Ignoring the Obvious

I am appalled, astounded, and generally peeved at the recent coverage over the latest Palin pronouncement; her resigning as Alaska’s governor. It’s as if stating the obvious was somehow too risky for primetime. The endless babble over whether or not Sarah Palin ruined her chances to run for the Presidency is below the accuracy of lunatic repartee, let alone intellectual discourse. I guess that means it’s just perfect for national news.

Sarah Palin was a small town mayor who parlayed a couple of smart political moves and an attractive presentation into winning the governorship of a state that’s hardly known for conventional judgment. She was picked out of obscurity by John McCain in an insane and inane move to bolster his candidacy, a move that failed badly. She never was, is not, and never will be an even remotely viable candidate for national office. To include her name in the same context as "national office" is disinformation for marketing purposes that only belongs with the other entertainment celebrity news at the grocery store checkout counter.

However, to steal a phrase from A Coal Miner’s Daughter; the lady may be dumb…but she’s not stupid. I think she knows she’s not Vice-Presidential (let alone Presidential) timber, and to her credit she’s seems to have figured out she’s not Governor material either. She knows that remaining in office as the Governor of Alaska carries risks with it that could easily undermine her maximizing her potential, much like a football star might realize that spending two more years at the college gridiron might forever end his chances for making it big in the pros with one crushing tackle. Whether it is some bonehead scandal or an incompetent administration, she runs the potential of undermining the unique credibility she has with her fans. At the very least, finishing out her term as governor could use up precious time, and possibly leave her as an historical (and hysterical) blip in the American past.

In all likelihood she has seen how Rush Limbaugh has a reported worth of $400 million and is often described as the number one influence of what remains of the Republican Party. This former beauty contestant, turned local sportscaster, turned media starlet has probably seen that niche and fashions herself nestling into it. She couldn’t be more correct. She may want to sell the idea that she is in it for God, truth, justice, and the American way (good grief, even Rush Limbaugh touts that as his objective) and she may be delusional enough to believe that such is a half-truth, but the reality is that she wants what many of national fame have tasted: money and power. You can't fault her much for that. The beauty is that she’ll be able to do it right from her broadcast booth in Wasilla. She may end up owning more of Alaska than anyone other than Exxon-Mobil.