Palin Analysis: Why Sarah?

Now that the "dust has settled" from the resignation of Sarah Palin as the Governor of Alaska, or at least I think, I'll be giving you my full analysis on the long term effects of Governor Palin's resignation.

When Palin first offered her resignation, I was in complete awe. The press conference seemed like it was an impromptu, poorly planned event, and in my earnest opinion, it was. We now know Palin spoke with no notes, and this could have only added a more awkward sense to an already very awkward press conference. As she finished her remarks, I couldn't help but to realize that with the amazing lack of detail in the speech, major questions would arise. They certainly did, as the pundits speculated everything from that she was under investigation to that her marriage was on the rocks. The speech, although very populist in nature, was not smart politics, but I don't think it was a lasting impression on the voter, either way. If Sarah Palin wants to be a presidential contender, and a viable one at that, she is going to have to start making some memorable speeches and moves that appeal to independents and conservative Democrats. As of right now, I feel she has been way too much of a polarizing figure for the conservative movement, when she needs to be a uniting one.

What makes this more of a shame is that at one point, Governor Palin seemed unstoppable. I am talking about before her national news cycle days, but about her days as a first term governor in Alaska with a 90 percent approval rating. She had bipartisan appeal, defied partisan policies, and was the ultimate uniting force in Alaska politics. She had a special gift, in my view, to be able to have approval ratings over 90 percent consistently. Even liberal pundits would agree in Alaska she got more done in 2 years than the previous 3 governors got done. The polarizing, ideological Sarah Palin is not going to sell well to the American people. What would sell and sell very well is the pre-McCain campaign Sarah Palin. That Sarah Palin, who possesses all of the fiery speaking skills, and charisma that she still has, would have the Democratic Party truly losing sleep.

Although Governor Palin's resignation puts her in a bad position to run for President in 2012, she's never been a textbook politician, and you should not expect her to be. She'll have the chance to sell herself on a constant basis to the American people, a chance she would not have had she continued serving as the Governor of Alaska. Her time as Governor is certainly lacking for a presidential candidate, but if Sarah Palin is able to tell the American people about what she accomplished in that short span, with bipartisan support, to all ends of viewpoints here in America, she will go very, very far. The roughest part for Sarah Palin is that this is going to require doing more than GOP fund raising and rallying conservatives, but rallying a nation. Phil Vangelakos, a GOP technology pioneer, put it perfectly on Twitter: Palin is the Michael Jackson of politics: extremely talented, but very bizarre. If Sarah Palin wants to be the President of these United States one day, that is going to have to end.