Palin reveals little as she exits Alaska politics

GOVERNOR Sarah Palin gained fame – and infamy among some – since she embarked on a vice-presidential bid less than a year ago.

Her surprising departure from Alaska’s top office is prompting questions over her motives and next big move.

She left office yesterday with her political future clouded by ethics probes, mounting legal bills and dwindling popularity. A new Washington Post-ABC poll puts her favourability rating at 40%, with 53% giving her an unfavourable rating.

Palin has said little about any major moves, but has hinted that she has a bigger role in mind. She is scheduled to speak on August 8 at the Ronald Reagan Presidential Library in California, and has said she plans to write a book, campaign for political candidates from coast to coast and build a right-of-centre coalition.

Above all, Palin plans to continue speaking her mind on the social networking site Twitter.

“Ain’t gonna shut my mouth/ I know there’s got to be a few hundred million more like me/ just trying to keep it free,” Palin said in a recent Tweet, quoting the song Rollin’, by the country duo Big & Rich.

Such folksy offerings endear Palin to millions of fans, including more than 100,000 who follow her on Twitter. But are they enough to launch a political movement?

Political scientist Jerry McBeath said the answer isn’t clear: “In the context of 305 million Americans, 100,000 is not a lot of followers.”

McBeath, chairman of the political science department at the University of Alaska Fairbanks, said Palin “needs to do something beyond tweeting – or twittering, whatever it is – to establish a continuous national presence.”

A more conventional politician would write a syndicated column or host a radio or TV show, McBeath said, but added: “I don’t know if Sarah Palin wants that.

“I think she believes she has something to say that is of value to voters who share her views and believes that part of her calling is to continue [tweeting],” he said.

Palin spokeswoman Meghan Stapleton disputed the notion that Palin is running for president or has media deals lined up.

“I cannot express enough, there is no plan after July 26. There is absolutely no plan,” she said earlier this month.

On Saturday, Palin spoke briefly to the crowd of several thousand in a downtown Anchorage park picnic, saying she and Lt Gov Sean Parnell would be “literally serving you, which is our honour”. She, Parnell and other members of her cabinet served free hot dogs and hamburgers to people gathered to eat, listen to music and, mostly, gawk at Palin.

Palin’s biggest legacy may be putting Alaska on the national stage, said Larry Persily, a former Palin staffer, who now works for a Republican state legislator.

“Before, if you played a word game and someone said Alaska, you might say oil or even whales,” he said. “Now you say Alaska: ‘Palin’.”

Alaska’s first female governor arrived at the state capitol in 2006 on an ethics reform platform after defeating two former governors in the primary and general elections. Her prior political experience consisted of terms as Wasilla’s mayor and councillor and a stint as head of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission.

Unknown on the national stage until Republican John McCain chose her as his running mate, Palin infused excitement into the Republican’s presidential bid. But she also became the butt of talk- show jokes. Palin was the target of Democratic criticism amid reports the Republican Party had spent $150,000 (€105,555) or more on a designer wardrobe for her, and what some considered poor performances in television interviews.

Now, more than two-and-a-half years later, former state senate president Lyda Green, a one-time Palin ally, now a leading critic, said Palin’s tenure is likely to have a negative effect on the state.

“There are going be some things that the legislature will have to go in and redo,” she said, including the likely review of a ballyhooed deal to bring a natural gas pipeline to the state.

“I had high hopes going in and have been, like many other people, very disappointed in what the impact has been for the state,” said Green.

He called Palin a narcissist whose actions “are very much toward herself and her goals, and what she sees for her future”.

But Palin’s future goals remain unclear. “I think she’s trying to figure out what her calling is,” McBeath said. “Initially she wanted to be governor, and then vice president, and now who knows?”

Stapleton said the answer will emerge in coming weeks:

“On July 27, we’ll sit down and say, ‘OK, here are your options. How do you now want to effect that positive change for Alaska from outside the role as governor?’”