At least it was not Jeff Olson's credit card.
Whatever actual truth evolves to be, this version surely is more entertaining than quitting because the "stress of the job" intervened with family matters. Or -- is this story, in a way, the same thing? Family home. Wasilla Sports Complex building materials. All that.
_______UPDATE_______
This Google. Further Palin coverage at Licking Calcutta.
______FURTHER UPDATE_______
Does Google do targeted advertisement these days, and what's it keeping an eye on? HINT: I hit the Blogger "publish" toggle, and on the return screen, this ad, courtesy of the thinking caring folks at Google [Microsoftish, to say the least].
Scary in a way. Does that PAC want cash donations only, or will they take value-based items, lumber, Andersen window units, etc.?
Wow! If you use Blogger, try this - do a post that says SARAH PALIN nineteen times, then "publish" it and see what token ad YOU get. I DID THE FURTHER UPDATE, HIT PUBLISH, AND HAD TO REOPEN, TO PUT UP THIS:
As with comedians, Al Franken will tell you, timing is everything. Nice ads. Spiffy. Professional looking. But timing trumps content, doesn't it?
_______FURTHER UPDATE_______
Remember the Zevon tune, Send Lawyers, Guns and Money? The Palins have all three, and the lawyer is posturing and fuming with indignation and possibly intending to chill the speech of others as allegedly defamatory; see this Brad Blog updating story about a Palin response to claims of wrongful conduct concerning Villa Wasilla. I guess those behind the Bullwinkle story, if false, also may have cause to worry, although defamation law has allowances for parody.
Every story has two sides, and the resignation and public speech in explanation is now of record, more vague and less direct than the lawyer's letter, with the Palin transcript excerpted below, as posted at TPM, here.
The speech allows room for speculation. Indeed, it is very elastic and uninformative beyond saying "I resign." And, "I love Alaska because it's important and lovable." Innocence is presumed until proof of guilt prevails in a courtroom, although the speech does not get to specifics as the lawyer's letter does, in that direction.
(The lawyer's letter is set out in the Brad Blog reporting, if you care.)
And - Wow.
Lincoln allegedly had the Gettysburg Address penned on the back of an envelope, writing it while traveling there by train. Palin might have had her notes on the back of a Thomas Van Flein court brief.
Who knows?
Hi Alaska, I appreciate speaking directly TO you, the people I serve, as your Governor.
People who know me know that besides faith and family, nothing's more important to me than our beloved Alaska. Serving her people is the greatest honor I could imagine.
I want Alaskans to grasp what can be in store for our state. We were purchased as a territory because a member of President Abe Lincoln's cabinet, William Seward, providentially saw in this great land, vast riches, beauty, strategic placement on the globe, and opportunity.
[...] People who know me know that besides faith and family, nothing's more important to me than our beloved Alaska.
Alaska's mission - to contribute to America. We're strategic IN the world as the air crossroads OF the world, as a gatekeeper of the continent. Bold visionaries knew this - Alaska would be part of America's great destiny.
Our destiny to be reached by responsibly developing our natural resources. This land, blessed with clean air, water, wildlife, minerals, AND oil and gas. It's energy! God gave us energy.
[...] And we are doing well! My administration's accomplishments speak for themselves. We work tirelessly for Alaskans.
[...] We took government out of the dairy business and put it back into private-sector hands - where it should be.
[...] We broke ground on the new prison.
[...] Even those debt-ridden stimulus dollars that would force the heavy hand of federal government into our communities with an "all-knowing attitude" - I have taken the slings and arrows with that unpopular move to veto because I know being right is better than being popular. Some of those dollars would harm Alaska and harm America - I resisted those dollars because of the obscene national debt we're forcing our children to pay, because of today's Big Government spending; it's immoral and doesn't even make economic sense!
[...] Political operatives descended on Alaska last August, digging for dirt. The ethics law I championed became their weapon of choice. Over the past nine months I've been accused of all sorts of frivolous ethics violations - such as holding a fish in a photograph, wearing a jacket with a logo on it, and answering reporters' questions.
Every one - all 15 of the ethics complaints have been dismissed. We've won! But it hasn't been cheap - the State has wasted THOUSANDS of hours of YOUR time and shelled out some two million of YOUR dollars to respond to "opposition research" - that's money NOT going to fund teachers or troopers - or safer roads. [...]
It's pretty insane - my staff and I spend most of our day dealing with THIS instead of progressing our state now. I know I promised no more "politics as usual," but THIS isn't what anyone had in mind for ALASKA.
If I have learned one thing: LIFE is about choices!
And one chooses how to react to circumstances. You can choose to engage in things that tear down, or build up. I choose to work very hard on a path for fruitfulness and productivity. [...]
Nah, only dead fish "go with the flow".
No. Productive, fulfilled people determine where to put their efforts, choosing to wisely utilize precious time... to BUILD UP.
And there is such a need to BUILD up and FIGHT for our state and our country. I choose to FIGHT for it! [...]
I've never believed that I, nor anyone else, needs a title to do this - to make a difference... to HELP people. So I choose, for my State and my family, more "freedom" to progress, all the way around... so that Alaska may progress... I will not seek re-election as Governor.
And so as I thought about this announcement that I wouldn't run for re-election and what it means for Alaska, I thought about how much fun some governors have as lame ducks... travel around the state, to the Lower 48 (maybe), overseas on international trade - as so many politicians do. And then I thought - that's what's wrong - many just accept that lame duck status, hit the road, draw the paycheck, and "milk it". I'm not putting Alaska through that - I promised efficiencies and effectiveness! ? That's not how I am wired. I am not wired to operate under the same old "politics as usual." I promised that four years ago - and I meant it.
It's not what is best for Alaska.
[...] With this announcement that I am not seeking re-election... I've determined it's best to transfer the authority of governor to Lieutenant Governor Parnell; and I am willing to do so, so that this administration - with its positive agenda, its accomplishments, and its successful road to an incredible future - can continue without interruption and with great administrative and legislative success.
[...] A good point guard drives through a full court press, protecting the ball, keeping her eye on the basket... and she knows exactly when to pass the ball so that the team can WIN. And I'm doing that - keeping our eye on the ball that represents sound priorities - smaller government, energy independence, national security, freedom! And I know when it's time to pass the ball - for victory.
I have given my reasons candidly and truthfully... and my last day won't be for another few weeks [...]
In the words of General MacArthur said, "We are not retreating. We are advancing in another direction." [end of speech]
[italics added]
The party of Abraham Lincoln changes, and rhetoric changes - keeping some things, abandoning others.
Does the Palin family have a dog named Checkers? We may have an answer in following days. What does seem clear is that whatever is at play, the FBI has disavowed having any pending ongoing investigation of Villa Wasilla, and as with the Coleman-Kazeminy situation, there are words and emotions played upon, but not the full release of paper trail documents accounting completely for dollars and cents and dates, identities, and sequencing. With Ms. Palin retiring to the private sector, if defense of furhter allegations is needed it will not be an Alaskan public expense, instead being hereafter privatized. Are those Palin PAC ads going to generate funds that could go that way much as Norm Coleman now has FEC blessing to use campaign cash to defend in Kazeminy-related litigation? Time will answer most questions, in both instances.
_______FURTHER UPDATE_______
Point, counterpoint; Vanity Fair, here; counterpoint, here. The GOP seems to be in an ongoing effort to redefine itself, this being a part of things. Also, Palin sees "a higher calling." The resignation speech said something [quoted above] about not needing a title to work for the good of her State and the nation.