Audio: Ziegler explains Palin’s decision; Update: Link to O’Reilly Factor appearance added
posted at 5:55 pm on July 6, 2009 by Ed Morrissey
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John Ziegler, who produced a documentary on the horrendously unfair media coverage given to now-departing Governor Sarah Palin, talks with Palin spokeswoman Meg Stapleton about Palin’s decision to resign. John has the closest vantage point of anyone in the media, and has spent the most time with Palin. He explains that the move isn’t about 2012 at all, or really even any future run at elective office. John argues that Palin is playing long ball. Click on the image to listen:
John and I had a conversation this afternoon, and he agrees that Palin couldn’t have done this with an eye towards a 2012 presidential run. Like Mark Tapscott, he sees Palin adapting herself for the foreseeable future to non-electoral politics — as an activist and a movement leader.
John also will appear on The O’Reilly Factor tonight at 8 pm ET. Be sure to catch John’s segment.
Update: RealClearPolitics has John’s appearance on the Factor. John dropped me a note, saying this segment from his show today explains it better, so be sure to listen to it.
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Really? The “lame duck” excuse sounded perfectly reasonable to you? That she decided not to run for another term somehow renders the rest of her term worthless as a reason unto itself? How does that make sense?
Hollowpoint on July 6, 2009 at 8:26 PM
littleguy:
I am not so sure that the only people who might think Palin is not up to the job are just people who hated her guts anyway. Like it or not a lot of people who either supported Palin or were agnostic where she was concerned might well have a negative reaction to her resignation.
However, I do think that as time passes the impact of that decision will lesson somewhat if she works hard at doing other things very well. People kind of forget things over time.
Terrye on July 6, 2009 at 8:26 PM
……Well, why don’t you tell US why she resigned and what you think about her future in politics..genius.
HornetSting on July 6, 2009 at 8:28 PM
HornetSting:
I noticed that the last few times I saw Palin she did not look all that well, she seemed thin and a little frail to me. I have also wondered if maybe all the crap just got to her. The lady is human after all and so is her family.
Terrye on July 6, 2009 at 8:31 PM
Doesn’t matter what I think. It doesn’t matter how valid (or not so valid) her reasons for resigning were.
Governors don’t just up and resign unless for reasons of scandal, personal tragedy, or they were elected to higher office. After spending so much time and effort to get the position, they’re expected to serve out their term, no matter how tough they have it.
No matter how “unconventional” she might be, the impression the general electorate (and I’m not referring to commentors on conservative blogs) is going to have is that she couldn’t stand the heat. There’s just no way to convincingly spin her resignation as a positive attribute in context of a Presidential run.
Hollowpoint on July 6, 2009 at 8:31 PM
Her “lame-duck” reference wasn’t pointed toward her Alaska tenure, only. She used the wrong term. I wouldn’t obssess over this. She was saying that she could drift through the rest of her time as Governor, but that she would not be able to do anything for Alaska or anything for America, which is in the grips of an immediate and serious threat coming out of Washington. If you listen to all of the broadsides she levelled against Washington then this becomes clear.
progressoverpeace on July 6, 2009 at 8:32 PM
No. I gave you the reasons from a governing and political perspective. She was very clear in her speech. If you didn’t get it, I can’t help. But it wasn’t in swahili, it was english and it was very clear. As far as what she does from here, I have taken some hints from her words and extrapolated that out to what is possible. (I had hoped Mitt Romney would have at this point taken a more forceful stance but he hasn’t. This may give him the incentive to do so and I still would prefer a Romney/Palin ticket in 2012. I would hope they would step even farther out of the box then Palin has already done, and set a coarse together to oppose the fascism quckly consuming our nation.) If she becomes very visible and makes herself available to the people, which it appears that she will do, there will be no doubt about the reasoning behind her decision in 3 years. I’m sorry if anyone is offended, but the people who think this was such a horrible move are stuck in the paradigm the left wants you stuck in. It is thier game, it is a dishonest and corrupt game, and they have been kicking the crap out of the republicans consistently for awhile. As Meg said, she is a normal person, she is one of us. She knows how we feel not because she has figured it out or taken alot of polls but because that is how she feels.
peacenprosperity on July 6, 2009 at 8:33 PM
Huntsman left his governorship to become an ambassador. That’s not an elected position and not a move up. Do you think anyone will hold that move against him (aside from the circumstance that he left to work for the Washington junta)?
