What GOP does not need right now is another rebel rouser from among its own ranks, Palin will do what she does best, divide the Republican base up even more. Surely the Dems are laughing up their sleeves.

Agreed, listen to the local right-wing radio hosts, some where happy she did and thinks that now she can do the talking head circuit like foxs, cnn, abc, msnbc, the same as newt does.

But most were quite about giving really any support and often naming off other contenders like romney before her.

being a lefty its pretty good news to me since it further divided the far-right and the far-right radicals up even further along with pushing the moderates out.

plus she’ll give new material for SNL skits and more spoofs.

Can u ask your guess about her Polictial action committee receiving nearly double or triple donations when she she was resigning from a post she really didnt do anything?

or the investigation about ethic violations and the personal family flights she’s been billing to the state?

or the comments made by john McCain about her running for presidents?

can u talk about the growing base and support for Ron Paul now compare to Palin?

Lastly is this the best the republican party can put out there? if so, than that is pretty sweet for the dems.

I admire Palin’s decision. Govenor Palin came to the conclusion that she lacked the necessary skills to effectively lead her constituents through these difficult economic times and that by staying in office, she would only bring further ruin and economic distress upon her constituents. When is Obama going to come to that same conclusion??

Didn’t Palin learn anything from “the quitter” Ross Perot? Oh, I forgot, Palin doesn’t like to read.

She doesn’t finish what she started.
She can’t take the heat of her family being in the press.
She passed the buck and said the kids made the decision.
She meandered through the press conference.
She wants to cash in on her 15 min of fame and make some big bucks.

Sounds peachy to me.

According to republicans like Joe B it’s OK to be a quitter when the going gets tough. Yes sir Joe B that’s what I want a leader a person who will just say “you know what I’m not good enough for this job, I quit.”

I don’t know about anyone else but after listening to Palin’s speech it is clear to me that she is unfit to have any office as she seems to me to be mentally unstable.

I have read that she shows signs of having a ‘narcissistic personality disorder’ which is defined in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders — ‘a pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy’. I also read that she wants to sue journalists for writing bad things about her.

Real presidential material here, I feel sorry for people who support her, how bad does it have to get for people to see that this woman is unfit for any public office.

I think this is about money, she’s going to hit the talk show circuit and do a book tour. It’s all about “her”.

This is off topic, but more important than Palin
There is an interesting and very disturbing piece in this months Rolling Stone on Goldman Sachs. I challenge the producers to a real expose on this story, invite Matt Taibbi on. If what Taibbi says is true then Goldman Sachs has basically taken over our government, in short it looks to me like a kind of coup d’état. I always had issues with Obama’s financial picks and now I feel that my negative feelings about Obama and his handling of the economy have been vindicated.

The Great American Bubble Machine
Matt Taibbi on how Goldman Sachs has engineered every major market manipulation since the Great Depression

http://www.rollingstone.com/politics/story/28816321/the_great_american_bubble_machine

To:

MIOHAMMED N. RAZAVI, DALEVILLE, AL

Sir,

The correct expression is actually “rabble-rouser”, as in “one that stirs up (as to hatred or violence) the masses of the people”, not “rebel-rouser”, as in one that stirs-up deceased members of the Confederacy.

While I was shocked like everyone else about Gov. Palin’s abrupt decision to leave office, I honestly don’t think we’ve heard the last of her. Since her announcement, she’s posted comments on Twitter and Facebook. I think her decision was based on a foolish belief that she has a shot at the White House. Sadly, I think this is only the beginning…

Welcome back, Tom! Missed you much. Great to hear your voice and skills and penetrating interviews. Where ya been, surfing?

Sarah Palin is being a big baby. What? did the job quit being interesting when she couldn’t keep it forever or if it wasn’t launching her nationally quickly enough? I don’t see the SC gov resigning and he actually has a reason to. Were people being too mean to her and her family? boo – f – hoo.

finish what you start. lame duck or not. It’s the office of governor, not the 7-11.

She led while times were easy. Oil prices go down. The economy tanks. Alaskans are starting to see through the THIN curtain of experience and there is nothing there to fall back on. I guess it is time for the point guard to pass the ball; however, the goal of the point guard is to finish the game with her team. The point guard doesn’t pass the ball and go home.

