Palin did the right thing
Now coming from me this might be a surprise, God knows I do not agree with The Honorable Sarah Palin on many things. However, I agree with her decision to step down as the Governor of our 49th State, Alaska.
After listening to all the critics trashing her for a month, especially about the way she handled the announcement of her resignation, I am here to offer why I think she was right in doing what she did. And it basically comes down to two words, Money and Exposure.
Palin has become one the few who was thrust into the national spotlight during a presidential election. Was she prepared for it? Probably not, but such things are not necessarily planned for. I don't think her political ambition, realistically, had gone beyond what she had attained.
Now that she has had a taste of the national limelight, why should she let that opportunity be a flash in the pan? First of all, you have to admit she is an attractive woman. In a culture where we idolize, and capitalize, on beauty, a former beauty contestant in the political arena is pure gold.
She is definitely not an Ivy League intellectual, but she is a former point guard, and what she does not have in intellect, she more than makes up for in competitive instincts. Her performance in the Vice-Presidential Debate proved that she can be ready for prime time, if properly prepared.
That preparation has to come from outside of Alaska. Now I have been to Alaska, and I think it is a beautiful place. However, it is a long way from the epicenter of American politics. To prove my point, outside of Alaskans, how many of you can name any previous Alaskan governors?
For that matter, how many of you reading this can name previous governors outside of your own home state? If one has to broaden their horizons, they have to go beyond local politics. Palin has decided to make that move. She realized, the hard way, that the way you run a campaign in Alaska is different from the way you run a national campaign. To build her chops in the national arena, she could not be bound to an office that would distract her from that.
And speaking about distractions, her national glow was affecting the way she governed Alaska. The constant pressure from activists in her own party to travel across the country and the equally pressurized criticism/scrutiny on her family took a toll on her level of effectiveness. I believe the people of Alaska, for the most part, were supportive of her efforts since she got off of the national campaign trail, but just getting by was not satisfactory for her, and I definitely agree with that philosophy.
So now with the window of opportunity open, a book deal on the works, a lucrative career on the lecture circuit available, it would be crazy not to seize the moment. Besides, did anybody see her television audition when she hosted Saturday Night Live? She is a natural for television. It was my assessment during the campaign that she would be hosting a talk show real soon and she has made it possible by removing herself from her second biggest obligation, public service.
A talk show deal would not only be financially beneficial, but it will give her the exposure she needs. When I talk about exposure, I am talking about being exposed to things and issues outside of Alaska. Her name identification is good enough now to run for President of the United States. But having a show, like The Honorable Mike Huckabee has, would give her the opportunity to travel the country, and talk with experts on any subject she wants to delve into.
People will be able to see her in her best light every show and she will also have a feel about the pulse of the nation on particular issues. That can only be beneficial for someone who now wants to have a voice on the national stage. My ideal scenario would be that Palin gets a show on MSNBC.
Hear me out. It would be easy for her to get a show on FOX News, but she would be dismissed as just another conservative on a conservative network, which Huckabee already has a show on by the way. However, if she landed a show on MSNBC, here would be the ideal prime time lineup: 7pm EST-Hardball with Chris Matthews, 8pm-Palin's show, 9pm-Countdown with Keith Olbermann, 10pm-The Rachel Maddow Show. It would be the most watched prime time news show lineup in the market, especially for the first month, preferably in a sweeps month like February.
A conservative having a talk show on MSNBC? Genius! If you want to play the conspiracy theory game, I believe it is already in the works. Which network usually gets the exclusive interviews with Palin? FOX News and NBC. What network is SNL on? NBC. See where I am going with this?
I think, personally, it would be a slam-dunk for MSNBC to have "The Sarah Palin Show", but that is enough fantasizing for one day. I just really wanted to go on the record to say that Palin did the right thing in resigning early to get a chance to do something that all Americans desire: getting paid for what you do well. She has been in the national spotlight long enough with just a modest income.