There are many other examples such as this. Palin left to be more effective at a time when our nation is on the precipice. Why would you hold that against her or think that anyone else would?
progressoverpeace on July 6, 2009 at 8:35 PM
peacenprosperity:
Yes, ed did give the impression that he thought Palin had badly wounded herself as a politician, I don’t really think he has changed his mind on that. I am sure he can speak for himself.
Morrisey does not do much spinning. I think that if he thought he was wrong, he would just say so.
Terrye on July 6, 2009 at 8:35 PM
She put up with a lot of crap, the crap that our media should be turning on obama now, because of his policies. And yet, the media and citizens are all wrapped up with the MJ crap. Put him in the damn ground and forget about it. He was a great artist, but a shameful human being.
HornetSting on July 6, 2009 at 8:36 PM
You, and not only you but alot of people, are ignoring the definition of that term. It just doesn’t mean that she won’t be governor when her term runs out, a “lame duck” politician doesn’t get anything done. She was honest with the people of Alaska, let them know in a timely manner that she wasn’t running again, and knew that with what was already going on she would be wasting the time and money of the citizens of Alaska. What she did was truly selfless.
peacenprosperity on July 6, 2009 at 8:36 PM
I’m not exactly sure why she resigned, and that’s because she didn’t stick to one solid reason.
Perhaps it was a combination of all the things she cited, and it just wasn’t worth it to her anymore.
No matter which reason or combination of reasons it was, her resignation pretty much destroyed any hopes of a successful 2012 presidential run.
Beyond that there’s no way to know- it depends on what she does between now and 2016. Near term she’ll still be able to play a political role, but not as a presidential contender.
Hollowpoint on July 6, 2009 at 8:36 PM
progressoverpeace:
I think Palin has every right to resign if she thinks it is the right thing to do, but she did not resign to take a post like an ambassadorship. It is not really the same thing. If it were, people would not be talking about it all the time. Obviously it was different.
Terrye on July 6, 2009 at 8:37 PM
I have been consistent in my criticism of alot of his positions. He is a very squishy “moderate” at best. He is overly concerned with being polite to his new friends in the green rooms. He believes they are, “just good Americans who think things should be done a different way”. He can call himself a conservative and I can call myself a movie star but there is only one reality.
peacenprosperity on July 6, 2009 at 8:46 PM
You have my vote…!
Geezer on July 6, 2009 at 8:46 PM
You’re right, it’s not. An ambassadorship is a joke. Palin is planning on actually doing something – trying to help fight the idiocy coming out of Washington. I hope she is successful at doing it.
People are talking about it because they missed everything in the speech. Why they missed it all, I don’t know, but they did. You can look at my comments from the first “Palin resignation” threads and see that I’ve been trying to tell them this since she finished her speech … to no avail.
These are extraordinary times. We have a marxist traitor in the White House and a band of total lunatics in Congress. They just shoved Crap%Trade down our throats through the House and are looking to ram it into law. They will destroy this nation if they are allowed. These times call for extraordinary action, which is what Palin took.
Many just do not understand this. They are analyzing the situation through the prism of normal politics. That is not where we’re at.
progressoverpeace on July 6, 2009 at 8:47 PM
Well, people sometimes have more than ONE reason to do anything…why should Sarah be any different.
Now, as far as her presidential run, we don’t even know if she will run. Why, after so much attacks being lodged at her, would she want to step forth and put her hat in the ring?
But, Hollowpoint, you don’t even know the ‘real’ reason that she decided to resign, so why keep badgering everyone’s answer…….stranger things have happened….we have the first affirmative action president and he is failing miserably. He was not the best man or woman for the job, he was picked because of the color of his skin.
