It seems like such a long time ago that Sarah Palin strode into our lives and dazzled us with her speech as John McCain's running mate.
That moment remained the high point of Sarah Palin's national career-until yesterday when the former governor of Alaska announced that she will not run for president. It would have been a sideshow, and that is something we don't need.
In a symposium over at National Review, Kathryn Jean Lopez sums up what it must have taken for Palin to do what she did:
It took a certain amount of humility for Chris Christie to say "no" again, as money was dangled before him and there were desperate cries from those not content with the current field. Similarly for Palin: She didn't experience the begging surge this week that Governor Christie did, but after seeing Steve Bannon's Undefeated, I couldn't help but think: If I were Sarah Palin, I'd be really tempted to run for president. But she didn't give in to ego. And for anyone worried about the conservative base this time around, she'll be a rallying asset.
She also did a really smart thing. The polls indicate that, though there are many fanatic Palinistas, she would not have been much of a factor. She teased us too long, for one thing. But this way, she is undiminished as a force in the Republican Party and the sobriety of her decision shows the true Sarah.
She also defined the stakes in 2012:
We cannot afford this fundamental transformation of America, turning it into something that we don't even recognize. Instead, we need to restore this country. We need to restore all that is good, and right and free about America. Our republic is worth defending. We do not need a transformation, we need a renewal. We need a restoration of America.
She could have played havoc (though probably not that much) as a candidate. This way she preserves her position in the GOP. She will be a player and have a say, and this is a good thing.
Thanks, Sarah, for having the courage to do the right thing.