Am I surprised at Palin’s announcement? No. The woman is a ditz. What is truly shocking is that such a high percentage of Americans still think she’s a policitian whom they admire and would even have in position to be president of the United States.

i’m willing to bet she’s leaving alaska to make tons of money in the lower 48 so she can run in 2012.

she doesn’t care that her resume has “quitter” in it. when has she cared about what her opponents have to say about her or about the facts? she’s going to try and rustle up the base by making inflammatory remarks. also, but quitting now, it gives her opponents less ammunition in terms of actions in government.

Please ask your guests if they agree with Ross Douthat in today’s Times saying Palin should have turned down the VP slot:

Had she refused John McCain, Palin would still be a popular female governor in a Republican Party starved for future stars.

I am surprised more by Sarah Palin everyday, and not in a good way. While I definitely don’t think Palin is in anyway qualified to be President or Vice-President, the thing that makes me most nervous are those people that are so endeared with her and are convinced she should be president. They have lifted her up as some sort of icon (and I mean that in a religious sense) and are totally in love with her. She is only one person but those hordes that love her are everywhere.

This may prove interesting to the discussion:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC-tOzXQOsk

This woman scares the bejesus out of me. The fact that anybody takes her seriously, and that she seems to satisfy the people who thought Bush/Cheney were doing a grand job absolutely terrifies me.

I think her political career is over. I’m wondering if she is looking at taking over a religous organization such as Focus on the Family thinking she can make a difference there.

Crazy like a fox? Maybe, but not about a grand strategy to become president. Where Sarah Palin in concerned– just follow the money. This is all about book money, speaking money, and being a big, rich fish in a very small pond populated with her compatriots of the lunatic fringe.

“Politics of personal destruction” indeed. This from the invective spouting empty skirt.

“Hypocrisy – it’s the new statesmanship.”

It’s interesting how the caller who seemed to support her has the same attribute of rambling on without any focus.

She’s toast on the political front.

I would not hire, nor trust, this woman to be a parking valet. The very idea that Americans would even consider her for a presidential nomination leads me to believe that the nation has gone truly insane.

IMHO, just shows what a bullet we dodged when she did NOT become vice-president. Doesn’t want to be a lame duck governor? Every last term is a ‘lame duck’ term no matter when the person decides not to run, or is legally kept from running for another term. And what has she done for the poor lieutenant governor? Dumped it all in his lap with no notice. NICE!

Should she run and manage to get the Republican nomination for 2012, Obama will cruise to a second term.

No one seems interested in reflecting on how ex-Gvernor Palin’s decision (and her way of handling it) reflects on how she might have conducted herself as VP–for however many months she may have decided to keep THAT post.

Is there any chance Ms Palin is trying to do what Mrs. Clinton did, move to a better state to run a campaign?

My favorite part of her announcement: she asked her kids: “Want me to make a positive difference and fight for ALL our children’s future from OUTSIDE the Governor’s office?”

She even push polls her children!!

What are the odds of two republican governors holding rambling press conferences about the end of their political careers in the same month. You have to love the republican party for having so many nut cases to entertain us in these hard times.

Palin’s behaviour MUST be filtered through her own personal psychology.

Many believe her to be so narcissistic (think about someone who can believe after such a short tenure as gov can believe herself to be ready for the national stage, and VP candidate)

Her behaviour is completely understandable if, as a narcissist, she believes herself so extraordinary an individual that when criticized she lashes out at them, when counseled by those with more experience she ignores the advise.

These actions are clearly her way of controlling her own world in which she is the center of every one’s adulation.

I think she is a sad and troubled woman who needs help, but NOT one who should be president of the country, or maybe even the governor of Alaska.

I’d like to hear more about the ethics charges that led her to resign.

It would be interesting to find out what a professional, competent psychologist would have to say about Sarah’s emotional maturity.

Sarah Palin is quitting to kill universal health care and emerge as a Republican hero. It is a saavey po;lital move that might work. Unfortunately.

I got a call from Democracy for America yesterday listing her and Carl Rove as the main Rs working against Obama’s plan.

I could strangle those republicans.

Sarah,Sarah,Sarah… if she is in any way, shape or form to be a Republican star, a “Best and Brightest,” if you will, it’s going to be very bumpy ride for that party. This is the type of star that tends to go nova and become a black hole.

