Is Palin stepping down to put her children first?
I’m going to withhold final judgment on Sarah Palin’s decision to step down as Governor of Alaska until we see exactly why she made the choice.
Right now, I find myself somewhat sympathetic to Russ Douthat’s view:
A Sarah Palin who stepped down for the sake of her family and her media-swarmed state deserves sympathy even from the millions of Americans who despise her. A Sarah Palin who resigned in the delusional belief that it would give her a better shot at the presidency in 2012 warrants no such kindness.
(It’s a good piece and I highly recommend it.)
Perhaps, it’s because I’ve been spending time these past few days with my sister and watching her delight in her maternity,* I “sense” that Governor Palin wants to spend more time with her children–and grandchild. After all, her youngest daughter is just eight years old and her baby Trig is just fourteen months.
Kids that young require lots of attention.
Sarah Palin is relatively young (politically speaking). She can wait until 2016 or 2020 to run for President. She can put off her political career, but she can’t put off her maternal one.
* (more…)