# Shouldn't Palin just resign at this point? **URL:** \ **Category:** Great Debates\ **Created:** [September 26, 2008, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309 "2008-09-26T11:22:37Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![deanc2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/53a042/32.png) [@deanc2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deanc2000)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/1 "2008-09-26T11:22:37Z")
It’s obvious that she’s in way over her head here, just by her performances over the past month. McCaine’s numbers are sinking and I think one way that his campaign COULD be saved/resurrected is that Palin voluntarily resign so that McCain can regroup, find a more appropriate VP running mate and start over from there. As it is right now there’s only one direction I can see McCaine’s campaign going, and that is SOUTH. Any comments? ---
**Author:** ![Frank](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Frank](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frank)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 11:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/2 "2008-09-26T11:29:10Z")
Dumping his VP choice with less than six weeks to the election would destroy McCain’s candidacy. Destroy it even if she admits to electroshock therapy. He just has to soldier on as best he can. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/3 "2008-09-26T11:31:42Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Dumping his VP choice with less than six weeks to the election would destroy McCain’s candidacy. Destroy it even if she admits to electroshock therapy. > > He just has to soldier on as best he can. Bingo. It’s simply not going to happen. ---
**Author:** ![Kalhoun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/3bc359/32.png) [@Kalhoun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kalhoun)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 11:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/4 "2008-09-26T11:35:47Z")
He’s got to ride it out. It will go down in history as one of the most stunning runs for the presidency in history (and I mean that in the worst possible way). ---
**Author:** ![deanc2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/53a042/32.png) [@deanc2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deanc2000)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/5 "2008-09-26T11:48:25Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Dumping his VP choice with less than six weeks to the election would destroy McCain’s candidacy. Destroy it even if she admits to electroshock therapy. > > He just has to soldier on as best he can. No. I meant Palin resign on her own, and not McCain dumping her. There’s a subtle difference. Palin is the one doing the stepping down while McCain can just heave a sigh of relief and go from there. ---
**Author:** ![An\_Arky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/87869e/32.png) [@An\_Arky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/An_Arky)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 11:48am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/6 "2008-09-26T11:48:43Z")
There’s a large number of people that actually love her for being stupid; it makes her one of them. They don’t want complete sentences or a firm grasp of world affairs; they want someone who is their type of person; a god-fearing, gun-toting, book-eschewing conservative, the operative word being conservative; she’s their sumbitch. ---
**Author:** ![TV\_time](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/f17d59/32.png) [@TV\_time](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TV_time)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 12:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/7 "2008-09-26T12:06:06Z")
> [@deanc2000](#): > > No. I meant Palin resign on her own, and not McCain dumping her. There’s a subtle difference. Palin is the one doing the stepping down while McCain can just heave a sigh of relief and go from there. It would still be seen as McCain dumping her. ---
**Author:** ![Svejk\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ea666f/32.png) [@Svejk\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Svejk_1)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 12:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/8 "2008-09-26T12:09:13Z")
> [@deanc2000](#): > > No. I meant Palin resign on her own, and not McCain dumping her. There’s a subtle difference. Palin is the one doing the stepping down while McCain can just heave a sigh of relief and go from there. Even if this happened, the perception would still be that the McCain campaign leaned on her to do the right thing by stepping down. It’d still be seen as her being dumped even if McCain would claim that he was very sorry to lose Palin but respected her choice, or some such. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 12:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/9 "2008-09-26T12:22:11Z")
Is anybody else getting echoes of Harriet Myers here? To me, it seems like the conservatives still don’t get why they keep getting their asses kicked… they think the other side will vote for anyone female or black, so they make a shallow effort to counter it. It’s blown up in their face again. Eventually they’re going to figure out that they can’t just try to fix the appearance of being an old white-boys’ club… they’re going to have to get some fresh ideas and start caring about the electorate. It could cause a soul-searching moment similar to what the Democrats went through after the 2004 election. But it’s too late for that to happen in 2008. I’ll be very interested to see how they digest this circus to come up with candidates for 2012. ---
