Todd S. Purdum
Vanity Fair
Despite her disastrous performance in the 2008 election, Sarah Palin is still the sexiest brand in Republican politics, with a lucrative book contract for her story. But what Alaska’s charismatic governor wants the public to know about herself doesn’t always jibe with reality. As John McCain’s top campaign officials talk more candidly than ever before about the meltdown of his vice-presidential pick, the author tracks the signs—political and personal—that Palin was big trouble, and checks the forecast for her future.
The crowds begin streaming into the Evansville Auditorium and Convention Centre a couple of hours before the arrival of the “special guest speaker” at the Vanderburgh County Right to Life dinner on a soft Indiana spring evening—nearly 2,200 people in the banquet hall, 800 more in an adjacent auditorium watching the proceedings on a live video feed. The menu is thick slices of roast pork and red velvet cake, washed down with pitchers of iced tea, and when Sarah Palin finally enters, escorted by a phalanx of sheriff’s deputies and local police, she is mobbed.
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What scares me is the note that one of Alaska's senators will run for re-election. I'd rather have a moose in the Senate.
OBAMA'S A QUITTER. OBAMA'S A QUITTER.
I'm sorry, I guess I wasn't supposed to say he quit being Senator to the people of Chicago. It's not the same, right? Do you think he will quit being the President of the United States?
Palin consistently mucks up logic to present herself as a victim of the media. One of the reasons she's being criticized for bailing on her governer gig is because when politicians have stepped down from their post they have a clear next step and publicly announce it, but she has not done that. She's being snottishly vague, and that, amongst other obvious variables, is why she is unfit for any public office. Gosh, I sure hope she runs for president in 2012.
I smell a Fox news or Christian broadcasting network deal aside from the book someone will write for her.
Please write a follow up column titled "It Came From Chicago" about the thug who now occupies the White House. Include references to his ghost written book which has netted him millions from the dupes who bought it (including the mass purchases by the democrat thug machine). It looks like we have our own Il Duce!
It is completely amazing to me that anyone with common sense beleives Palin is a candidate for anything! She is an embarassment to those women who have brains & common sense.
Several told me, independently of one another, that they had consulted the definition of “narcissistic personality disorder” in the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders—“a pervasive pattern of grandiosity (in fantasy or behavior), need for admiration, and lack of empathy”—and thought it fit her perfectly.
You don't find this statement at all suspect ? If a conservative writer recounted meeting several people who had consulted Mussolinis' "Popolo d'Italia" and found his definition of Autonomous Facism to fit our President "perfectly",would you post it on your site?
I doubt very much that you would. This is drivel.
With a new governor for Alaska there may be some improvement.Like removal of aerial hunting with payment of bounty for killing of wolves. Aerial hunting is not a sport. Swimming is, evenwith sharks.
There may be an improvement in accountability of government funds for roads and bridges.
Less chattering, more substance.
Palin clearly showed she lacks the ability to communicate, she just opens her mouth and whatever comes out, oh well there it is. She talks like a "scattered brain" without making any sense and leaves one asking, what in the world is she talking about.
Sexy? Wanna borrow my glasses?
Sorry, I apologize I need to make some corrections here. Line four should have read, I would love to see you walk in her shoes.
"The world is LITERALLY her oyster." That's what Palin's spokesperson just told Anderson. These people (Palin and staff) just use words for spin, but not for conveying thoughtful, intelligent ideas.
Unless the world recently transformed into a giant oyster, and CNN didn't tell us...
I think she is pregnant
Has Palin seen a shink she has the behavior of someone who is sycophantic .I sure hope she does not run for the president.I think she is the last thing we need I used to be a republican until she was chosen as a vice precidential canidate.
I am a big fan of Anderson Cooper and want to comment on Sarah Palin.
I heard on the news today that she has been offered 7 Million dollars for a book deal. Could it be possible that she is leaving her job as Governor to get started on her book? With the debt piling up for her I felt it could be a possibility. Just a thought. I have not heard any newscasters mention that prospect. I would guess the sooner she gets started the better for her.