Ren Knopf

Watching her rambling, disjointed announcement on Friday from a comedic perspective, I don’t think Tina Fey could have done a better job.

Can we stop talking about this irrelevant woman now and get back to real news?

This is the Southern Strategy chickens come home to roost. The Repubs went after the base of no-nothings (people who value instant superiority via their beliefs rather than via money or smarts). Urban, suburban, young, minorities, et al are sick of these embarassments.

I think DeTouqueville would see this “cult of personality” in politics derive from our particular brand of democracy. Equal rights morphing into equality of everything. “You can do anything” at graduations. To be a leader and President all you need is “genuineness” and not knowledge. Anyone can be President. Ordinary people can project their frustrated fantasies of greatness into Palin. Add to that an anti-intellectual strain in the history of the American Palin and Woila! … Bush would be fun to have a beer with and Palin is so down homey. Give them the steering wheel! We won’t drive off the road.

If she is overwhelmed by politics, she doesn’t have the stuff for politics. End of story.

My condolences Tom.

I think she feels there would be very little to gain politically by continuing as governor. The issues before her in Alaska were not likely to bring her any political momentum. Her celebrity status would wither there. She has infinitely more to gain both financially and politically as a free agent at present.

Her base is full of free-floating resentment, and doesn’t give much credit to rational thought. This why her announcement—narcissistic (as others have said), rambling, and full of hurt feelings—is perfect for them. We reason-crediting, relatively comfortable,types, seem to have a problem understanding just how pissed-off some White guys are, and how little they care about what we see as politically-mortal deficits on her part. They just know she has a good heart and gut, full of confidence, energy, bile, and the need for absolute vengeance against anyone who ‘looked at her funny’.

Tom, sincere condolences on the death of your mother. Beautiful, touching speech at the end of the program.

– Your listeners and fans.

This is good news. A Palin run in 2012 ensures a second term for Obama, although it drags the process further down into the mud.

Tom —Good show, but tuned in late. Just heard your sign off. Sorry for your loss – sending peace and condolences to you and your family. Your mother was quite a special lady to have produced such a thoughtful human being. We know a piece of her is a present each time you step in front of the microphone. Thanks for sharing the news in such a peaceful way. Peace and blessings…

I am NOT a Gov. Palin fan. BUT I do have an eye and ear for sexism. It reared its ugly head in this morning’s all-male panelists’ discussion and dissection of her and her recent decision to step down.

I have NEVER heard another politician “diagnosed” [sic] as having a narcisstic personality disorder the way she was. ( Or did I miss such statements about say, Gov. Sanford? ) First of all, not one of those who said she might have narcissitic personality disorder is remotely qualified to diagnose anyone with this serious personality disorder. Unless one of them has a degree and license in psychology or psychiatry? It’s a serious mental disorder. Such statements boil down to saying “she’s crazy.”

It’s an age old practice of medicine – and beyond – to dismiss women, our behavior, and our decisions as “emotionally” based – even as “hysterical” (the root of the word hysterectomy is hysteria). It’s still common for women’s complaints in the doctor’s office to be chalked up as psychosomatic. This practice is blatantly sexist regarless of whether it happens ina doctor’s office or on the air. It’s mostly denied as such (and I expect many will read this and say I’m “overreacting” or “too sensitive” — and ironically, both comments would be cases in point).

Too much of the conversation this morning covered that ground. Even the (female) somewhat sympathetic caller at the end talked about her being “overwhelmed.” Granted, Gov. Palin didn’t perform well, but the show’s Monday-morning quarterbacking covered a lot more of the “emotional” ground than I have ever heard about a male politician. When Sanford or Clinton or Edwards apologized for their infidelities, for example, the dissections didn’t address their personal insecurities, “fear of commitment,” low self-esteem leading to an excessive need for external validation, fear of aging, midlife crises, etc. I’m not suggesting here that the discussions should have gone there (although those are the explanations frequently given for affairs when people discuss them over coffee with friends or given as justifications by unfaithful spouses). I’m simply pointing out the pervasive and insidious double standard that persists when women in politics make mistakes.

Shame, shame, shame.