If Sarah runs and she believes in the conservative values that I believe in, I don’t care if she places a dead moose head in obama’s bed, I will back her and I will vote for her. That is all I care about. After last year’s debacle with that waste of skin candidate the GOP put up, we need to make sure the candidate that we choose believes what we believe. That is all.
HornetSting on July 6, 2009 at 8:48 PM
If she wishes to take action against Washington, speak out against policies, then, as Governor, she could do great harm to Alaska as the ‘0′ administration could make things like acquiring funding very difficult.
If she is to continue the next 16 months defending herself from attacks with no viable way to perform her duties as Governor, then she could be seen as very selfish, and not representing the needs of her electorate.
Plausible.
TinMan13 on July 6, 2009 at 8:49 PM
LOL, OK, I left out the scenario of resigning to accept a Presidential appointment, and probably others.
Doesn’t change my point at all though. Palin didn’t resign to become an ambassador, fill a cabinet position, etc.
Hollowpoint on July 6, 2009 at 8:56 PM
Except she cited the self-imposed “lame duck” status as a reason on it’s own; she covered the attacks and desire to be an advocate as seperate reasons.
She’d have better off picking one compelling reason in my opinion.
Hollowpoint on July 6, 2009 at 9:02 PM
Rather than repeat myself, I’ll just link to the argument I just offered in the “special comment” thread, which seems to align with a lot of the thinking here.
VekTor on July 6, 2009 at 9:13 PM
There are other reasonable theories that don’t (necessarily) involve her running for President in 2012, but that do call for a sense of immediacy.
The “lame duck” explanation does seem to be a little “off”, though… she seems to be using it in a sense that most typically don’t.
VekTor on July 6, 2009 at 9:20 PM
I can agree with that…
They called “Dan Quyale” light in his lofers”
This babe is, “light in her wedgies”…!
Or not…?
Geezer on July 6, 2009 at 9:33 PM
Whatever. I think I’ll wait to hear what Sarah has to say. What a sh*tstorm she set off with this, I just can’t help but laugh & laugh. It tickles me to no end!
kg598301 on July 6, 2009 at 9:41 PM
It’s OK, you can get behind the empty suit of your choice. :o)
ddrintn on July 6, 2009 at 9:46 PM
Don’t count on it. I don’t think Romney has it in him.
ddrintn on July 6, 2009 at 9:49 PM
No she resigned to take up a position AGAINST the current administration instead of WITH it.
thomasaur on July 6, 2009 at 9:55 PM
I hope she does. However it’ll be as a private citizen rather than elected official. How that turns out remains to be seen.
Hollowpoint on July 6, 2009 at 9:58 PM
A few more years of this administration and Congress, I doubt too many will care why Palin did what when.
Dr. ZhivBlago on July 6, 2009 at 9:59 PM
Obama would sacrifice his firstborn to make her as irrelevant as he’s made Hillary Clinton. If she took a role in the Obama administration, then her career would be over.
econavenger on July 6, 2009 at 10:13 PM
Just trying to inject a little reality and objectivity.
The slavish devotion of those who believe Palin can do no wrong isn’t healthy, and the responses by some of them are downright embarrassing.
I understand that she’s had to put up with a lot of crap from the MSM and the left (but I repeat myself), and that a lot of people had high hopes for her. I have no problem with bitching about the treatment she’s gotten.
What I do have a problem with are those who act as if any suggestion that her resignation hurts her politically is a personal attack on Palin and all those that support her. It isn’t.
Making the fairly obvious observation that her resignation (and the reasons she cited for it) are not consistant with a 2012 presidential run isn’t an attack and doesn’t make one an elitist, RINO, or Palin-hater.
Those that disagree seem to have the following thought process:
1. I want Palin to run in 2012.
2. Palin can do no wrong.
3. Palin exists to grant my political wishes.
4. Therefore, Palin’s resignation was the right thing to do and does not hurt her chances in 2012.
I’ve little use for such idealistic wishful thinking. Neither should anyone else.
Hollowpoint on July 6, 2009 at 10:19 PM
Perfect good sense, were you to think about it. The fact that she wasn’t running for another term would limit what she could accomplish, the carrots at her disposal and the sticks she could use. The press being used against her would intensify and the opposition would try to run out the clock. Also, knowing the end was very near and suspecting an attempt at the Presidency, all the outside money and resources that was flowing into Alaska would become a flood.
