But the "why" of why she left may be as simple as this: She couldn't take it anymore. The scrutiny, the criticism, the mockery, and yes, the hard work of being governor. Palin's thin skin is legendary. She never ignores a slight. For most of the last year, she has been feuding with the Alaska media and many of the state's political leaders.
Advertisement
The beginning of Sarah Palin's end
She may remain a tabloid celebrity and darling of the Christian right, but her decision to resign as Alaska's governor means she's through as a presidential contender.
Advertisement
She has almost no support among legislators, even Republicans. And she haphazardly applies herself to the labor of government at a distance -- some critics call her the BlackBerry governor.
Palin will continue as an A-list celebrity in the tabloids and gossip magazines. She and her husband, Todd, provide a rich source of family drama, scandal and compelling photographs. She also will remain a celebrity on the Christian right, which adores her.
She will keep my state in the news. But she is finished as a leader. No leader abandons the battle in mid-fight.
How will she be remembered?
If she is remembered at all years from now, my guess is it will be in the same kind of way that we remember the Los Angeles evangelist Aimee Semple McPherson, who in the '20s and '30s drew massive crowds and vast media coverage until she disappeared for several weeks without ever adequately explaining where she'd been.
After that, she lost her magic and fell out of favor, leaving historians to ponder: "What was everyone so excited about?"
--
mcarey@adm.com