This is coming to you from the Napa Valley in Calif
Keep up the good work Anderson..
Sarah Palin is a beutiful person on the inside as well as on the outside. Stepping down is the right thing to do for the people of Alaska. I wish the media would stop attacking her and her family. It is transparent that when the media likes a person only positive things will be reported but when they dislike another only negative is reported about that person. I have lost faith in the media.
I tihnk Gov. Palin is being very honest about the waste of time and money that is happening by other politicians in her state of Alaska. I tihnk this was a wise and caring choice to make for Alaskans. She promised to work hard for Alaskans and to be honest, not to waste their tax money and time.
I watched and re-watched this announcement and still don't get it. She has replaced a specific reason for making this decision with folksy "aw-golly" speech and irrelevant, nonsensical sports analogies.
Why won't she just go away?
Stop the voices! We don't care about her teenage daughter that's a mother...the sperm donor that created her grandchild. They are an embarrassment to the citizens of the U.S. Let's focus on people that are putting their lives on the line for democracy in Iran. People that are starving in the United States. If Sarah Palin, wants to be in the news, then she should talk to Saturday Night Live. Get paid for being the comedian that she is!
I think she is getting a high paying job as a Lobbyist! Watch and see...it is all about money. With her family situation she needs whatever money she can get her hands on and as Governer she isn't making enough money. Money...money...money!
Sarah Palin says that she doesn't need a title to do what she wants to do. However, I remember her criticizing Obama for not having political titles like she held, and joked around about him being a community organizer who lacked experience to be president. I think her behavior is bazzaar. What is her definition of leadership? How does she expain quitting to her children?
There is something coming down the pipes! I'll bet it is another scandal. Someone like Sarah, it has to be money. Palin would never step down so fast unless someone in the background told her they were going public with something big. More to come I'm sure.
She has something up her sleeve. There is a reason for her leaving, probably the GOP need someone speaking for them besides Rush.
I think Governor Palin's resignation demonstrates a lack of leadership...even a dereliction of the duties she was elected to fulfill. I wouldn't vote for her for any office ever again. I think her actions abolish any political future for her. I have never felt she was qualified for political leadership, and she has just proven the point.
So now she's a quitter too. I'm not surprised. Wonder if she threw a temper tantrum as well. And whoever said she's sexy, forget it. Yuck.
I think I see what's coming..............move over Rush.
Ol' Sarah got fond of those highpriced threads she got to wear during the campaign. She wants some more so she looked around for a way to get them. Run for president? nah. AT most that's just an eight year job. Wall Street is in a mess....besides she's not smart enough for any job that would pay her enough to buy those duds. "I need a job that requires no education, one that a dummy could do and get rich.
(light bulb goes on) I can do what the bouncing ball Rush does. Yeah!
That's the ticket. " It just might work.
I listened to Sarah Palin just now in Toronto as she announced her intent to resign as Governor and all I could think was, thank God!
I hope she runs in 2012. That would guarantee a victory for Obama. I am embarrassed for her when she speaks. She is pathetic. The Republicans put a stupid man in office for eight years, which is why the country has nearly hit rock bottom. There is no way the Democrats will allow another stupiud Republican to make it to the white house.
Could Palin be stepping down because she is one of the women Mark Sanford crossed the line with? They have been pretty chummy the past couple of months, especially during the Stingrays appearance in Alaska.
GAG me!
I had been a McCain supporter until he picked Palin and then I backed off from him – I couldn't believe how dismal Plain was – I was embarrassed for women every time she took the podium. From what I read in this article it seems she not only is uninformed about national issues, but uncooperative, only concerned about herself, vindicative, and a whole host of other negatie qualities that you don't want to see in a person, much less a person who is a heartbeat away from the Presidency. So I hope and pray she has no chance at the Presidency. Palin frightens me as to how much damage she could do to our country because the only thing that will never change is her narcissistic qualities – its Sarah first and then the country. Not good at all.