Her enemies would be looking for a knock-out punch and, as a “lame duck” both friend and foe would be lining up to run, making it less likely that she could garner support with the climate becoming ever more politicized. Meanwhile the national machine bearing down on her in advance of the expected Presidential run would wind up to help knock her out, too. In short, all of her enemies would begin firing together, aiming to find something to kill her off before she left office to disgrace her, bankrupt her, provoke her, destroy her in their own time.
What she did by suddenly resigning was to remake the political landscape overnight, run out the clock herself, and leave a sitting governor in her place committed to her agenda, sharing her accomplishments, and owing her big time.
Now, to me this was immediately obvious and self-evident. Yes, perfectly reasonable to me.
littleguy on July 6, 2009 at 10:43 PM
Just a lttle some thing to throw in the mix. Gretta had a Times reporter on and she said that the word had come down to the Dems in the Alaska House and Senate to block everything from getting anything done.
KBird on July 6, 2009 at 10:51 PM
Huh?
At what point in an elected official’s last term do they suddenly become ineffective and unable to perform their duties effectively? One year? Two? Three? You can only be useful if you’re going to seek re-election?
Being in a final term of a given office generally allows the officeholder to run things as they see fit without being constrained by having to worry about the electoral impact the next election- they don’t have to govern to get re-elected.
Again- no matter what her reasons, she can’t claim that she quit because the political pressure was too great for her to be an effective governor, yet would be perfectly effective as a president in the face of political pressure. Voters wouldn’t buy it for a second. No doubt she considered that, but isn’t currently concerned about electoral politics near term.
Hollowpoint on July 6, 2009 at 10:59 PM
Speaking of Huntsman… my husband ran a marathon in Provo a few weeks ago and we went to the This Is The Place Monument and museum thingy in Salt Lake. They told us we should have been there the day before… Huntsman bought free admission and a free ice cream as a good bye present for his constituents.
Of course we are from AZ but hey I’d have taken free Ice Cream from the US ambassador to China…
petunia on July 6, 2009 at 11:15 PM
Ziegler was IMHO accurate with the first reason why Palin resigned (the cost of ethics complaints) but on the second reason I won’t accuse him of being disingenuous like most pundits but he definitely not forthcoming and left the O’Reilly viewers with the feeling that Palin had no further ambition in politics. That is simply not true or SarahPAC will be shut down right now and Palin wouldn’t be still accepting contributions from the lower 48.
And he did not mention Palin’s visit to the Reagan Library on August 8th which he may have not known of or waiting for confirmation from the Palin camp.
Ziegler conveniently avoided SarahPAC.
technopeasant on July 6, 2009 at 11:26 PM
What? She wasn’t claiming the pressure was too great. Alaska was getting a raw deal. She wasn’t going to run again, and the Lt. Governor has no aspirations beyond Alaska and no national posture so he wouldn’t draw the flies like she would have. She sets him up so he’s committed to the agenda and gets to claim her accomplishments. Alaska wins. The GOP in Alaska wins. She wins. All the scumbags LOSE! Even simple minded voters can understand and appreciate these things.
littleguy on July 6, 2009 at 11:33 PM
That she couldn’t govern effectively despite “drawing flies” would be portrayed as folding under pressure, and voters wouldn’t forgive that. And when she brought up attacks on her family and the distraction of ethics suits- yeah, that’s pressure.
A presidential candidate is expected to be ambitious- to want the position bad enough to put up with anything thrown their way, and survive any form of attack while still being able to perform.
That it might’ve been the best thing for Alaska since the discovery of oil isn’t very relevant.
Hollowpoint on July 6, 2009 at 11:48 PM
Oil is everything in Alaska. Soon, gas will be too — thanks to Palin. You’re free to cling to your beliefs while we see what actually happens.
littleguy on July 6, 2009 at 11:58 PM
Completely naive, irrational people? I’m feeling left out.
You can add me to your list. But I’m betting in the 3 years before the next election, Palin could easily be the frontrunner.