**Author:** ![Onomatopoeia](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/onomatopoeia/32/4145_2.png) [@Onomatopoeia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Onomatopoeia)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 12:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/10 "2008-09-26T12:55:17Z")
> [@Cosmic Relief](#): > > Is anybody else getting echoes of Harriet Myers here? > > To me, it seems like the conservatives still don’t get why they keep getting their asses kicked… they think the other side will vote for anyone female or black, so they make a shallow effort to counter it. It’s blown up in their face again. > > Eventually they’re going to figure out that they can’t just try to fix the appearance of being an old white-boys’ club… they’re going to have to get some fresh ideas and start caring about the electorate. It could cause a soul-searching moment similar to what the Democrats went through after the 2004 election. But it’s too late for that to happen in 2008. I’ll be very interested to see how they digest this circus to come up with candidates for 2012. What Democrats fail to understand is the Republican electorate doesn’t believe there’s anything wrong with the McCain campaign, quite the contrary; they truly believe Sarah is the campaign’s saviour who will bring about a rout on November 4 the likes of which no one has ever seen…in Jesus’ name, Amen. Democrats underestimate such unbound religious ferver at their peril as such commitment “can” swing an election. As someone in another thread alluded, it doesn’t matter to the electorate that Sarah’s as ignorant and incurious about high falutin’ issues such as world affairs and geography. In fact that plays in her favor. The more she fumfers, misspeaks, and tries to mask her brain farts, the more comfortable the electorate becomes with her; no dirty, immoral, holier-than-thou elitism there, no sir. …and anyway, she’s not Black. McCain himself may be having doubts, but he’s stuck with her, and he knows it. Even if she offered to resign, at this point I believe McCain’s handlers would do everything they could to convince her to stay. McCain’s chances may be slowly slipping away, but if Sarah leaves the campaign he’s absolutely done. ---
**Author:** ![Revtim](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/revtim/32/1042_2.png) [@Revtim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Revtim)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 1:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/11 "2008-09-26T13:10:57Z")
The last two elections show that Americans don’t mind an unqualified idiot as president, why should one think they’ll have a problem with one a vice president? She’s not a secret Muslim elitist, that’s all that matters. ---
**Author:** ![AuntiePam](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/f19dbf/32.png) [@AuntiePam](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AuntiePam)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 1:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/12 "2008-09-26T13:17:56Z")
Keith Olberman talked about this last night, on Maddow’s show. He seems to think Palin leaving could work for McCain, that the only thing that matters in the campaign is what people are thinking when they go to the polls on November 4. I can see it. ---
**Author:** ![Stephe96](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/bbe5ce/32.png) [@Stephe96](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stephe96)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/13 "2008-09-26T13:18:40Z")
> [@deanc2000](#): > > It’s obvious that she’s in way over her head here, just by her performances over the past month. McCaine’s numbers are sinking and I think one way that his campaign COULD be saved/resurrected is that Palin voluntarily resign so that McCain can regroup, find a more appropriate VP running mate and start over from there. > > As it is right now there’s only one direction I can see McCaine’s campaign going, and that is SOUTH. > > Any comments? Why on earth would Palin resign? Look at it this way: in an election with an imploding economy, the aftermath of a wildly unpopular war and after 8 years of the “worst president ever,” Democrat challenger Barack Obama _still can’t close the gap_! The race remains a statistical dead heat. By all measures, he should be at least 15 points up right now. The fact that he is not means he’s in major, major trouble. What’s that old saying? “If you’re in a knife fight and it lasts more than 30 seconds, you’re losing.” If anyone should be stepping down it’s Joe Biden, a prospect that even some in the mainstream press are starting to mention. If that happened, and Biden were replaced with Hillary, this election would be over. Finished. Done. Obama in a landslide. But there’s certainly no evidence that Palin is hurting McCain’s campaign at all. Unless, of course, you think that _McCain_ should up right now by about 10 points or so. ---
