Analysis: Palin Was Fed Up

Alaska Governor Struggled With an Inhospitably Post-Campaign Environment

(CBS)  Special contributor Shushannah Walshe and CBS News’ Scott Conroy were embedded reporters on Sarah Palin’s campaign plane and are writing a book about the governor.

With the stunning news of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin’s sudden resignation, it is easy to jump to the conclusion that there is "something else out there" that has forced her to make this decision. There might well be, but ever since her return to Alaska after her electoral defeat in November, it has been very clear that she has loathed the new dynamic that has greeted her there.

The recent Mark Sanford saga and other political scandals have trained us to assume the worst, but as a former campaign aide who remains close to Palin cautions, "It’s a sad commentary when people jump to negative conclusions."

During her first year-and-a-half as governor, Palin seemingly could do no wrong as she frequently reached across the aisle to Democrats, racked up a string of high-profile legislative successes, and caught the eye of John McCain when she challenged the Republican presidential nominee’s views on drilling in ANWR during their first face to face meeting in February of 2008.

But her beloved Alaska has been anything but accommodating since the McCain/Palin campaign’s electoral defeat in November. She has been under a constant barrage of attacks there from critics, who have been joined by many of the same people who had once been her political allies.

More coverage of Gov. Sarah Palin:
Sarah Palin Resigns
Is Palin Eyeing a 2012 Presidential Run?

Until November, Palin was used to winning in everything she did and achieving career success in a startlingly rapid manner. She does not like to lose, and criticism continues to weigh heavily on her, as her skin has not seemed to thicken since the campaign.

During the election, Palin obsessed over her media coverage, often spending hours on her campaign jet watching cable news and becoming exasperated over what critical commentators had to say about her. Since then, she has continued to voice her annoyance with what she sees as a constant stream of unfair attacks. Often, she has seemed unable to exercise enough restraint to avoid getting dragged down into the mud with everyone from Alaska bloggers to a late-night comedian.

Even after a series of public relations disasters, no one in her inner circle has shown a willingness to prevent Palin from engaging with her critics large and small.

As Palin takes the next step in her remarkable political career, she is poised to travel the country, helping Republican candidates and making political friends along the way. She will be received by thousands of adoring supporters wherever she goes-a much more appealing prospect than what she currently faces in Alaska.

Until evidence surfaces to the contrary, it seems apparent that Sarah Palin simply decided enough was enough. Though this unorthodox move will raise further questions about her judgment, her conservative base will continue to support her no matter what she does next.

Palin has been underestimated many times before in her career, and anyone who assumes that she has dug her own political grave does so at their own peril.

[ricmarc2001]

she wants to be the next randall terry or alan keyes and show up at abortion protests and get paid for it. sarah is going to be in for a shock shortly. she has a chubby cute little baby who can't take care of himself in any way shaper or form who is going to be getting a lot bigger and still won't be able to take care of himself.

her political ploy of having this child is soon going to come home and roost. retarded is for life. they do not get better.

[ricmarc2001]

SARAHG PALIN TOURED A HOME IN INDIANA WHERE THEY WAREHOUSE RETARDED BABIES. IT IS WHERE SHE IS GOING TO DUMP TRIG. HE ISN'T TODD'S KID AND HE IS PROFOUNDLY RETARDED. AND SHE THINKS THE WORLD NEEDS MORE OF HIM.

[ricmarc2001]

THAT KID AIN'T TODD'S. SHE HAD AN AFFAIR!

[dsmffar]

Call it quitting or call it moving on, the end result is the same. Every one of you who are bashing her should stop and think about all the bashing her family has and is taking. Not one of you would stand by and let someone else call your daughter, son, or spouse such ridiculous names. Are you not ready to do whatever it takes to stop such nonsense. Some of you are "STUPID CRAZY HYPOCRITES" because we all know you would.

Since when do we accept and think it's okay to make fun of her child. What would you do if you had idiots doing just that about her son Trig! Her daughter got pregnant, so what...how many other thousands or millions of teenage girls have??? Do I want that for my daughter? Of course not but neither did Sarah or Todd or any other parent who's daughter OR SON make this reckless mistake.

If you have an issue about her politically then fine but stop judging her as a mother and wife for doing what is right for her family. 'LET HE WHO BE WITHOUT SIN CAST THE FIRST STONE" - by all these remarks it looks like there must be a lot of non-sinners amongst us...WRONG!

