Independence Day In Alaska

It's a strange new world in Alaska this Independence Day. Sarah Palin has resigned as Governor of Alaska.

In a bizarre press conference yesterday, she rambled her way onto the national stage - again. What a strange speech, full of bizarre analogies, half-baked thoughts - and a lot of deep breathing. I really had thought that her 15 minutes of fame might be over (at least for a couple of years), and that Tina Fey was going to get a well-deserved break from her Palin skit (brilliant though it was). I guess I was wrong.

The bottom line is this: she gave up on the job with 18 months remaining. She gave us the analogy of a basketball point guard moving the ball up the court. Well, based on her day yesterday, she may have broken the full court press - just long enough to turn the ball over and walk off the court. She quit. It is pretty hard to "create change" when you give up the reins to the horse (using an analogy I am sure she would appreciate). But I am sure there are many self-promoting reasons why she did this.

This is beyond being "quirky". This is beyond "Sarah just doing her thing" . and don't believe the spin about lame duck governors at the end of term or that she is a "political maverick" or that she is no longer going to be in politics - though somehow she will continue to fight for change.

As Anderson Cooper noted yesterday - "how is she going to do this - her own TV show?".

Stranger things have happened.

Let's face the harsh reality of politics - yesterday displayed the beauty of true Washington politics. And here's how .

I have no doubt that she's been pondering the White House since being selected as a vice presidential candidate. And her posturing throughout the campaign (and beyond) would only strengthen that thinking. My guess is that she's been thinking about leaving Alaska for quite some time . but when would be the best time to do so without creating a lot of political fodder?

Some crazy things happened in our world last week. Michael Jackson died. Farah Fawcett died. Ed McMahon died. And the press are a little wrapped up in all of it. Good news needs reporting, right?

The timing was good. Do it now. Quickly. On the Friday before July 4 weekend when nobody is watching the news anyways (and if they are, they are more concerned with the Jackson death/memorial right now than anything else). A press conference hastily called will fly under the radar - not for that day, of course, but by the time everyone has finished cooking hamburgers and hot dogs and setting off fireworks, Palin's resignation will be long-forgotten.

And she can then get down to the task of - running for President in 2012.

It is meticulous damage control if you ask me. It is pure politics. And it is not "being a political maverick". She knows exactly what she's doing. It's all about Sarah.

At this juncture in time, the Republican party has a vacuum in it's leadership. When Newt Gingrich is one of the most vocal Republicans, you have to get a little concerned about where the party is heading. So now Palin can go into "full speed ahead" within the party, stabilize her role (and future plans) early in the game, then build that war chest of political action contributions before anyone else can get rolling. She's removed herself from the link with McCain (be that good or bad, you choose) in November but it's also still very early in the game.

Perhaps it is Palin that is in fact putting the "full court press" on the Republican party and the conservatives of America.

Oh, and she'll have Governor Rick Perry by her side . at least that's my best guess as a non-politico. Time will tell, especially as he is running for Governor in 2010.

All of this becomes a moot point if she is in fact leaving the Governor's job because the net is closing in on her from some legal battle or another. This could be an option, but based on the road traveled thus far, I don't think it's the most obvious one.

Nonetheless . Happy Independence Day, Alaska! Your loss may also be your gain.

Photo credit: ?cheryl