Her move to leave office early may save Sarah Palin the hassle of having to grind out the acrimonious end of her term in Alaska, battling Democrats and batting down frivolous ethics complaints as conservatives battle each other over her role.
But how can leaving office early help her with her greatest deficiency as a presidential contender — a lack of experience on big issues? Palin has the total package has a candidate, except the obvious lack of a long track record of success. She took on the Alaskan establishment, rose quickly and energized the Republican party in August of 2008 — a rise as fast as Barack Obama’s. But what people want to know is whether she can get results.
She was introduced to the nation as a whip-smart up and comer from the wilds of Wasilla, but still in a state of becoming. After being turned back by voters, Palin seemed to follow a wise path of going back to Alaska to brush up on governance and gain greater mastery of issues.
If she spends the next two years developing her presidential team, raising money and trying to become the face of the Republican party she will be a different kind of target for her detractors and the drama that follows her will play out on the national stage.
If she spends her time with her family, writing a book and studying, perhaps Palin can overcome an incomplete grade for her one term as governor.
But I suspect that after voters grow weary of candidates with more charisma than experience, other Republicans with a track records of success will come to the fore.
Ronald Reagan spent the years between 1976 and 1980 preparing for his rendezvous with destiny, but that came after eight years as the governor of California.
Unless Palin is actually stepping away from the notion of a presidential run and thinking more about a career as a comentator or media personality, this strikes me as a mistake.
