Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) had made up her mind to resign from office as early as Wednesday, her successor implied Saturday.
Alaska Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell (R) said that Palin had informed him of her decision to quit the governorship on Wednesday evening,
"The governor called me to her office Wednesday evening, and she described it to me pretty much how she described it to the public yesterday," Parnell said during an interview on NBC's "Today" show this morning.
Parnell echoed the sentiments of many political observers in his reaction.
"I was surprised, just like the rest of America has been," he said.
Parnell, who unsuccessfully challenged longtime Rep. Don Young in last year's Republican primary, said he "can't speculate" on Palin's long-term political future, explaining that he'd never discussed it with the former vice presidential nominee.
Sen. Mark Begich (D-Alaska) took a more muted tack than his Senate colleague, Lisa Murkowski (R-Alaska), in reacting to Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's (R) announcement yesterday that she'd resign at the end of July.
"I'm as surprised as all Alaskans by Governor Palin's decision to step down with nearly two years left in her term," Begich said in a statement. "There was speculation she would not seek re-election, but she gave no indication of a resignation when I met with her for 45 minutes in her Anchorage office two days ago."
The first-term Senator also pledged to work with Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell (R), who will assume Palin's position by the end of the month.
The statement is in sharp contrast with Murkowski's reaction, which attacked Palin for "abandoning" Alaska.
Pence, a conservative Republican who serves as the third-ranking House GOP official, would likely court voters who might have favored Gov. Mark Sanford (R-S.C.) or Sen. John Ensign (R-Nev.) -- two prospective candidates who've admitted recently to extramarital affairs.
The Obama administration is showing "signs of weakness" in its national security policy, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R) asserted Friday.
While the former Republican vice presidential candidate did not go as far as some other Republicans to suggest President Obama has made the country less safe, she criticized the idea of cuts to the national missile defense system.
"I think it's a sign of weakness to cut defense spending right now," Palin said during an interview on CNN. "You've seen what Kim Jong Il is up to right now."
"Alaska has the position and the equipment -- if it's funded correctly -- to intercept a missile," she said. "To see, then, that there is talk of cutting that system, I think it's nonsense. I think it's a sign of weakness."
The Alaska Republican has made the media rounds to talk up her state's new oil pipeline, as well as the controversy involving her daughters and comedian David Letterman.
Palin encouraged government leaders to show strength in national security policy.
Republican National Committee (RNC) Chairman Michael Steele suggested an informal boycott of late night talk show host David Letterman after the comic made crude jokes involving Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's (R) daughters.
"Letterman's joke about Sarah and Todd Palin's daughter was thoughtless and tacky," Steele said in a statement to The Hill. "I saw his explanation for the joke, but sometimes the easiest thing to do is simply say 'I'm sorry.'"
Letterman found himself in hot water after making a joke about Yankees slugger Alex Rodriguez "knocking up" one of Palin's daughters, which the governor took to mean 14-year-old Willow. Letterman apologized and clarified to say he meant 18-year-old Bristol, but not before Gov. Palin suggested Letterman was "perverted" and should not be let near daughter Willow.
Steele seemed to suggest on Thursday that viewers supporting Palin should tune out from Letterman in protest of "tasteless jokes."
"When Letterman starts making tasteless jokes about kids, it's time to turn the channel," he said.
Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin's (R) office kept its simmering feud with late night talk show host David Letterman alive into Thursday morning, taking another shot at Letterman's latest comments last night.
Per ABC's Kate Snow, Palin spokeswoman Meg Stapleton responded to Letterman's clarification of a controversial joke on his slow last night. (He wasn't joking about 14-year-old Willow Palin resisting the advances of Yankee slugger Alex Rodriguez, Letterman said, he was talking about 18-year-old Bristol.)
"The Palins have no intention of providing a ratings boost for David Letterman by appearing on his show," Stapleton said. "Plus, it would be wise to keep Willow away from David Letterman." Meg Stapleton."
