Sarah Palin Resigns as Governor of Alaska before finishing Term 2

Whether or not many of Sarah Palin's problems are of her own doing remains debatable. But the fact is that she has been such a target of immense ridicule from much of the far left (for obvious political reasons) and the press (who seem to possess a personal vendetta against her). She is now a political lightning rod, and she inspires much emotion from those who support her and from those who loathe her.

As far as her move to resign as Governor of Alaska, aside from resigning her post, the move to private life prior to assuming the highest office isn't entirely without precedent. Former Presidents Richard Nixon and Ronald Reagan were private citizens prior to being elected to the highest office in the land. But if Palin is trying to emulate them, the problem is that she does not possess the political clout or savvy of the formers- Nixon having been a former United States Senator and two-term Vice President, and Reagan being a former two-term Governor of California. And I agree with many of the reviewers here in that one of the knocks against her is her supposed lack of political experience. Resigning her bully pulpit of the governorship of Alaska, especially after one term may not be the most expedient thing for her to do if she is trying to make a run for President of the United States. Democrats and liberals alike have now begun to call her a quitter, arguing that if she isn't able to even complete a single term as Alaska's governor, how can she even think about taking on the Presidency of the United States. It does raise questions from those in the political know about Palin's decision-making, and it does give her detractors more ammunition to lob against her should she run.

However, if she is resigning because she has a genuine wanting to return to private life, people ought to respect her decision. Palin has endured so much misery from political life, some of which has become personal (especially against her family). Politics can be cruel, and she has become the poster child for the wrath for much of an uncontrolled, angry press whom are bent on personal destruction because they disagree with someone or they aren't "like them". Snobbish? Yes. Unfair, but that is politics.

Personally, I do not feel she is nationally electable because of such negative publicity that surrounds her. But her resigning of her post is overall newsworthy because of her name recognition and her supposed ambitions for higher office. From a political standpoint, it might be a decision she comes to regret if she decides to pursue the Presidency later.