apologies, hobbesist, but it's fascinating. a 72 yr. old cancer survivor selected this woman as VP and 60 million people voted for the ticket:

http://abcnews.go.com/Politics/story?id=8016906&page=1

EDIT: I just went to Dailykos and they've got essentially the same post on their F-P. But for the record I didn't see that one before posting here and may have posted this guy first

The poll trends are certainly striking.

My feeling is that McCain probably could not have won with any VP; he was fighting a two-front war, running against Bush and Obama simultaneously. But if he'd picked someone else, it might have been a lot closer.

http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-palin5-2009jul05,0,7018263.story

She's not under FBI investigation.

It's been fun watching some of the weirder rightwards pretzel themselves over this one -- and yes, it's Obama's fault, btw -- but this is one of the better I've seen:

Zombie party.

"I think the left and national media will be emboldened to ritualistically engage in the metaphorical gang raping of conservative politicians, ..."

"I’ve had this running thought all day, perhaps because I was watching it on TV in HD for the first time, that this is kind of like Ben Kenobi letting Darth Vader strike him down."

http://www.redstate.com/erick/2009/07/03/a-few-additional-and-hopefully-final-thoughts-on-sarah-palin/

I think "...ritualistically engage in the metaphorical gang raping..." is pure wingnut gold. The Star Wars angle is sweet, sweet icing.

A somewhat unhinged yet ambitious right-wing politician, a person educated people would consider ridiculous, goes down in political flames after failing to reach high office.

Yet this person is a symbol to a disaffected few, in a time of economic reversal and loss of national standing. This person follows up on the initial failure with a book.

That both of these are caused by previous right-wing policy is of course immaterial: They president appears weak and willing to compromise while any red-blooded American knows we need a fighter as far removed from the elites as possible.

So, the Obama era may work out fine, the recovery may happen, and Palin may become irrelevant.

But the opposite could happen, too. The BRICs could trash the dollar, inflation could reign, and millions more could flow to the so-far fabricated tea party Nazis.

I think liberals underestimate just how quickly and how badly our situation can deteriorate and make room for a figure like Palin. A simple terror attack, or the assassination of Obama, would obviously turn the tables. But short of that, our path to economic prosperity is cloudy at best. The fact that Larry Summers is a key figure in this administration is hardly reassuring.

If you think a clown can never take over a "serious" country, you need to read more history. These are still dangerous times.

Seriously, what could go wrong?

In the inimitable words of Mr Bender "Bending" Rodriguez: This is going to be fun on a bun!

The latest making the rounds: "First time in history that "Sarah Palin" and "pulled out early" have been used in the same sentence."

Sorry for dragging the site down! But it's a Palin thread, afterall!

-- Would she have decided she could do more for the country from out behind the VP's desk?

-- Would she have resigned if she'd been investigated as VP to save taxpayers' $s?

-- Would she have folded under the 'full court press' of national media scrutiny?

McCain's legacy from '08: a man in his 70s who thought he was going to live forever and didn't care.

a serious one, i don't know the answer:

wasn't the alaksa governorshp a pretty low impact job -- like governor of texas or something? wasn't it like a 90 day legislative session?

i mean, i thought it the mayour of poughkeepsie had a harder job than alaska gorvernor.

http://www.palin-bachmann-2012.com/

PALIN (D-AK) RESIGNS

Palin decided that Mark Sanford could really use a break from the spotlight for awhile.

just going Galt.

Sarah Palin understands that she is more qualified, and certainly more comfortable, as a celebrity than as a politician, or, heaven forbid, someone forced to govern. Thanks to John McCain, she's now a celebrity, and free to enjoy all the perks, many of them financial, that come with the designation.

Sarah Barracuda doesn't want to waste time studying issues and learning how to govern. She just wants to be famous.

And now she is.

This is her moment, and her moment to rake in a whole lotta cash. Sitting in the governor's office ran counter to that larger ambition. To be rich.

Not that there's anything wrong with that.

the pressure of protecting the US from a hostile Russia finally got to her?

the Alaskan Independence Party is going to lead a secession from the union at the end of the month and Sarah is preparing to lead them?

...say she's 'out of politics for good.'

No argument here. And one may use at least two definitions of the word 'good.'

I just watched it. Per usual very defensive and incoherent.

I'll miss ya, Sarah!

Via TPM

Well, you can't argue with the "it is good" part! But still, it's weird. Unless there is some unpleasant offal about to hit the fan re ethics or such, it's hard to see where being "ex-Governor" is going to be much of an advantage for Ms. Palin in any further runs at office, vs. being a sitting official.

Of course, if she gets a media job, say a gig on Fox Noise so as to be able to spout wingnut boilerplate for the next three years, maybe "private" employment would be the better opportunity. You betcha!

Independence from Sarah Palin weekend.

Resigning was a truly patriotic thing for her to do.

...Has someone already posed the question that there might be a Sanford type...she's wild in bed...kind of story about to break?

What joy to see her Hotness truly tested! (Nah, she was a Starfish...lol, hee, hee, hee)

The paternity, (or even maternity) of Trig is in question. (With proofs)

The more prosaic truth is that she got bored...or she found that Governing is in fact hard work, of which, she did now want any part.

*********

Traveller

if a second red Naughty Monkey Double Dare pump is gonna drop next week, a la Sanford. No affair, but maybe something else? Just a gut feeling here, but having the conference on Friday afternoon before independence day smells funny to me...

Not that there's a steady drip of information about this yet.

edit - OK, my guess is she ends up under indictment next week. Fraud, corruption, something like that. Just a guess.

The first was saying "yes" to McCain. If she's doing this for a run in 2012, I predict she'll get quashed, and I might the join the none-too-small band conservatives who will do some recreational quashing.

I'd like to know if she's made any trips to Argentina lately.

Apparently they're floating a truly unique excuse. That Sarah feels just awful about all the taxpayer's money that is being wasted investigating her. So she's going to resign. To save the taxpayers some money. And, I'm assuming, stop all those pesky investigations.

Okay.

Here's one nugget:

Setting aside the idea that she is any way a 'good point guard' -- cuz in her case what would we have, a point guard who doesn't pass and can't shoot -- the Blame The Media defense for quitting her day job seems awful, I dunno, lacking in fortitude. It might gin up some support among the folks who already think of her as Joan of Arctic Circle, but it's not going to persuade those who find her unconvincing.

Josh Marshall wonders if all the recent ethics stuff contains something bigger than expected. We'll see, I guess.

But again, bleating that the NY Times made her quit her job isn't exactly a solid path to the White House.

If she's planning on running for the nomination.

Who blabbed?