**Author:** ![Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Don\_t\_Call\_Me\_Shirley](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Don_t_Call_Me_Shirley)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 1:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/14 "2008-09-26T13:22:07Z")
> [@Revtim](#): > > The last two elections show that Americans don’t mind an unqualified idiot as president, why should one think they’ll have a problem with one a vice president? She’s not a secret Muslim elitist, that’s all that matters. Yeah, it seems that our attention spans are so limited now that all anybody can keep track of is one or two buzz words at a time. Maverick Hockey mom Lipstick Muslim Don’t blink 9/11 POW Country first Drill baby drill (their first attempt at a three-word phrase, so they had to ease people into it by limiting it to only two actual words. See also: bomb bomb bomb, bomb bomb Iran.) The Republican campaign has been a series of these types of words. There is no debate about whether drilling is a good idea, no discussion of pros and cons, just chanting the mantra. When that one gets old they’ll move on to the next one. It just blows me away that people fall for it, but they obviously do. I was talking to someone who is going to vote for McCain because Palin is a mom. That’s it. That’s her reason. Unbelievable. ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/15 "2008-09-26T13:26:53Z")
McCain’s numbers are sinking based just on Palin? Gonna have to ask you to back that up. We were told…repeatedly…that McCain’s numbers were strictly due to the bounce, and they’ve more or less settled back to where they were (some polls a little higher, some a little lower). Is the company line now that it’s because of Palin? Meanwhile, Palin is drawing 60,000 people. I think you’re viewing this through blue-colored glasses. ---
**Author:** ![deanc2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/53a042/32.png) [@deanc2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deanc2000)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 1:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/16 "2008-09-26T13:27:36Z")
[quote=“Stephe96, post:13, topic:465309”] Why on earth would Palin resign? Look at it this way: in an election with an imploding economy, the aftermath of a wildly unpopular war and after 8 years of the “worst president ever,” Democrat challenger Barack Obama _still can’t close the gap_!\*\* The race remains a statistical dead heat.\*\* By all measures, he should be at least 15 points up right now. The fact that he is not means he’s in major, major trouble. I guess you’re looking at the Fox News Polls and not the CNN or the MSNBC polls which show Obama up by 5 points (on average). On a side note, what a difference in coverage between Fox News and CNN/MSNBC. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 1:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/17 "2008-09-26T13:30:50Z")
It’s too late to change all the state ballots, and the Religious Reich types would turn on him like a pack of rabid wolverines. ---
**Author:** ![Steve\_MB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/steve_mb/32/5339_2.png) [@Steve\_MB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steve_MB)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/18 "2008-09-26T13:33:50Z")
> [@Frank](#): > > Dumping his VP choice with less than six weeks to the election would destroy McCain’s candidacy. Destroy it even if she admits to electroshock therapy. > > He just has to soldier on as best he can. If the various reports that he wanted Lieberman or Romney but was strongarmed into taking Palin by the Party establishment are correct, it could be most interesting to see his reaction (assuming that he does indeed lose the election). The spectacle of his lashing out and laying blame (and, really, who do you expect him to blame? himself?) should be most entertaining. ---
**Author:** ![ArizonaTeach](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/45deac/32.png) [@ArizonaTeach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ArizonaTeach)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 1:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/19 "2008-09-26T13:35:28Z")
[quote=“deanc2000, post:16, topic:465309”] > [@Stephe96](#): > > Why on earth would Palin resign? Look at it this way: in an election with an imploding economy, the aftermath of a wildly unpopular war and after 8 years of the “worst president ever,” Democrat challenger Barack Obama _still can’t close the gap_!\*\* The race remains a statistical dead heat.\*\* By all measures, he should be at least 15 points up right now. The fact that he is not means he’s in major, major trouble. > I guess you’re looking at the Fox News Polls and not the CNN or the MSNBC polls which show Obama up by 5 points (on average). > > On a side note, what a difference in coverage between Fox News and CNN/MSNBC. Why, good heavens, you’re right! The latest [Fox poll](http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/map/polling/index.html) gives Obama a 6 point lead instead of CNN’s tracking of 4 points! But don’t let that get in the way of that beautifully mastered snark! Alternately the ARG poll puts its at a statistical dead heat ---
**Author:** ![deanc2000](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/53a042/32.png) [@deanc2000](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/deanc2000)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2008, 1:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309/20 "2008-09-26T13:41:52Z")
[quote=“ArizonaTeach, post:19, topic:465309”] > [@deanc2000](#): > > Why, good heavens, you’re right! The latest [Fox poll](http://www.cnn.com/ELECTION/2008/map/polling/index.html) gives Obama a 6 point lead instead of CNN’s tracking of 4 points! But don’t let that get in the way of that beautifully mastered snark! > > Alternately the ARG poll puts its at a statistical dead heat Alright, Alright. Ya got me there AZ. I assumed it was the Fox News polls. Sorreee. [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/shouldnt-palin-just-resign-at-this-point/465309.md?page=2)