I Can't Look. Is She Still There?

Sarah Palin's announcement that she is resigning as Governor of Alaska appeared to have been hastily put together. It almost seemed as though it was a spur of the moment decision. And she would have benefited from a good speech writer.

She rambled along, giving her reasons for leaving office, peppering her sentences with basketball phrases, but never offering anything specific. She characterized herself as a victim of the media, bloggers and other groups. She's been called a quitter and speculation is flying about her future plans.

I haven't made any secret of my dislike of her. I felt she was unsuited to the Vice Presidency, and I came to believe that, deep down, she knew it. She was like an American Idol contestant who tries out even though she can't carry a tune in a bucket. She has to know.

So, it might surprise many people to hear me say that I'm feeling a bit sorry for her right now. My lack of respect for her stems from my deep-seated feminism. During the campaign, I felt the same way about her that I always feel about beauty pageant contestants and women who don't think or stand up for themselves. She, whether unknowingly or knowingly, allowed herself to be exploited by a bunch of unscrupulous politicians who didn't have her best interests at heart.

It must have occurred to her at some point that she had been thrown to the wolves, while John McCain stayed cheerfully above the fray, well away from the mud slinging. That may be why, toward the end of the campaign she seemed to be "going rogue" and doing and saying things that were unscripted. But, by then, she was too far out on that limb all alone.

So, I do think she was victimized by many different groups. That said, she kept alowing it, and gave every appearance of someone clueless as to what is going on. Maybe the experience awakened a depth of ambition she hadn't realized was there. The outsome was a debacle for which there was plenty of blame to go around.

What happens next wil be entirely up to Sarah. Whatever she decides, I'm sure she's not going to go away.

As for yours truly, I'm just feling a bit mellow at the moment, but I'll get over it. You betcha!

Stay tuned.