You self-righteous, sinless, heartless, hypocrites need to stop and think before you speak. You are the very reason there are on many crimes in America. Leave her family out of this, ridiculing a down's syndrome baby, how dare you! I hope you don't have teenagers or up and coming teens - God Bless them. Poor kids. love to Sarah, Todd and all of their families...God Bless them all!

[actornaught]

Find the first person that actually connected the minor child with any sexx act, and you'll see it was a republican.

Find a late night comedian that openly talked about even a pregnant Bristol when she was a minor, and it was never Letterman.

[ricmarc2001]

SHE STARTED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!! and she pals around with witch hunters!

[bassinapple]

Did'nt Pres Obama just take a swipe at FoxNews? Why can Pres. Obama obsess over one network, while Gov. Palin gets bashed from the rest of the media?

[endurorob]

The hateful left is really all over this one.

[clandesdun]

Palin was fed up? She's so thin skinned she quits and the right makes excuses for her? You excuse makers are as pathetic as she is and yet you are trying to convince the world she is a brilliant tactician. She a quitter and those making excuses for her are losers. Make sure you tell your kids it's OK to quit if you don't like the way thing are going. Pathetic.

[mejordelahistoria]

Time for her to go....... too much of a clown. All one has to do is watch her interview with Katie Curic to see what a scumbag she really is.

[RCC_Soldaten]

Hang in there Sarah.

[geneonlbk]

I believe the pending scandle will make all the previous sexual slips by the (G)roup (O)f (P)erverts seem like child's ply. Ooops!

[barbi520]

PALIN UP TO EYEBROWS IN CORRUPTION:

http://www.thedailybeast.com/blogs-and-stories/2009-07-03/did-a-scandal-sink-the-uss-palin/?cid=hp:mainpromo2

[barbi520]

this woman is disgustingly corrupt even by GOP standards.

These people (the GOP) have no idea what it is to be a public servant. The damage their evil policies and corrupt practices have brought to our country
is mind boggling. They are a disgrace to any Democracy

[hungry1968-16]

by hdc77494 July 4, 2009 10:40 AM PDT
For those of you saying she couldn't take the heat, what would you do if they called your 14 year old daughter a **** on national TV? Are you supposed to just take it, and your a bad sport if you don't think it's funny? How about if the opposing party filed a new law suit against you every week for three months, and BTW, you have to pay your own legal bills.. No, the dems didn't have to win, they just found a way to make it look like she quit. Where's the outrage over the very public campaign by the media and democratic party to remove their most visible threat?







More of the fake outrage..... (YAWN)

[hdc77494]

For those of you saying she couldn't take the heat, what would you do if they called your 14 year old daughter a **** on national TV? Are you supposed to just take it, and your a bad sport if you don't think it's funny? How about if the opposing party filed a new law suit against you every week for three months, and BTW, you have to pay your own legal bills.. No, the dems didn't have to win, they just found a way to make it look like she quit. Where's the outrage over the very public campaign by the media and democratic party to remove their most visible threat?

[hdc77494]

People on both sides of the ailse saw a future threat and many worked hard to discredit or destroy her, and her family with her. The dems filed lawsuits by the dozens just to see if anything might stick, the governance of Alaska almost ground to a halt.

I have never seen a more concerted effort to destroy an individual, from either party. It's a wonder that any mainstream american would run for office, it's not worth it.

[cs4466]

Not if you're a bitter nasty neocon of the Religious Reich, no.

[dbstevens]

If she couldn't handle the criticism and difficulties of governing a state that has fewer people in it than many other entire cities, what sort of job could she ever dream of doing as PRESIDENT OF THE ENTIRE COUNTRY???

[realitychec6]

by tmittelstaed July 4, 2009 2:18 AM PDT
...."downs babies born to younger parents. Yes, the risks are higher the older you are. But, there's no good answers there unless you want to do like China does and mandate abortions for parents who have children without a permit" ... Sounds like a good idea to me! "- unless you would just have them go lie in the gutter like they used to do with them 150 years ago"... Sounds like a good idea to me.

[ron2013]

Apparently, she will do ANYTHING to keep her media coverage active! How truly sad...

[BC Kelly]

.


From reading some of the comments here

Palin could continue in Politics and expect some success

Always remember - were a LOT of folks who voted for GW Bush

Twice


.

[chonder2]

Stop it guys. You're hurting my wrists!