PS I noticed how many of the posted comments here refer to her as “that woman” etc. I ask everyone to notice that and then to compare it to the way male politicians are described and referenced. How many people talked about Gov. Sanford as “that man”? I hope to stand corrected on this, but I perceive a clear bias. We have a long, long way to go.

Sarah Palin – What a sad commentary on America and the Media that you even have to spend a whole hour on this subject. If she was the best the Republicans could put up as their nominee for V.P., that says a lot about the Party. She is vacuous and immature. It’s almost like the Media wants to hold on to this creation of theirs and discuss her latest embarassing statement, milking the subject ad nauseum . Let’s move on, discuss serious issues and find competent people who can help fix the many problems we have in this Nation.

I think any polls showing Palin’s “popularity” among Republicans are misleading at best. She certainly has name recognition and might have supporters in the small tent single-issue Evangelical GOP camp, but she could never get elected anywhere because that part of the base is way too small. And because she had such trouble with the GOP/RNC handlers during her VP bid, I’d say the RNC is not only glad to be rid of her, but would also go so far as to say the RNC influenced her departure from politics altogether. The GOP MUST rebuild if they are to be a formidable force in the 2010 and 2012 elections. The RNC can’t put Palin behind them fast enough. What will Palin do? Make a lot of money with her book, become a halfwit pundit, or, if that fails, disappear into the wilderness – fast.

Listening to this hour of On Point keeps reminding me of the Jerry Kosinski book, ‘Being There,’ made into a Peter Sellers movie by the same name.

Only, Sarah Palin plays the simple well dressed gardener tender who leaves his benefactor’s estate for the first time and is befriended by a millionaire who mistakes him for one of them. Every phrase by the gardener is transformed by his friends into what they wish it to mean, though he is talking about gardening.

One quarter of the show should have been about Sarah Palin, the remainder should have been on McCain’s rationale for choosing her as a running mate and particularly should have used to put a SPOTLIGHT on her supporters so we may better understand that segment of our body politic.

Was McCain’s choice of Sarah Palin designed to wake Conservatives up to the dangers they face if allow rustic evangelicals to remain at the wheel of the Grand Old Party?

****I think her decision was based on a foolish belief that she has a shot at the White House. Sadly, I think this is only the beginning…****

Indeed, it is a sad day for me, if her resignation of her governor position means I get to see or listen to her more often on TV or any new media. And I do blame McCain opened the can of worms due to his desperation in 2008 campaign. I need to stock up my blind folds and ear plugs.

I agree Kat that the term “narcissistic personality disorder” should be left out of politics altogether. It discredits what may be a spot-on criticism if it had simply been spoken of as “self-centered” or “narcissistic traits.” It weakens the political discourse and psychoanalytic theory, as well.

Trenchant analysis by Doug above. No matter what Palin wants, the RCN doesn’t want her as a presidential candidate. However, they do want her to “rally the troops” for their other politicians and thus leaving office to perform that role dovetails perfectly with her financial ambitions.

Palin exemplifies the glorification of showmanship, appearance and superficial presentability that a lot of people in this country mistake for true worth. What is most notable about her is the stark divide between how presentable, sensational and “together” she looks, and how simple-minded and embarassingly devoid she is (based on what she says or does not say) of any idea, quality, knowledge, understanding, skill, or vision that might qualify her for leadership. It’s this stark contrast that makes her so irresistible. The Palin phenomenon is a fascinating reflection on our society. I believe her supporters subconsciously understand she is not qualified for political leadership yet they find her intellectual simplicity and theatrical attraction comforting and irresistible.

No doubt God personally told Palin that quitting as Governor was the first step to leading the free world, just as she said God has appeared to her in the past.

No doubt God personally told Palin that quitting as Governor was the first step to leading the free world, just as she said God has appeared to her in the past regarding her other decisions to run for public office.

Thanks for this link, Richard.

“Sarah Palin says Hillary Clinton shouldn’t whine about tough media coverage”

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nC-tOzXQOsk

Flat-out hilarious.

Sarah #1 meet Sarah #2.

If Palin is interested in becoming president the obvious choice would be for her to spend time in the senate given that many people seem to think that being governor of alaska is not sufficient enough to qualify one of for the presidency. The main problem though is that it is a republican senator who is up for office in Alaska in 2010 which means that even if she can get to the senate, she may look insanely selfish in pushing another republican out of office.