I don’t think her focus is on 2012, though. I think it’s on the 2010 election for Congress, ergo the rush to start campaigning. And I think she’s more interested in helping seeing a Republican sweep of Congress than getting a Senate seat.
Unlike pundits, though, I’m willing to wait and see.
didymus on July 7, 2009 at 12:41 AM
It’s not really that hard, and I see some others have answered it.
But I’ll take a stab at being concise.
She didn’t quit. She announced she would resign the governorship because she could not do the job effectively while being a target because of her involvement in national politics.
Let’s face it, most governors in her position would have hung onto their jobs whether they were able to do them well or not. Because that move, while selfish, would have been the best for their political careers.
As for how it affects her running in 2012, that depends on whether she’s perceived as a quitter, or as someone who instead of giving up, went on the attack.
And who will decide that? The voters, not the pundits.
didymus on July 7, 2009 at 1:16 AM
Loved when meg said of sarah, “The world is literally her oyster.”
Ask somebody to explain it to you. :D
benny shakar on July 7, 2009 at 1:23 AM
2012 is not the foreseeable future. She is positioning herself on the battlespace for targets of opportunity whenever they may arise.
MB4 on July 7, 2009 at 1:29 AM
I haven’t done the monthly donation yet because it improves my mood tremendously to donate money to Sarah whenever I see some news that depresses me about our dear country. I’ve been donating a lot lately.
I even got a wonderful hand written note from Sarah on June 30. Couldn’t smell any perfume on it though. darn the luck.
We got your six, Sarah. See you on Aug 8 at Reagan Library!
Jimmy Doolittle on July 7, 2009 at 1:49 AM
Perhaps she left for the reason that she’s a wife/mother and no candidate/politician in American history, or more importantly, her children, have had to endure more attacks not only for frequency,but for pure hatred and loathing.
The last straw was the Letterman jokes on a 14 year old yet this man is still allowed to have a job by us. We showed indifference by allowing that man to stay on the air.
Jeff from WI on July 7, 2009 at 6:00 AM
“Asked if she wanted to be president, she repeated she did not know what her future holds.
“I want to work, right now, for people who are going to work either in office or out of office for the right things. Those principles that build up America, those who are inspired by the values of America, and will not deride or apologize for the values we hold as Americans.” “
the_nile on July 7, 2009 at 6:59 AM
I’m sure some reporter who has secretly staked out her bedroom closet will give us the REAL reason behind it.
Jeff from WI on July 7, 2009 at 7:34 AM
I was right. Ha ha!
disa on July 7, 2009 at 7:51 AM
Ding ding ding ding! There you go, hollowpoint loves him some elected officials because they be so powerful and important and smart and soooo much better then us plain ol citizens!
No. If that were even close to the truth the term “lame duck” would not have been invented. Most politicians in their final term are powerless, they get nothing done. They have nothing to offer because they will be out of power soon. Everyone is jockeying for what is next and lame duck politicians are irrelevent. If you are going to attack Palin for not wanting to be a lame duck politician at least try to understand the meaning of the phrase.
peacenprosperity on July 7, 2009 at 7:52 AM
Wow. No wonder you come off as so incoherent. You have no idea what this is all about. You are absolutely clueless.
peacenprosperity on July 7, 2009 at 7:55 AM
Jeff, the attacks will not end just because she’s no longer in office – in fact, the Sarah Bimbo hate meme will be pitched even more hysterically by the media when she takes the stage to rouse the grassroots.
The ethics charges will stop, though….I heard that she supported the new ethics rules in Alaska. If so, she’s learned about the law of unintended consequences. Petards etc.
disa on July 7, 2009 at 7:56 AM
Usually his posts are coherent, but this one confuses me…it is like a “truther” post.
Everyone goes off the rail once in awhile, maybe he will edit and explain…give him a chance, that is just weird.
I guess he doesn’t understand “limited government”…
right2bright on July 7, 2009 at 8:13 AM
So you are a “quitter”??
Funny how all the anti-Palin posters always end up with name-calling and personal attacks.
Norwegian on July 7, 2009 at 2:36 PM
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