Palin's announcement

Johnathon Martin, Politico:

Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin announced Friday that she was resigning her office later this month, a stunning decision that could free her to run for president more easily but also raises questions about her political standing at home.

Palin disclosed the surprise news Friday afternoon from her home in Wasilla with her husband, Todd, and Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell, who the governor said would take over the state on Saturday, July 25.

With the decision, Palin liberates herself from the political constraints that come with running for president while still in elected office.

Leaving office at the end of the month, the former vice presidential hopeful will be able to travel the country more freely without facing the sort of repeated ethics inquiries she’s been fending off since returning to Alaska earlier this year.

In making her announcement, Palin spoke directly to those inquiries, saying she wouldn’t stand by as taxpayer money was spent to investigate her.

Speaking outside her home with Lake Lucille in the background, Palin derided the “superficial political blood sport” that has been aimed at her since rocketing to fame last summer.

And, in remarks that appeared to be off the cuff, Palin also recalled her days as a high school basketball point guard, arguing that she was advancing her state by stepping down.

“I know when it’s time to pass the ball for victory,” Palin said.

But Palin also hinted at her own national ambitions, invoking a quote that she credited to Gen. Douglas MacArthur: “We are not retreating; we are advancing in another direction.”

After the news conference, Palin asked supporters to “stay tuned” via Twitter. “We’ll soon attach info on this decision to not seek reelection.”

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Actually it was Marine General O.P. Smith who made that statement in reaction to a question from a reporter who asked if the Marines were retreating in their breakout from the Chosin reservoir in North Korea. He turned out to be correct. The Marines destroyed an entire Chinese army during the breakout. It never was reconsituted during the Korean war.

It was something that could not be done on Twitter, but I think Gov. Palin still has great political potential. She has dominated the news today and probably will this weekend. Those who are saying she has blown it, should consider, that if that were the case there would not be a need for this kind of coverage. Martin story seem fair to me.