Palin Resigns as Alaska's Governor

Sarah Palin shocked the nation today by announcing her plans to resign as Governor of Alaska. Responses from both sides reflect surprise, confusion and agreement that her political career is probably shot.

Josh Marshall of Talking Points Memo comments from the left.

So what happened exactly? As I just mentioned in our editorial chat, this clearly happened so quickly that Palin hasn't even had a chance to come up with a coherent cover story for her resignation. Some context is probably helpful here, however. Remember that based on the public record, Palin is a wildly unethical public official, guilty at a minimum of numerous instances of abusing her authority as governor. And a lot of very damaging information has come out about her in the last few days -- though mainly embarrassing information about her character rather than new evidence of bad acts. I would not be surprised if this latest round of revelations shook something else loose that we haven't heard about yet.

David Frum of New Majority comments from the right.

But if her political career is not quite ended, it now seems headed nowhere positive. Sarah Palin’s approval ratings as governor of Alaska have plunged from over 80% to 55% over a little more than 18 months. Her departure at this time will raise unerasable suspicions that she anticipated still deeper declines. Perhaps some scandal was hovering over the horizon. Perhaps she wished to clear her work schedule to cash in on the lecture and television circuit. Or perhaps she simply wished to be elsewhere when the bills arrived for her reckless management of her state’s finances.

Whatever the motive for the departure, the fact of the departure will exact a terrible cost. Should she run for president, she will face the same question again and again: “What happens if the presidency turns out harder than you expect? Will you quit that job too?” If Margaret Thatcher was the Iron Lady, Palin is the Plaster Lady: Under pressure she has cracked and broken.

Wow.

--Ballard Burgher