to her term.

"Many just accept that lame duck status, and they hit that road. They draw a paycheck. They kind of milk it. And I'm not going to put Alaskans through that," she said.

The 2008 vice presidential nominee was seen as a likely presidential contender in 2012 and had proved formidable among the party's base. But the last week brought a highly critical piece in Vanity Fair magazine, with unnamed campaign aides questioning if Palin was ever really prepared for the presidency. The backbiting continued with follow-up articles recounting the nasty infighting that plagued her failed bid. Her advisers sniped with other Republicans, underscoring the deeply divided GOP looking for its next standard bearer.

I don't know about this one. Sarah Palin has always stated that she's not a quitter and what does she do now? Quit. Pretty lame move if you ask me. Granted, constant ethic complaints (most of which have been dismissed), controversial remarks in the press and increasing hate by leftwing loons would stress anyone out. But what about the people of Alaska who voted for her? Palin had two years left in her term as governor, how can she just abandon her post like that?

Sarah Palin didn't ask for all the national fame and ridicule she's gotten over the last year, it was John McCain who plucked her out of relative obscurity by picking her to be his VP running mate last year. And sure she made a few stumbles out of the gate, but she quickly uprighted herself, galvanized her party and stood on her record and principles in facing off against hostile liberals who think a woman should apologize for being strong and conservative. For that she earned lots of people's respect, and rightly so. Of course, I feel bad that some insane liberals can't let their utter hatred for Palin go. I feel bad that they continue to attack her family and kids. And who knows, maybe she is setting up a run for President--either way still, this move just doesn't sit right. It's certainly doesn't seem like the kind of play the Sarah Palin I thought I knew would make.