President Obama increased his income by becoming an author. Why can't Palin do the same thing? I say, Governor Palin, go for it.
After listening to all the critics trashing her for a month, especially about the way she handled the announcement of her resignation, I am here to offer why I think she was right in doing what she did. And it basically comes down to two words, Money and Exposure.
Palin has become one the few who was thrust into the national spotlight during a presidential election. Was she prepared for it? Probably not, but such things are not necessarily planned for. I don't think her political ambition, realistically, had gone beyond what she had attained.
Now that she has had a taste of the national limelight, why should she let that opportunity be a flash in the pan? First of all, you have to admit she is an attractive woman. In a culture where we idolize, and capitalize, on beauty, a former beauty contestant in the political arena is pure gold.
She is definitely not an Ivy League intellectual, but she is a former point guard, and what she does not have in intellect, she more than makes up for in competitive instincts. Her performance in the Vice-Presidential Debate proved that she can be ready for prime time, if properly prepared.
That preparation has to come from outside of Alaska. Now I have been to Alaska, and I think it is a beautiful place. However, it is a long way from the epicenter of American politics. To prove my point, outside of Alaskans, how many of you can name any previous Alaskan governors?
For that matter, how many of you reading this can name previous governors outside of your own home state? If one has to broaden their horizons, they have to go beyond local politics. Palin has decided to make that move. She realized, the hard way, that the way you run a campaign in Alaska is different from the way you run a national campaign. To build her chops in the national arena, she could not be bound to an office that would distract her from that.
And speaking about distractions, her national glow was affecting the way she governed Alaska. The constant pressure from activists in her own party to travel across the country and the equally pressurized criticism/scrutiny on her family took a toll on her level of effectiveness. I believe the people of Alaska, for the most part, were supportive of her efforts since she got off of the national campaign trail, but just getting by was not satisfactory for her, and I definitely agree with that philosophy.
So now with the window of opportunity open, a book deal on the works, a lucrative career on the lecture circuit available, it would be crazy not to seize the moment. Besides, did anybody see her television audition when she hosted Saturday Night Live? She is a natural for television. It was my assessment during the campaign that she would be hosting a talk show real soon and she has made it possible by removing herself from her second biggest obligation, public service.
A talk show deal would not only be financially beneficial, but it will give her the exposure she needs. When I talk about exposure, I am talking about being exposed to things and issues outside of Alaska. Her name identification is good enough now to run for President of the United States. But having a show, like The Honorable Mike Huckabee has, would give her the opportunity to travel the country, and talk with experts on any subject she wants to delve into.
People will be able to see her in her best light every show and she will also have a feel about the pulse of the nation on particular issues. That can only be beneficial for someone who now wants to have a voice on the national stage. My ideal scenario would be that Palin gets a show on MSNBC.
Hear me out. It would be easy for her to get a show on FOX News, but she would be dismissed as just another conservative on a conservative network, which Huckabee already has a show on by the way. However, if she landed a show on MSNBC, here would be the ideal prime time lineup: 7pm EST-Hardball with Chris Matthews, 8pm-Palin's show, 9pm-Countdown with Keith Olbermann, 10pm-The Rachel Maddow Show. It would be the most watched prime time news show lineup in the market, especially for the first month, preferably in a sweeps month like February.
A conservative having a talk show on MSNBC? Genius! If you want to play the conspiracy theory game, I believe it is already in the works. Which network usually gets the exclusive interviews with Palin? FOX News and NBC. What network is SNL on? NBC. See where I am going with this?
I think, personally, it would be a slam-dunk for MSNBC to have "The Sarah Palin Show", but that is enough fantasizing for one day. I just really wanted to go on the record to say that Palin did the right thing in resigning early to get a chance to do something that all Americans desire: getting paid for what you do well. She has been in the national spotlight long enough with just a modest income.
President Obama increased his income by becoming an author. Why can't Palin do the same thing? I say, Governor Palin, go for it.
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