Sarah Palin has gotten herself into 'another fine mess'

July 5, 10:07 AMChicago City Hall ExaminerJohn Presta

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(AP Photo/The Mat-Su Valley Frontiersman, Robert DeBerry)

Sarah Palin started her political career as a rising star in the Republican Party. During 2007, Sarah Palin was considered the most popular governor in America. Conservative columnist Fred Barnes said so.

The wipe out in the 2006 election left Republicans in such a state of dejection that they've overlooked the one shining victory in which a Republican star was born. The triumph came in Alaska where Sarah Palin, a politician of eye-popping integrity, was elected governor. She is now the most popular governor in America, with an approval rating in the 90s, and probably the most popular public official in any state.

Her rise is a great (and rare) story of how adherence to principle--especially to transparency and accountability in government--can produce political success. And by the way, Palin is a conservative who only last month vetoed 13 percent of the state's proposed budget for capital projects. The cuts, the Anchorage Daily News said, "may be the biggest single-year line-item veto total in state history."

As recently as last year, Palin (pronounced pale-in) was a political outcast. She resigned in January 2004 as head of the Alaska Oil and Gas Conservation Commission after complaining to the office of Governor Frank Murkowski and to state Attorney General Gregg Renkes about ethical violations by another commissioner, Randy Ruedrich, who was also Republican state chairman.

This announcement by Palin that she is resigning as Governor of Alaska sighting some vague and rambling notions, just confirms what my favorite comedy team, Laurel and Hardy, would often be quoted as saying.

"Well, that's another fine mess you've gotten me into."

Actually, it's another fine mess she has gotten herself into. Prior to this, she took down Senator John McCain with her who at one point in the process had a chance to achieve his dream of being elected President of the United States. Until he chose Sarah Palin. Had John McCain selected, oh, let's say, former Governor and Homeland Security Chief Tom Ridge, we would possibly be discussing President McCain. But Sarah Palin all but assured an Obama Presidency.

And now she is ending her political career with this latest stunt of stepping down as Governor of Alaska. Oh, not that the people of Alaska would have elected her anyway. But she needed a platform to work from. And now she doesn't have the platform. Unless you consider Facebook a platform. And she uses Facebook to criticize the media.

As I said, "another fine mess." It isn't exactly what Ollie said to Stan, so let Wikipedia explain.

The catch phrase most associated with Laurel and Hardy is almost always misquoted as "Well, that's another fine mess you've gotten me into." Ollie actually said, "Well, here's another nice mess you've gotten me into." The phrase has passed into common usage and means to blame a partner for causing an avoidable problem.

As Wikipedia says, Sarah Palin has caused an avoidable problem. The electorate will question her judgment. She doesn't have any. And she wants to challenge Barack Obama in 2012. I would love it but unfortunately for Palin, she will never get past Iowa in the 2012 primary.

Another fine mess. But good for the country. Chicago City Hall Examiner.