OK...did ANY of you guys see this coming?

[Ken Burch]

I've been out of town on my job on the ferry and we've just heard trickles of news about the Palin abdication. Did anyone at all think this was in the works?

[Brother Buzz]

1. After taking a peek at her twittering log....

it is apparent even Caribou Barbie didn't see it coming as late as the second of July. Something Hugh happened, and real quick, too. :shrug:

http://twitter.com/AKGOVSarahPalin

[Blue_In_AK]

2. No, Ken, I was totally shocked.

I was cleaning out my refrigerator when my daughter called from California with "What the hell is going on up there?!" I was like "What do you mean? We're fine." Then she said turn on CNN QUICK. I couldn't even believe it. Apparently Sarah didn't even tell Parnell until Wednesday night and didn't mention it to Mark earlier in the week when she had a 45-minute meeting with him. I've heard "rumors" that Todd was fishing out in Dillingham and had to make emergency travel arrangements to get back in time for the 11:00 press conference. Could HE even have been surprised? It's just too, too weird.

Obviously something is going on that she's not telling us, but I'm sure it will come out over the next few weeks. It would be nice if we could get some serious investigative reporting going on here. The bloggers do the best they can, but the MSM needs to get involved.

[Witchy_Dem]

3. Surprised here.

People in the valley are not amused...

[Blue_In_AK]

4. I was curious how they were feeling out there.

What are you hearing?

[Witchy_Dem]

6. People in the valley who *were* Palin supporters

are pissed and feeling dumped. They 'get' that she's expecting a presidential run but feel abandoned in her pursuit.

Not getting happy feedback, at all.

[Steerpike]

5. Good Morning

No one knows exactly what is coming and that is kind of unnerving.
As far as the state goes, we are going back to square one. Parnell, a former oil lobbyist, is a party line Republican. I can see the days of Murkowski making a big comeback. Randy Ruidrich and Sean are probobly in a backroom right now smoking cigars and plotting Big Oils reclamation of Alaska. We are pretty much fucked. Unless you are a corporatist, in which case you are probobly dancing on your tiptoes and singing "happy days are here again" interspersed with a chorus of "We're in the Money!" .
As to Sarah Palin; I assume she will take her show nationwide and make a tubload of money in speaking fees and of course after this month she can legally profit from her book to the tune of a couple of million. She will reposition herself as the new Ralph Reed. Eventually becoming a leader of the religious right, her strengths will be magnified exponentially. Although the religious right only encompasses a few million you will find that they love Sarah. She's like a cross of the Virgin Mary and Joan of Arc. Their "passion" for her will be limitless.
I think her enemies will find that their big mistake was that they did not kill her (metaphorically). Couse now she is only going to get stronger. And she'll be rich too!

[Witchy_Dem]

7. Considering what she said directly to a group of camp kids this summer

this post makes the most sense.

She told a bunch of basketball campers (my two kids were present) that she felt grateful that God put them in her hands. I shit you not.

My oldest about puked. LOL

[Ken Burch]

9. You'd have thought somebody would call API and have her put on a 72 hour hold.

What was the old saying?

"When I talk to God, people say I'm religious. When God talks to me, people say I'm psychotic"?

[Witchy_Dem]

10. Could we negotiate the hold in a barge?

Empty or otherwise...

(Did I just say that? LOL)

[Witchy_Dem]

11. Maybe it's because of tourist season...

but I have noticed a lot less of those annoying Palin Fever and Palin Girl stickers here in the valley.

Just sayin' and not complainin'

[Steerpike]

8. heres a quote from a story on the KTUU website

"Parnell worked for ConocoPhillips where he was director of government and community relations. He also served as deputy director of the state's Oil and Gas Division where he had a front-row seat on natural gas line issues during the Frank Murkowski administration."