Palin resigned for 'higher calling'
JUNEAU, Alaska — Outgoing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin on Saturday laid the groundwork to take on a larger, national role after leaving state government, citing a "higher calling" with the aim of uniting the country along conservative lines.
A day after surprising even her closest friends by announcing she would step down as Alaska governor more than a year before her term was up, the controversial hockey mom was still keeping details of her future plans under wrap. But in a statement posted on Palin's Facebook account, she suggested that she had bigger plans and a national agenda she planned to push after she resigns at the end of the month.
"I am now looking ahead and how we can advance this country together with our values of less government intervention, greater energy independence, stronger national security, and much-needed fiscal restraint," she said.
Palin also cast herself as a victim and blasted the media, calling the response to her announcement "predictable" and out of touch.
"How sad that Washington and the media will never understand; it's about country," the statement said. "And though it's honorable for countless others to leave their positions for a higher calling and without finishing a term, of course we know by now, for some reason a different standard applies for the decisions I make."
Palin's personal spokeswoman, Meghan Stapleton, confirmed to The Associated Press that the Facebook posting was written by the governor.
The abruptness of her announcement and the mystery surrounding her plans has fed widespread speculation. But Palin attorney Thomas Van Flein on Saturday warned legal action may be taken against bloggers and publications that reprint what he calls fraudulent claims.
"To the extent several Web sites, most notably liberal Alaska blogger Shannyn Moore, are now claiming as 'fact' that Governor Palin resigned because she is 'under federal investigation' for embezzlement or other criminal wrongdoing, we will be exploring legal options this week to address such defamation," Van Flein said in a statement. "This is to provide notice to Ms. Moore, and those who re-publish the defamation, such as Huffington Post, MSNBC, the New York Times and The Washington Post, that the Palins will not allow them to propagate defamatory material without answering to this in a court of law."
Palin has kept a low profile since her abrupt announcement Friday at a hastily called news conference at her home in suburban Wasilla, outside Anchorage. All of her public communication since then has been on the social networking sites Facebook and Twitter, or through statements released by her office.
Recent comments
Sarah Palin is a white sheep in a black party. The Republican Party...
Tai H. | July 6, 2009 at 7:23 a.m.
Fox News 3:51 has a pretty good handle on this. Is it also possible...
Mark B | July 5, 2009 at 7:35 p.m.
Some of these articles are sad. While this country is going down...
rtp | July 5, 2009 at 6:54 p.m.
- Senators want charges for crashers 7:38 p.m.
- Texas A&M gets unexpected lift 7:36 p.m.
- Wallace leads Pistons past Hawks 7:28 p.m.
- Suns beat Raptors 113-94 7:26 p.m.
- Boy Scouts seek new recruits 7:18 p.m.
- Celtics top Heat 92-85 7:15 p.m.
- Recent prosecutions for Demjanjuk 7:10 p.m.
- German trial is twist for Demjanjuk 7:10 p.m.
- Blood-pressure meds help sugar? 7:09 p.m.
- Magic get 6th straight road win 7:04 p.m.
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
- BYU is champion of the state
- Cougars beat Utes in overtime
- Credit Coug defense for win
- Field goals, penalties doomed Utes
- Cougar defense rose to occasion
- Marriage definitions vary widely
- Banged up Jazz get best of Blazers
- Jones' joy for life remembered
- Fantasy is reality for BYU professor
- Hall mouths off about hate of Utah
789 - Cougars beat Utes in overtime
468 - Thunder rolls by Jazz
136 - BYU is champion of the state
129 - Man trapped in Nutty Putty cave dies
117 - Cave to be sealed with body inside
116 - Editorial: Poor welcome for Palin
113 - Rivalry Week is highly profane
90 - Hall's legacy measured today
79 - Y. focused on 10-win season
74
When I was a kid, I worshipped my grandpa. He was undoubtedly my hero....
I hope all the BYU fans and all their hate and love of Max Hall had a good...
I'd vote for him any day.
I have not read the 776 comments and won't, so I do not know if this has been...
That Max Hall, being the face of BYU Football as captain & Qb, is such a...
Useful kitchen gadgets: The best knives you can afford. Keep them sharp...
Re: richdaddyo l 6:53 Actually the best team TCU played was BYU, as BYU is...
Furthermore, hardly anyone in Utah gives a rip about this. There are just a...
I'm a long-time fan of the Wheel of Time. The Gathering Storm is spot-on....
He IS the president of the United States. He won. Get over it and if you...
Take care of your family. Good luck



