The Palin Resignation

John Fund has what he thinks might be the real reasons Sarah Palin resigned.

"The Alaska ethics elves had painted such a target on Sarah's forehead that she had begun turning down pretty much every invitation she got -- even though they were pouring in every day by the dozens," a confidant of the governor's told me. "It is not throwing in the towel. It is deciding that she was ineffective in fighting for her principles and could do more in another role."

Whatever.

Of course, the reaction of the political left to whatever Palin does has been always been a weird form of hysteria. What is it about this woman that drives these people around the bend.

It is fair to say that her decision to resign was surprising and certainly unorthodox for a politician who is supposed to have designs on the presidency. But if that is her goal, this course of action makes some sense. It frees her up. It allows her to travel more freely and campaign and raise money.

Besides, what's so honorable about all the men (and a few women) who have campaigned for higher office while holding onto the gig they have and not giving it their full attention? Barack Obama, Joe Biden, John McCain, Hillary Clinton all ran for president as sitting U.S. Senators as did an assortment of others. In fact, Biden ran for senate and vice president at the same time!

Is it really so admirable that a politician would take taxpayers' money for doing one job while spending a lot of time and effort campaigning for another?

If Palin quit because of the lure of a book contract and millions in speaking engagements, well, lucky her. She's got a big family to help support. If she quit because she really thought, as she said, that she'd become a distraction to getting things done in Alaska, that's fair too.

At least, it appears, she didn't quit because she was caught having sex with a high priced prostitute or because she had a Latin lover "soul mate."

Who could blame anyone for taking a temporary (or even permanent) leave from the mean-spirited game that American politics has become?

Maybe, she quit because a big shoe was about to drop in one of those many ethics investigations. Who knows?

Here's one thing that we do know. All politicians lie, or (to put it a nicer way) they hardly ever tell us the whole unvarnished truth. And Palin is and has been a politician. She may have a future as a politician. She will certainly have a future as some other sort of celebrity big deal. She remains an interesting figure, especially as a lightning rod.

But the varied reactions to her leaving office, as usual, tells us more about the people who are reacting than about Palin herself.

UPDATE: Tony Blankley has a pretty thoughtful take on this.