Why aren’t people talking about this unstable woman’s personal conversations with God, wherein he has given her specific political advice?

Doesn’t anyone recall how she claims to have followed God’s advice regarding past political decisions?

This loon actually believes she has a personal mandate from God to lead the country and perhaps the world to salvation.

With this in mind, her absurd and confounding choice to quit as Governor almost certainly has a simple explanation: God told her to do it.

Didn’t she make some kind of commitment to Alaska when she was elected? Abandoning her post (without compelling reason) seems to me to be just as bad as abandoning her child. Her actions only confirm my impression of her as a person without character.

Great show, as usual. Sorry to hear about your mother’s passing Tom. Nicely spoken tribute. Best wishes.

Kat Sanford was called nuts as well.
You know I’m going to take issue with you on this feminist bent. Palin has demonstrated that she is not ready for prime time again and again. She might or might not have a narcissistic personality disorder, quite frankly most politicians do if you ask me. She seems to exhibit traits, she is self indulgent and is always the victim. She has alienated every member of the Alaskan houses and almost every republican in her state. She has little or no empathy towards others. In short she’s a real piece of work.

Sandford was lucky that Michael Jackson died right in the middle of his mess. The media was unfortunately distracted by this event.

Palin rambled on and on at her press conference. She was not only unprofessional, she was incoherent. I have never heard of any politician doing what she has done. Her behavior is not rational nor was it normal. If she was man I would say the same thing. Just because she’s a woman does not mean that she should be treated with kid gloves. It seems to me that your looking for an excuse here to forward your agenda, I’m not buying it, sorry.

Nixon had narcissistic personality disorder as well by the way.

As Gov. Palin said, the media were hounding her and her family. They had an usual and even perverse obsession with the losing vice-presidential nominee. It did seem way out of proportion. She had to choose between her political career and protecting her family. Her decision was a very human one.

She is not a slick professional politician. She is a small town political reformer. This was more than she could take.

Defending herself from a disproportionate amount of attacks, detracted her from her duties as governor. She did the honest thing by admitting that she could give her office her full attention.

If only she had run against John Kerry, with whom the media did not have an irrational obsession, instead of Obama, she would not have had to go through all this.

What has been omitted is that the voters have been given the Hawaiian good-luck sign. If she cans her duty to the electorate this time , when else can she be trusted?

The simplest answer is usually the right one. She sounded burnt out in her speech. She’s probably just burnt out.

Unfortunately this is a negative comment.
Unfortunate in that I am commenting on a fellow “woman”.
One that hunts wolves from the air!
Being a woman, I cheer that there are more and more women appearing in our political stage….BUT…..unfortunately with Sarah Palin, I realized that by not having had many women on that stage, meant that I was saved from the humiliation and embarrassment of our gender being embarrassed by “us”.
So to see and hear Sarah, and be horrified with her beliefs, opinions, sayings etc., and identify with her gender, brought home how lucky we women have been as a gender NOT to have “idiots” represent our point of view.

I agree with the callers on the show who said (1) this is for money, (2) there is a scandal brewing and (3) she’s just tired of the damage that it is doing to her and her family. Palin sounded rushed when she made the announcement – I believe that something akin to a scandal has spooked her into this action. Its my guess that her husband said that $500,000 was TOO MUCH and that the toll that it has taken on the family has to stop now and that if she didn;t take action to stop it, he would. Think of using that $500,000 for college for our kids – why spend it on lawyers.

Sarah Palin became a victim of the Obama attack and destroy tactic. American’s are very forgetful and easy to be suckered by any party that runs the government. The Obama attack tactic,you ask? See, you have already forgotten.

Palin?
Who cares, this country has more important concerns.
Get real!!

I can’t help but listen for the thud of another shoe. This isn’t based on anything I’ve read so much as how perplexingly nervous Palin seemed throughout the whole speech. I also think, frankly, she really liked her job–maybe not for all the right reasons, but she seemed sincere, at least, in relishing the post.

At any rate, I truly hope I’m wrong, having no stomach left for another political scandal just now.

