As I See It
If Sarah Palin actually was the plain-spoken icon of the conservative right as benefactors like William Kristol maintain, how come she needed to invite the press fishing after a hastily assembled and rambling press conference?
Deciphering Palin-ese is the political version of translating Yogi Berra. According to Palin, she's a fighter, although somehow not quitting is actually quitting.
Her "reasoning" for prematurely resigning from her job as governor of Alaska 16 months before her term expires in January 2011 was suspect. Palin claimed that the "frivolous" ethics investigations of her cost the state more than $2 million. False. The investigations cost the state about $297,000 — of which around $200K alone came from Palin's parallel Personnel Board (all of whom she appointed) investigation into Troopergate.
Not surprisingly, the bipartisan inquiry by the Legislature concluded that Palin had abused her authority by attempting to fire her ex-brother-in-law after he had already been disciplined by the state police. In particular, Palin was taken to task for having permitted her husband, Todd, to function as a quasi-state official.
Palin was also ordered to repay the state $10K for flying her children to events deemed not appropriate for family travel. I guess settlement and winning all those ethics complaints are the same thing.
Contrary to what conservatives believe, progressives do not fear Palin. Perhaps we fear the fringe element that supports her. Palin campaigned, Barack Obama palled around with terrorists. Her stump speeches could be compared to the Two Minute Hate George Orwell wrote about in 1984.
It is not elitist to think Palin is a know-nothing. Steve Schmidt, the former campaign manager for John McCain, revealed that Palin failed to prepare for her interviews or the vice presidential debate, so she resorted to winking at the camera.
Contrary to her carefully cultivated image of a hockey mom wearing waders and handling salmon as to not wreck her French manicure, Palin is not a blue collar hero — she's not even blue collar, but she plays one on TV.
She calls Barack Obama a socialist, but proudly sends the citizens of Alaska a check every year as part of the state's share of oil profits. Last year's check was around $3,000, but that was when oil was over $150 a barrel. Currently the price is not even half that amount.
Maybe that's why she is resigning, but it still leaves the state reeling in a budget crisis, which is partially self-inflicted because Palin refused to accept stimulus money earmarked for fuel assistance to rural Alaskans located above the Arctic Circle.
Nor is this the first job that Palin quit in midstream. She quit her previous job on the state Oil and Gas Conservation Commission in 2004, citing boredom. She denied interest in seeking a political office, but one year later filed a letter of intent to run for governor.
To say Palin is a polarizing figure is a colossal understatement. She relishes conflict, seemingly inviting it. Yet like any bully, she resorts to self-victimization when others refuse to play to her script.
Take her spat with David Letterman, for example. Shannyn Moore, the Alaska blogger whom Palin threatened to sue, mentioned six specific examples of Palin's not being offended by similar jokes during the campaign. One of those offenders was "Saturday Night Live." Obviously Palin was not outraged, as she appeared on the show a month later. Other joke-tellers included Conan O'Brien, Jay Leno and Craig Ferguson.
Letterman mocked McCain's announcement he was suspending his campaign last September. McCain canceled his appearance on the talk show claiming a national emergency, but Letterman showed the candidate getting makeup before an interview with Katie Couric.
Viewed through this lens, it is not difficult to imagine Palin trying to settle a score with Letterman. That is her modus operandi, after all. She has cast aside her former political allies once they are no longer necessary. She did it to former Gov. Frank Murkowski, who appointed her to the oil and gas commission, and whom she ran against and defeated in a primary in 2006.
Moreover, the resignation seriously calls into question her already wafer-thin qualifications. It certainly doesn't add to her experience. If anything, it detracts from it. But Palin is anything but logical.
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Blogger Dan Kurtz and his wife, Wendy, live in Amesbury.
