Did Palin Quit to Cut Losses in Alaska?

Outgoing Governor Faces Disgruntled Lawmakers, Ethics Complaints and Wary Voters

(CBS/AP)  Ever since Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin returned from the presidential campaign trail, many Alaskans felt her heart wasn't in the job.

Lawmakers complained she didn't take an interest in the state's politics, and she limited her access to Alaska's media. One lawmaker quipped after her state of the state address in January that the only eye contact she made in the legislative chamber was with the television camera.

In Alaska, Palin has become a polarizing figure, and the focus of multiple ethics complaints filed against her with the state personnel board.

Andree McCleod, a local political activist, lodged four complaints, reports CBS News correspondent Terry McCarthy from Alaska.

"I am not harassing her," McCleod insisted. "She's been under scrutiny for some time and she doesn't respond well to scrutiny, I guess."

She has taken a beating from Senate Democrats over many of her recent appointments, including an attorney general candidate who became the first Cabinet appointment ever rejected by the Alaska Legislature.

And things weren't likely to improve, if she stayed in office. She faces a potential veto override of nearly $29 million in federal stimulus funds for energy efficiency programs. She rejected the funds, fearing there were strings attached to the money that could bind the state to federal building mandates. Legislators said they could find no such strings.

It's easier to govern in Alaska when oil prices are high, but they are down from last year's historic highs and the budget is much tighter. And this year, Palin's signature project, getting a natural gas pipeline, moves into a critical phase: whether North Slope leaseholders will commit to shipping gas in the pipeline, which is still at least a decade away.

Palin has said stepping down as governor was about doing the right thing for Alaska - not wanting to be a lame duck governor if she knew she wasn't running for re-election in 2010. She also has hinted that her decision was a strategic move aimed at gearing up for a run for president.

But with all the thorny issues enveloping her in Alaska, Palin's quitting may be more about something simpler: cutting her losses.

"The drumbeat of adverse news coverage from Alaska would likely have continued and intensified had she remained governor. It would have become an increasing liability to her national campaign," said Juneau economist and longtime Alaska political watcher Gregg Erickson.

He added that while Palin has received an adulatory reception from social conservatives in the Lower 48, in Alaska she's become a lightning rod for criticism and controversy.

Many political observers in Alaska say the governor was a disengaged presence around the state Capitol since she returned from the presidential campaign trail, and it was obvious her heart wasn't in the job.

Palin no longer delivered bagels to lawmakers. She limited her access to the media, and when she did hold news conferences, and she relied on notes and her commissioners for backup.

"She had a surprising amount of disinterest in state government after November," said state Rep. Les Gara, a Democrat. "This state has a lot of problems, and she showed a complete lack of interest in solving them."

State Sen. Gene Therriault, a Republican, says this is an unfair rap on Palin, one that was used by critics against her two predecessors.

"The detractors will always use that as a criticism because it's hard to evaluate. It's not surprising it's being used against the governor," he said.

"It an easy criticism to level because you're never asked, 'Where's the proof?"'

Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, who will be sworn into office July 26, said Palin had spoken to him about the toll the investigations had taken on her.

"I think what I heard from the governor really had to do with the weight on her, the concern she had for the cost of all the ethics investigations and the like, the way that that weighed on her with respect to her inability to just move forward Alaska's agenda on behalf of Alaskans in the current context of the environment. So that's what I saw," he told Fox News Sunday.

Also in the last few months, Palin had laid the groundwork for a possible presidential run, establishing a political action committee.

And a day after abruptly announcing she would soon give up her job as governor, Palin indicated on a social networking site that she would take on a larger, national role, citing a "higher calling" to unite the country along conservative lines.

Palin has been staying out of the public eye since she made the announcement, popping up mainly online. In a Twitter update Sunday, she said she was looking forward to joining her family as they commercially fish in Bristol Bay.

Erickson, the Juneau political watcher, says the governor's resignation makes sense.

"Politically, I see it as a smart move. With the complete breakdown of her alliance with Democrats that marked her first two years as governor, she has no ability to move her policies forward in legislation. Indeed, her Alaska agenda, the gas pipeline in particular, is likely to fare much better with her out of the picture," Erickson said.

Palin has also faced growing criticism within the Republican party.

Last week, Vanity Fair magazine published a highly critical piece on Palin, with unnamed John McCain campaign aides questioning if Palin was ever really prepared for the presidency.