I agree she could have had a relatively “successful” governorship if McCain never tapped her. I do believe there are serious flaws in her character, but perhaps not more than most politicians, and they were certainly exacerbated and exposed by the election. As such, I confess I can’t help but blame John McCain just a little bit. He gambled not only the election but her career with his selection–and lost both. Yes, Ms. Palin is ultimately responsible for accepting a nomination way beyond her capacity at that point. But McCain has a far more experienced politician and should have known better than to offer a nearly-irresistible post to one so young in the field. I think it was rather selfish on his part.

And it raised the bar for her indefinitely, however far she was from Washington. For instance, I listened to the speech she gave to soldiers overseas that went viral on youtube. Yes, it was a bad speech. But the governor of my state gives pretty bad speeches too. And no one cares. But she was doomed to forever be judged by national standards since hitting that stage.

Lastly, I confess the only time I’ve ever stood up for Ms. Palin was when I heard people question whether she could do the jobs with kids. As such, I felt rather stabbed in the back during her speech. I think it was a poor excuse–among many–made without consideration for the consequence to other working women.

However, I am generally embarrassed as a woman by every aspect of this sad (and hopefully concluding) chapter in history.

Although I love NPR and onpoint, i’m dissappointed to see the show and it’s listeners leaning so much to one side of the argument. There is not one comment in the more than 60 posted supporting Govt. Palin. Although it interesting to read Kat Morgan’s commentary.

I think it’s very easy to view Palin as a ditz but one the other hand she got to where she is not solely on her good looks. Most of us cannot boast the achievements she has accomplished.

I would be interested to hear other viewpoints.

Palin is responsible for everything that has happened to her. To blame McCain is or anyone else is absurd and plays right into her hands as the “victim”. Palin is no victim.
She stepped onto the national stage willingly and lost, period. Maureen I suggest you go back an look at some of her speeches starting with the one she gave at the RNC last year on up to the rallies. She is more than capable of giving a good speech. Just because she is woman and your one does not mean you have to support her on any level. You should check out Jennifer Granholm the governor of Michigan, she does not get to much press, but she’s has her work cut out for her as her state is in a depression.

There are plenty of women in politics some good and some awful, just like the men.

I’m afraid you misunderstand me. I don’t support her on any level.

I was simply speculating on what the trajectory of her career may have been if the offer had never been made.

I feel McCain is implicated by this, but “blame” was likely the wrong word to use.

Yes, Palin is her own worst enemy. It was her moral bankruptcy, lack of sense, and absurd defensiveness–indeed, her absurd absurdity–that ultimately brought her down.

How this would have played out if she’d stayed on a state level, I don’t know. She certainly was playing dirty politics already, but she still had high levels of support.

The only reason I mentioned gender is that I took issue with people who said she couldn’t do the job with kids–a claim I’ve never heard leveled against a male politician, a claim that strikes me deeply unfair. I did defend her on this point. And now that she doesn’t want the job after all, she throws in her duties as a mother as an added excuse. It was selfish, contradictory, and embarrassing.

At any rate, my original post was rather poorly expressed, so it likely lent itself to misinterpretation.

Also, don’t know about this “plenty of women” in politics… just 21 percent in Congress to date.

True 21% is not representative of the female population.

I’m not a big fan of Hilary Clinton but she raised a daughter and has been very active in politics her whole life.

My point is Palin is not a good representative for any kind of politician, be they female or male.

So true.

[...] Sarah Palin’s Surprise – On Point with Tom Ashbrook There she was. Sarah Palin, in her backyard in Wasilla, on the shores of Lake Lucille, bailing out of the governorship of Alaska. [...]

Alaskan journalist Michael Carey summed it up, Sarah Palin is a professional “victim”. Pretty much says it all.

Palin is great. I’m sure we’ll see her back in no time, and I for one am looking forward to it. She’s a breath of fresh air. Washington could really use her.

Here is her speech as it was written by her with odd punctuations and sentence structure.

12:00pm AKST – Update from Governor Palin: We’ll soon attach info on decision to not seek re-election… this is in Alaska’s best interest, my family’s happy… it is good, stay tuned.

In the words of General MacArthur said, “We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction.”

“Palin is great. I’m sure we’ll see her back in no time, and I for one am looking forward to it. She’s a breath of fresh air. Washington could really use her.

Posted by jeff, on July 7th, 2009 at 3:47 pm EDT”

The air smells of cheap perfume and gunpowder.