PALIN'S PLANS ($$$???) & TINA'S NEW GIG (???)

In October, she seemed a big draw (Palin & Fey), a fiery speaker (Palin & Fey), and something of a joke in national politics (Palin & Fey).

Republicans (at least those generally in the McCain domain) seem more critical of Palin's exit speech than Democrats. Indeed, backing out of the Governor's mansion before the term is up is not good Presidential politics.

If Palin were serious about politics now, she would take a few year's off, go to the John F Kennedy School of Government at Harvard and fill in the gaps in her understanding about how things work and look from the 48 & the North East & DC.

A simpler plan would be to travel around giving support to Republican candidates all over. She could build a strong base of friends and allies. But it would not solidify her credentials for the rest of the country.

Much of her talk seemed to suggest the main reason for leaving was that her personal legal fees and the state's legal bill were reaching unacceptable heights. So a likely route for her is the lecture circuit (with or without a book). As a politically slanted entertainer, or even in non-political entertainment, she could likely do very nicely.

Should she get full-force into the political wars, she would also give Tina Fey a big present. It was sometimes difficult during the campaign remembering who was who. ("Wait, is that Tina Fey on TV or really the Governor?")

Even the latest speech had a wealth of ironic humor (the Daily Show probably regrets it does not broadcast on Fridays). With the ducks and geese bobbing and quacking and honking in the background it was hard not to remember the ill-fated Thanksgiving Turkey Pardon video, when she pardoned one bird in the foreground while visible in the background less fortunate birds were, well... not fortunate birds.