Gov. Sarah Palin's last day; now what for GOP's North star? [Video]
Well, today's the last day in office -- partial day, actually -- for Alaska's Republican about-to-be-ex-governor, Sarah Palin.
On Friday we wrote right here about the string of summertime farewell picnics she launched (see video above). At a third picnic, that one in Fairbanks, she'll turn over the ceremonial gubernatorial BBQ apron this afternoon to Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, who's got the same initials but not the celebrityness as the outgoing guv.
So is today the practical end of the political career for Palin, who turned a Wasilla town council seat and a corruption expose of her own party into a surprise upset of the long-entrenched Republican establishment ruling the nation's largest state, and then defeated a better-known returning Democratic governor in the 2006 election finals?
Or is today merely the end of the beginning for the unconventional, grass-roots-talking hockey mom who has the one thing every politician covets and very few have -- star quality, that ability to force people to pay attention simply by their presence? (See video above.) Bill Clinton has it. So does Barack Obama. Like them or not, people turn and look when they're around.
By conventional political standards, Palin's caribou is cooked.
She's quitting a powerful elected position that only 50 Americans hold, a chief executive's office in . . .
. . . some state capital, a job that's produced four of the last six presidents. It's a prominent political pulpit, although the world rarely tunes in to Juneau.
A year ago only a few blogs (insert throat-clearing here) had mentioned her name as a possible VP running mate for aged Republican warhorse John McCain. It was a tumultuous few months for their unsuccessful GOP ticket and a tumultuous year for Palin, who announced her surprise resignation a few weeks ago, as reported that day here by The Ticket.
And analyzed later in a Ticket item here.
According to new poll numbers, Palin's approval rating has sunk, presumably abetted by her quitting 31 months into a 48-month term.To the extent those numbers involve job performance so far, they're probably irrelevant because that job's gone after lunch.
What she's got to do now without an elected position is live up to what her party's conservatives believe they see in her and live down the often self-inflicted soap-operay elements that many others see surrounding her life since McCain pulled her out of his pre-convention party hat in August.
Palin will have the freedom now to roam and pick and choose her topics/spots, hopefully with more staff savvy than she's shown this year. What will she do, besides make a fortune off her book due out next year? Do you think there'll be a publicity tour for that? Larry King? Sean Hannity? Greta? Oprah? Probably not CBS.
Will she use her steadily growing SarahPAC funds to travel the country speaking for causes and like-minded candidates, a la ex-Gov. Mitt Romney? (See photo collection below.)
Hey, she's trained for TV. Will she take a media job that delivers a handsome salary, a regular national podium and a faithful broadcast audience? That route hasn't seemed to do all that much for guitar-playing ex-Gov. Mike Huckabee. But he's taller and doesn't wear red heels. A combination of commentating and politicking?
Or how about signing on with a respected conservative foundation, try to build some credibility on a few issues for some image rehab while retaining a flexible schedule for travel, media, speaking and assaying of the political landscape leading up to 2012?
Or even 2016? Palin's only 45, after all. And Katie Couric will be reading in a retirement home by then.
Two things are certain about Palin's next career, however: It will be unconventional. And it won't be a picnic.
-- Andrew Malcolm
We'll be closely watching SP in the coming months, along with all the other characters in America's political dramas. Get Twitter alerts on each new item by registering here. Or follow us @latimestot
Photos: Associated Press (Nevada fan seeks hat autograph); Associated Press (Palin talks to girls about setting life goals); Robyn Beck / AFP/Getty; Associated Press
Sarah Quitter Palin.
Posted by: Bush is a Criminal | July 26, 2009 at 02:10 AM
maybe she will run for congress in 2010. the most significant thing I will remember about Sarah Palin is how bad women in 2009 are still treated. all you ever hear is about is racism but sexism is still very rampant in this country. I can remember during the election Obama said his children were off limits to talk about but Sarah Palin's children were not given the same courtesy including her special needs child. Hillary was not respected as well but when Sarah Palin was announced it was more significant then with Hillary. I hope the next time women run for the presidency the shameful tactics do not occur again. Sarah Palin had to fight harder and out did Biden by a long shot..
Posted by: carolb | July 26, 2009 at 02:16 AM
Who on earth cares what she does?
Its about as important to any thinking human being as what Britney Spears or Lindsay Lohan will be doing next. (Roughly the same fame, the same intellectual gravitas, and formal education as Shotgun Sarah).
Posted by: Putrid | July 26, 2009 at 04:01 AM
The best possibility is that she'll rest on her royalties.
Posted by: David | July 26, 2009 at 05:03 AM
Palin is a quitter or as W.L. Iggiagruk Hensley describes her, a qiviter. There is a related post at http://iamsoannoyed.com/?page_id=588
Posted by: carly | July 26, 2009 at 06:07 AM
Heard someone mention she might go back to school and learn something about geography. Yes, Sarah, Africa really is a continent. Looked it up in the Wikepedia, wink, wink.
Posted by: puciret | July 26, 2009 at 07:54 AM
She is a nobody.
Posted by: MARK ROBISON | July 26, 2009 at 08:39 AM
Good commentary. Sarah's her own woman, for sure. Let's see what the next 3.5 years bring for the current administration. Sarah could be just what the dr. ordered.
Or as you pointed out, 2016, seeing as she's young by political standards. Despite myself, a lifelong Dem, I like her!
I hope she gets some savy advice over the next few years (Karl Rove available?). It'll be fun to watch, anyway.
Posted by: kpmom | July 26, 2009 at 10:37 AM
How about baking cookies and being a grandma?
Posted by: Al Gomez | July 26, 2009 at 11:24 AM
Palin's a douche bag.
Posted by: BoberMcdoo | July 26, 2009 at 11:40 AM
what's next for SP?
Obscurity
Posted by: jojo | July 26, 2009 at 12:45 PM
what's next? Who cares?
Posted by: Bob | July 26, 2009 at 12:48 PM
I hope we see a lot of Sarah Palin in the coming months.
Posted by: Dean Honeycutt | July 26, 2009 at 02:47 PM
Sarah Palin is the reason compasses point North!
Posted by: lamedicguy | July 26, 2009 at 04:48 PM
Former Gov. Palin now joins the list of former governors who quit their jobs before ending their terms. Most recently, this list includes the governors of Kansas and Arizona who quit their jobs to join the Obama Administration.
Oh, and did I mention that US Senator Obama spent the vast majority of his term running for president?
Posted by: Captain Jean-Luc Picard | July 26, 2009 at 04:48 PM
i saw a movie all last week 'custer's last stand' with errol flynn, west point said he and president grant were stupid and were last in there class, now why do i say this, maybe palin is in this same league as president grant.
Posted by: tony sacco | July 26, 2009 at 10:06 PM
When Ms. Palin asked the media to stop printing lies, was she including Fox?
Posted by: swf | July 27, 2009 at 11:10 AM