So, Governor Palin is resigning, effective July 26th, giving the governorship to her lieutenant governor, Sean Parnell. From a press release:

Standing outside her home in Wasilla, Alaska, Governor Palin reflected upon some of the administration’s accomplishments for Alaska as she approaches her final year in office.

“I am determined to take the right path for Alaska even though it is not the easiest path,” said Governor Palin after the announcement. “Once I decided not to run for re-election, I also felt that to embrace the conventional ‘Lame Duck’ status in this particular climate would just be another dose of ‘politics as usual,’ something I campaigned against and will always oppose. It is my duty to always protect our great state. With that in mind, my family and I determined that it is best to make a difference this summer, and I am willing to change things, so that this administration, with its positive agenda, its accomplishments, and its successful road to an incredible future, can continue without interruption and with great administrative and legislative success. I look forward to helping others – to fight for our state and our country, and campaign for those who believe in smaller government, free enterprise, strong national security, support for our troops, and energy independence.”

The transfer of power will occur following the Governor’s picnic in Fairbanks on July 26. At that point in time, Lieutenant Governor Sean Parnell will be sworn in and Lieutenant General Craig Campbell will assume his role as Lieutenant Governor.

My instantaneous analysis goes like this:

Sarah Palin had already decided to pursue the presidency in 2012. Meanwhile, she was up for reelection in Alaska next year, 2010. Had she stuck in and run for governor again, everyone would be accusing of her of not planning to finish her term. And, indeed, the presidential race would be starting in earnest just as she was being sworn in for her second term. Ergo: Sarah Palin had already decided not to seek a second term.

Then, however, came the deeper kind of calculation. You can take what she is giving as her rationale for resigning at face value, and I do give it some weight; namely, that Alaska will be better served now by having a governor in place who is not a lame duck. That is, the new governor will presumably be running for election in 2010 and people in the state and in the legislature will know they have to continue dealing with him. That should make for better government (and also a better chance for Parnell to win the election).

But there’s also another element, perhaps. That is — now knowing for sure that she’s running for president — the Democrats, at both the state and national level, would have had their sights trained sharply on her during her final year and half as a governor. There are many ways to cause trouble for people in politics and in government (many have already been tried on Sarah Palin) and who knows that mischief might be generated in the continuing attempt to bring this woman down? Investigations, faux scandals, etc. It continues to amaze me just how much she is hated, and with what level of vitriol her foes in the media (and even in certain corners of the GOP) continue to lob fireballs in her direction.

She will now be on somewhat safer ground as a private citizen. She will also have the time to focus intensely on issues at a national level, by means of speeches and the like, and demonstrate whether or not she truly has the stuff to earn the nomination in 2012.

On that, I’m agnostic (it’s only 2009 for Pete’s sake!) but I do look forward to seeing her try, and I do wish her well.

…

Addendum 5:45 pm: NBC’s Andrea Mitchell claims sources who tell her that Sarah Palin has decided she’s done with politics. That is not how Palin’s own statement fell on my ears. Time should tell, and soon enough.

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