Resignation Consternation

Please promise me you will watch--or at least read--the Sarah Palin resignation speech:
huffingtonpost.com

Wowity wow wow wow. I generally don't find myself speechless about speeches, but darlings, Governor Palin has shut my mouth. A week ago I could not conceive of a political speech that would "out-Sanford" Mark Sanford's, but here we are. I can only describe it as manic, rambling, bizarre and delivered in precisely the same way in which I delivered the "Friends, Romans, Countrymen" mandatory speech back in high school. You know of which I speak: when you have memorized something for immediate consumption, and you must breathlessly blurt it as fast as you can in order to not forget any of it; pausing for effect = death.

What to make of this speech's content, then? She talks at length about all the "wasted" money spent investigating her dealings, and how that is not fair to the people of Alaska. She talks about the attacks on her new baby Trig. And then she boils it down to the fact that she doesn't want to be a lame duck governor who will "travel around the state, to the Lower 48 (maybe), overseas on international trade - as so many politicians do. And then I thought - that's what's wrong - many just accept that lame duck status, hit the road, draw the paycheck, and "milk it". I'm not putting Alaska through that - I promised efficiencies and effectiveness! That's not how I am wired."

So is that the choice? Stay and be a milker, or resign and be noble? How about staying and--since you are not facing reelection--be bold for the people of Alaska without regard to your electoral prospects? It could be liberating, and it's been done before by many many people. Which raises the questions: Why resign? Why now? Why so speedily? Why the nod to the unfair investigations? Well, the thought is afoot that some kind of corruption scandal is about to break, regarding state contracts awarded to companies who essentially built her house for free, among other things.

Time will tell. Is this really about family and the good people of Alaska? Or is it about something more? We'll find out. In the meantime, we can take heart with the following wise words to the people of Alaska from Governor Palin: "Our destiny to be reached by responsibly developing our natural resources. This land, blessed with clean air, water, wildlife, minerals, AND oil and gas. It's energy! God gave us energy."