[daffy64]

Liberals don't care about $$$$$$$$$$$ because they have no skills or ability to earn $$$$$$$$$ so the would much rather take the easy way and look for government handouts

---

Liberals like me?

$83,000 last year.

[ladypirate2]

by hungry1968-16 July 6, 2009 6:18 AM PDT
Nothing but fake outrage, designed to give herself some free media attention, and nothing more.

To her, her kids are nothing but "props".


You are wrong and she should have shown more "outrage"! In fact she was way too nice about it!

[ladypirate2]

by nanc12 July 6, 2009 8:47 AM PDT
Actually, she wasn't. 2 of the complaints were not dismissed - one being troopergate, and the other being that she improperly charged the people of Alaska for her children's travel. On that charge, she is supposed to pay Alaska back for the travel - the money is due tomorrow


The money has been paid and as for "troopergate" what she did was found unethical but it was found not to be a prosecutable or impeachable offense. In other words the investigative committee thought it was unethical but not unlawful or a criminal offense and nothing can be done about it!

[ladypirate2]

by myobamabiden July 6, 2009 10:48 AM PDT
BABY TRIGG NEEDS MORE ATTENTION...FAT ARSE


BABY TRIGG IS HIS MOMMA AND DADDY'S BUSINESS, NOT YOURS! TEND TO YOUR OWN BUSINESS!

[ladypirate2]

by skyk-2009 July 6, 2009 4:01 AM PDT
That's ridiculous ladypirate! The problem with YOU, Palin and the rest of the American Taliban isn't YOUR religion, it's you desire to MAKE me live that religion. To force ME to accept your religion as my own. THAT is the problem!!


We are not trying to force anything on you but we are trying to stop you from forcing your unbelief and atheism on us! The constitution gives us freedom OF religion, not FROM religion! We are not about to give up our religious rights without a fight!

[Joe_NY_15]

Excellent Point LadyPirate !!!

Skyk IS the American Taliban, an Extremist of the first order........Skyk and the Atheists/Secularists attempting to destroy everything traditional in America, including our beliefs.....No republican has ever forced any religion down anyone's throats, that's just nonsense.

[actornaught]

"... freedom OF religion, not FROM religion..."

Empty sloganeering. This is the kind of thing you get from the same people that bemoan the lie about banning prayer in school. My kids had regular prayer at school every morning, it just wasn't lead by anybody on the school payroll.

And then you can't pin the same people down as to which religion a teacher should be to lead a prayer. Catholic? Prostestant? Mormon? Snake handlers? No thanks...

[ladypirate2]

by pubsnomore July 6, 2009 7:19 AM PDT
Let's face it...Palin lives up every bit to her nickname "Falin".

Let's hope she makes the mistake of committing political suicide by running against President Obama in 2012, so we will never have to worry about seeing her again.


You're getting ahead of yourself. You are assuming that Obama will run for a second term. He hasn't announced yet whether he'll run again or not and probably won't announce it for at least another year or two!

[ladypirate2]

by o_the_potus July 6, 2009 2:34 AM PDT
by ladypirate2 July 6, 2009 2:24 AM PDT
Was it so idiotic to sign a book deal that will make her millions of dollars? That seems pretty smart to me!

_________________________________________________

Only because ignoramuses like you will buy her pointless ambling dribble


I won't be the only one! You can bet on it! That's what burns you up! I also think her book will sell better than Obama's Audacity of Hope, too!

[dudelookslikeachimp]

Litigated to death. You got $500,000 to spend on ethics accusations? The salary of governor is not that big in Alaskan.

Then the fact that other Alaskan politicians were fillibustering (stalling) the very simple job of Alaskan government and sometimes purely to capitalizing on her fame. Not good for the state to have POLITICAL WAR versus negotiations.

Personally probably a bit of frustration over a 4-6 hour a day job exploding into 12-14 hours for little gain.

[dudelookslikeachimp]

Definitely cutting PR losses. It is impossible to win a "make work" game focused on creating a media circus as noteworthy as the biggest of states.

How can Alaskan politicians be taken serious and the public feel served without extensive media exposure?

Palin is right Alaskan government business is basically very part-time. There only 3 small cities and a handful of large towns. Most of the state is federal controlled parks and such. The state government really has has less business than a city of 300,000 since there are actual city government that do more the work.

But acknowledging that dashes the hopes and goes against the mindset of "patriotic" career and national politics.

[cs4466]

Failin Palin Cut-N-Run - Republican Change You Can Believe In!