ANCHORAGE (COS) -- Sarah Palin, who rose from obscurity to become Alaska's governor three years ago, began her career as a sort girl next door beauty pageant winner . She accused GOP leaders of not “getting it”, then publicized details of her inmost thoughts and feelings which promptly crushed them and led to her becoming the poster child of the republican party. No really, they sell a lot of her posters at Wal-Mart.
Now, as Palin stepped down on Sunday, 18 months before the end of her term, she vows to resurrect her early image on a national stage, even as she complains that she has been saddled with bills related to shopping expeditions from running for the 2nd or 3rd most powerful position in America. “I just couldn’t stop buying shoes- most women relate”, she says.
"I'm not leaving the governorship because of any particular issue. Rather, I have explained that the millions of dollars spent by the state and the diversion of resources to address real issues is so unnecessary and harmful to me," Palin said in written comments to The Washington Post. "I will take my shopping nationally and I won't shy away from even the most irritatingly organized shoe racks, and anyone standing in between me and those Christian Louboutin Privatita pumps."
Palin, 45, sees state ethics reform as her lasting legacy. "I will really be keeping them busy for awhile, ;-) lol" she wrote in a farewell column to Alaskans on her Web site.
Yet as she steps down, she and her attorney are demanding that the guys that whistle at her as she walks to her car be stopped from posting those pictures on facebook. This week, her attorney threatened to sue the people who posted the unflattering pics, and Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell (R), who will replace her, asked Palin to take steps away from him, and while you are at it "if you are going to keep this up you have really got to take care of those spider veins”
Many complaints Palin has made about the media have been dismissed outright, a few are still pending, and several resulted in people wondering what the hell is wrong with her. But with accusations still swirling in the blogosphere, some observers say the media will continue to dog Palin until she stops making money for them.
"You can't be out there that much and be immune from the slings and arrows of the fight, and then cite those attacks as justification for surrendering an elected office," said Paul Erickson, a GOP presidential strategist. "If she thought it was tough in Juneau with a bunch of petty drunk fishermen, then she has no idea what awaits her at the bar scene in more cultured places, such as Little Rock, Arkansas."
Taking Accusations Public
Palin first became a serious force six years ago, as a recently retired mayor of Wasilla. She gained wide appeal by being hotter than every other politician in America, by far.
In August 2003, after being recently appointed to the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission, she acted on a tip. She dug up documents showing that oil is refined into gasoline, which powers cars. Palin took her findings to the media and for weeks peppered them with “drill baby drill”, shaping a crusader image that helped propel her to be a really, really old guys running mate. Was any one else creeped out by this? Day after day, she voiced her love for this “maverick” before survey experts finished their work and called for her to not hug him in public. Palin's relentlessness “drill baby drill” drove Obama back to smoking, which ironically has had unintended negative consequences for the tobacco industry. One anonymous tobacco executive shared off the record that, “We really need him to stop, this is bad for our image.”
"As the saying goes, the most dangerous place you can be is between a grizzly sow and her cub," said longtime Alaska Republican operative Roy Burkhart. "But now I have to change that -- it would be between [Palin] and John McCain, and his staff, and also Katie Couric"
Burkhart said he advised Palin while there are very few truths we know in this world but that publicly discussing details of that in interviews is always bad idea. "She didn't listen," he said. "It's how she created her political career, by being kind of lovable even though she has no idea what she is talking about."
Palin also targeted another creepy old guy, David Letterman.
In her written statements, Palin said she does not regret going public with accusations against Letterman.
"I publicly questioned his sense of humor," Palin wrote. "There is a difference between people laughing with you and people laughing at you she said"
Activists joined Palin's crusade, among them Chris Rock, who really hates that “Cracker” . Palin saw Rock as attractive, “in a non sexual way”. Palin routinely praised Rock’s aggressive tactics, writing in one e-mail, "Ya' done good again!!!," and signing some, "Love, SP." Chris Rock said, “Unfortunately, some people don’t understand me” "Holy Moly you are powerful regarding getting the word out to the press about questionable activity!" Palin wrote in response.
Problems as Governor
In 2006, with the support of all 246 people in Wasilla, Palin knocked off the incumbent Republican governor by promising to clean up her backyard, “Todd needs to clean up all that snowmobile crap”. But in early 2007, a distraction arose when Palin and her husband kicked the shit out of that Monegan guy. The matter led to a bipartisan state investigation that dragged into fall 2008, when Palin campaigned as the running mate of Sen. John McCain (R-Ariz).
Palin has labeled Monegan as "the falafel lady" and in a recent Twitter post called him a "serial complainer." So far, officials estimate spending nearly $2 million and about 7,000 hours of staff doing damage control after Palin speaks.
Palin enters the fray almost daily on her Twitter page, writing this month: "Public & private resources wasted today w yet another frivolous false ethics charge, I'll send presser. So sorry, Alaska."
Alaskans have been both riveted and surprised that Palin could not deflect the determined gadflies, said Gregg Erickson, a Juneau economist and longtime political observer. "Most Alaskans see Palin as kind of a sexy wacko who can be sort of manipulated" he said, "and Sarah is someone who quickly rises to the bait."
Judy Nadler, a government ethicist at Santa Clara University, said politicians that occasionally talk about running for the presidency unfairly may face higher public expectations.
"If you say you are the running for presidency in a few years you really need to make sure your house is squeaky clean, and if you ever get caught on camera in a compromising position, it is going to hurt you," added Nadler, a former Santa Clara mayor. "She asked for this scrutiny and the public gave it to her."
Palin said she is unconcerned. "I will not worry about some 'political image,' " she said. "The people will judge me on my substance and my message, not my 'image.' "
