"Is this math you do as a Republican to make yourself feel better?"

Sarah Palin visit would not be good for the Tories

Some Tory and right-wing bloggers are getting very excited about the possibility that Sarah Palin, the former GOP VP candidate may visit the UK later this year. Apparently she is keen to meet Margaret Thatcher who is one of her political heroines.

There is even talk that she might address the Tory conference. At the very least it is likely were she to come that David Cameron would have to meet her.

I think a visit from Palin would not be good for the Tories though. Of course she would bring with her the glamour and excitement that she has built up in the last couple of years. But she would also bring with her, her complete lack of understanding of many issues as well as pretty extreme views.

The Conservatives who relish the thought of a Palin visit should bear in mind that many people in this country do not see her as a maverick hero with right on her side but a strange woman with some very suspect views on lots of issues. An association with her risks looking like the party is aligning itself with very right-wing elements, not really what I suspect Team Cameron want to see.

They should also bear in mind that even if she gets the GOP nomination for 2012 (and it is surely pretty likely that someone who is actually good comes through before then) she would be exposed and ridiculed during the election she would then certainly lose. I expect Tina Fey is honing her fantastic impression right now.

Do they really want to associate themselves so closely with an extremist who is likely to be such a big loser in a couple of years' time?

Sarah Palin scandal?

Following the resignation announcement of Sarah Palin yesterday as Alaskan Governor there are now rumours flying around that she went because of what is being dubbed an "Iceberg Scandal" that is about to break.

The rumours are focused on the $14.7 Wasilla sports complex that was built during Palin's time as Mayor of Wasilla. There are allegations that the price of the complex was inflated in order to provide free building materials and labour for the Palin family home that was being built at the same time. There were also links between the contractors and architects used on the sports project and the Palins. It is said that both structures feature the "same windows, same wood, same products".

Yesterday I said that I did not know why Ms Palin had decided to go but if she knew this was breaking then it starts to make sense. She could be trying to get out of the firing line before it goes nuclear.

There is further detail of these rumours on Inquisitr.com, a11news.com, thedailybeast.com and the Brad Blog has updated a post several times as more detail on the rumours have come to light here.

PS: Thanks to Cardinal Richelieu's mole in the comments on the previous thread for pointing me in the direction of this info.

Sarah Palin resigns

In a bizarre move, Sarah Palin has announced that she is stepping down as the Republican Governor of Alaska later this month. Here is CNN's coverage of it:

Some have interpreted this as a precursor to her running for the Presidency in 2012 but usually candidates remain in whatever office they hold. It gives them a natural springboard. Others such as Sunny on Pickled Politics think that there is something in her closet and she is getting out before it breaks. And still others such as Stephen Green writing on Pajamas Media thinks that standing down like this makes her unfit for higher office.

I am not sure what to make of it myself. I don't agree with many of Palin's views on issues (from what I can recall from the campaign last year) and think she would make a terrible President. In a way I hope that this move does sound the death knell for any run in 2012.

She is a very unconventional politician though so who knows what her plans are. I think it will only become clear what they are over the next few months and possibly year or two.

UPDATE 1: Embedded CNN's coverage of her resignation announcement.

UPDATE 2: Sara Bedford thinks Palin has shot herself in the foot and has some more detailed analysis here and has some hints about a potential scandal that may come out at the weekend.