Okay here is the deal:

1. Ending your full elected term before the end is not being a lame duck.

2. I have listened to a number of pundits talk about her "base" and how no matter what she does she will still be loved by them. You don't win general elections by just appealing to the base of either Republican or Democrat parties. You might win the primary (although I', nor so sure that is so) but there is more to the system.

Gov Palin may have perfectly good reasons to leave her office, but frankly, she owes the people of Alaska a better explanation than that rambling statemnent of this afternoon.

I think probably the "Waaa, waaa, you hurt my feelings" factor actually may have a great deal to do with her quitting. She absolutely basked in the kind of idolatry she received from those crowds of right wing fundamentalists during the election--and it's been nothing but down hill from there. This recent very negative article in Vanity Fair was the last straw. There has been a tremendous amount of comment stirred up from it, most of it ridiculing her. I don't think she believes she could win the presidency. She recently challenged Obama to a foot race--maybe the only way she could win anything!

She is not a person with any interest or ability whatsoever in the actual job of being a governor

--policy, legislation, analysis of any kind. She just wants--no...craves--love and adulation. Her ratings have slipped 25%. She just can't take it.

If Palin doesn't give more clarity as to why she is resigning, then the speculations about her will be never ending.

However, she may fear the speculations less than she does a revelation of the truth.

Clearly the truth about Palin is something awful, even worse than what Sanford did, because he isn't resigning.

I have to laugh at all the pundits who are busy analyzing how Palin's resignation works into the strategy for a 2012 presidential run. Palin's ambition has always been to be a celebrity, period. She's tried politics and found it is not a thorn-free way to go. In less than 10 days she'll announce a multi-million dollar contract with Fox TV for a format in which she won't have to know anything, just spew crazy opinions.

Michael Jackson had all the attention.

Sarah had to have the HEADLINES back.

Well, let's guess how much of this weekend will be spent on 1) Sarah 2) Sarah 3)Sarah 4) 4th of July 5)Michael Jackson 6)How will Sarah govern as President? 7)South Carolina Governor Affair 8)SARAH!

This woman has to have the spotlight. Again.

This actually says as much about our media as it does Palin.

Oh, well. Maybe President Obama can get some stuff done with the bat shit crazy woman in the headlines.

Brilliant move !!! It throws the attack machine of the left realing and in need of a new MO. The constant attacks and harassing ethics claims come to an abrupt end. The play to box her in by harassing means of claims of using an office for pure political gain every time she left the state and spoke.

Now she can move and speak and not be boxed in. I dare say she would be a crowd attractant to many conservative congressional candidates next year. I allows her to connect on a grass roots manner across the country and not be boxed in by threat of more harassing moves by the left.

The progressives ,both Republican and Democrat, will say she quit and couldn't take the pressure. Well what if she caimpagns hard for many next year and takes her case directly to the people? In 3 years will that same claim hold water? If the Obama failures continue and Palin is a major contributor to stunning Republican congressional gains in 2010 how does this not work to her advantage. Political suicide? Crazy move? Crazy like a fox!!

Katie Couric asked Palin what newspaper she read. One of the easiest questions ever asked of a Vice-Presidential candidate and Palin couldn't answer it.

She is unqualified to be President, Governor or PTA president. She failed as the Mayor of a small town and has now failed as a governor of a small (population) state.

And yet there are those, like connyankee, who because of some issue or two that they agree on think she is qualified to be in charge of enough nuk-u-lar weapons to destroy the world.

As several people have pointed out, the timing of the announcement on a pre-holiday weekend Friday afternoon is suspicious.

Time for some reporting.

are those loons in the background? God is a comedienne....

First, if you think other issues are more important, don't click on threads about this one. Google "Kennedy health plan" and you'll find stuff to read.

Second, Joan is reporting on the reality of a deluded woman who excludes the majority of us as something other than "Real Americans" and thinks "I see Russia's underpants!" is foreign policy experience, preaches abstinence as realistic while holding her grandchild, complains about government interference while her state takes more money per capita from the feds than any other, and makes a rambling incoherent fool of herself TODAY . . .

Anyone who thinks this reflects badly on JOAN must be on acid. It's like thinking Joan reporting that "dog shit stinks" means she hates dogs.

I know this dangerous combination of idiocy and arrogance has her supporters, but no one ever explains why. I mean, what does she really bring to the table but an infomercial smile and the eery glow in her eyes that only comes from believing god speaks directly through her?

The woman tried her best to whip up hate and division at her rallies - how can this possibly serve the NATION? Unless you are motivated by narrow and ignorant religiosity, it's easy to see how bad she'd be for the country.

Don't blame Joan for stating the obvious.

A woman who doesn't hesitate to drag her pregnant unwed daughter knowingly onto the national stage is not withering under the latest criticism. If she'd been that tired of media coverage, she never would have emerged in the past few months for her little dosey-do Outside.

Rumors have been floating around the liberal blogs here for weeks, maybe something IRS-related, maybe something about her house's construction, maybe something in those emails she's been shielding...it all seemed iffy until now.

Think Newt Gingrich--the second he resigned you had to know there was some scandal behind it. (Lo and behold...he's an adulterer even as he's calling on Clinton to resign.) None of these people voluntarily gives up power unless forced to. Usually they pull a Sanford.

Who must be on his knees thanking God today. Again.