The statement marks a choice jab at Letterman, who Gov. Palin says was "perverted" in his joke several nights ago.
It looks as though Minnesota will avoid any open congressional seats in the aftermath of Gov. Tim Pawlenty's (R) decision not to seek a third term.
Reps. Michele Bachmann (R-Minn.) and Tim Walz (D-Minn.) both suggest they won't be running. It's also hard to see freshman Rep. Erik Paulsen (R-Minn.) even being interested, given that he just won his seat six months ago.
Minnesota's two chairmen - Reps. Collin Peterson (D) and Jim Oberstar (D) - won't go anywhere, and the state's other members don't really seem to fit the statewide profile.
We generally see House members jump at the chance to run in an open governor's race. Such has been the case this cycle already with Reps. Zach Wamp (R) in Tennessee, Gresham Barrett (R) in South Carolina, Artur Davis (D) in Alabama, Nathan Deal (R) in Georgia, Neil Abercrombie (D) in Hawaii, Pete Hoekstra (R) in Michigan and Mary Fallin (R) in Oklahoma.
That list could also soon include Reps. Peter DeFazio (D) and Greg Walden (R) in Oregon and Rep. Jim Gerlach (R) in Pennsylvania.
Former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) said Sunday that while he hasn't decided to run for president again, he wouldn't rule out that option again.
"Yeah, I'm not going to close that door, but I'm not going to walk through it, either," Romney said on Fox News Sunday. "And the action that I'm going through right now is trying to help people who I think would make a difference for the country and, frankly, also help some people who helped me."
Romney has remained in the public spotlight since his 2008 run for president that stalled during the Republican primaries. Through his PAC, he's worked to actively support some Republican candidates throughout the country.
On that note, Romney talked up the prospects for the reemergence of the GOP.
"You know, there have been other times when our party has been written off," he said. "And what typically happens is that the party that gets all the power starts thinking good about themselves and overreaches, and the American people say they've gone too far."
"I think you'll see Republican Party come charging back," Romney added. "If we hold true to our principles and do a better job communicating those principles and holding true to them, acting as we speak, I think the American people will put us back in a position of leadership."
JohnMcCain.com has shed its presidential campaign garb and readied itself for a 2010 Senate campaign.
The website has transitioned away from its former campaign themes and relaunched to ready Sen. John McCain's (R-Ariz.) reelection effort next fall.
"We've recently re-launched my website, JohnMcCain.com, where you can find the latest information about my work on behalf of the people of Arizona and ways to directly get involved in my re-election campaign," McCain wrote in an email to supporters Monday, inviting them to check out the new site.
"I hope to continue my service in the United States Senate on your behalf and will need your involvement to get re-elected," the longtime Arizona Republican said. "I'm honored to serve the people of Arizona as a Member of the U.S. Senate, and with your help, I will continue my service to my home state of Arizona and our country."
Gone from the website are the stark black-and-yellow themes and stars evoking McCain's military service.
Former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) penned a poem for his website in which the potential 2012 presidential candidate calls on House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to resign.
In a poem entitled "Fancy Nancy," Huckabee calls the speaker "ruthless," and accuses her of "trashing" intelligence officials.
The poem might actually mark the most high-profile call for Pelosi's job in the wake of her accusation last week that the CIA had deliberately misled congressional officials the past eight years during routine intelligence briefings. Rep. Steve King (R-Iowa) had called for Pelosi to step down from her speakership, but no Republican has gone on the record to call for her outright resignation.
Huckabee's poem concludes:
If forced to believe whether the CIA and her colleagues in Congress are lying;
Or it's Speaker Pelosi whose credibility and career is dying.
I believe in the integrity of the men and women who sacrifice to keep us safe;
Not the woman who has been caught flat-footed, lying to our face.
I say it here and I say it rather clear-
It's time for Nancy Pelosi to resign and get out of here.
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