Sarah Palin Officially Not Running for President
Sarah Palin has decided not to run for president, ABC News and Mark Levin report. "After much prayer and serious consideration, I have decided that I will not be seeking the 2012 GOP nomination for President of the United States," Palin said in an email to supporters Wednesday night, ABC News' Polson Kenneth reports. "When we serve, we devote ourselves to God, family and country. My decision maintains this order." The former Alaska governor says she thinks she can better serve by helping "true public servants" get into office -- not just the White House, but Congress, too.
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Palin broke the news on Levin's radio show, saying, "Not being a candidate, you are unshackled and able to be even more active... I look forward to using all the tools at my disposal to get the right people in there who have a servants heart." National Review's Katrina Trinko muses that maybe Palin gave the news to Levin -- instead of Fox News, which pays her a nice salary -- because Fox chief Roger Ailes said he hired her because she was "hot."
The decision comes after years of speculation, a bus tour to New Hampshire and Iowa, a glowing biopic, and figuring out the exact last minute she could get in the race. The full email reads:
October 5, 2011
Wasilla, Alaska
After much prayer and serious consideration, I have decided that I will not be seeking the 2012 GOP nomination for President of the United States. As always, my family comes first and obviously Todd and I put great consideration into family life before making this decision. When we serve, we devote ourselves to God, family and country. My decision maintains this order.
My decision is based upon a review of what common sense Conservatives and Independents have accomplished, especially over the last year. I believe that at this time I can be more effective in a decisive role to help elect other true public servants to office – from the nation’s governors to Congressional seats and the Presidency. We need to continue to actively and aggressively help those who will stop the “fundamental transformation” of our nation and instead seek the restoration of our greatness, our goodness and our constitutional republic based on the rule of law.
From the bottom of my heart I thank those who have supported me and defended my record throughout the years, and encouraged me to run for President. Know that by working together we can bring this country back – and as I’ve always said, one doesn’t need a title to help do it.
I will continue driving the discussion for freedom and free markets, including in the race for President where our candidates must embrace immediate action toward energy independence through domestic resource developments of conventional energy sources, along with renewables. We must reduce tax burdens and onerous regulations that kill American industry, and our candidates must always push to minimize government to strengthen the economy and allow the private sector to create jobs.
Those will be our priorities so Americans can be confident that a smaller, smarter government that is truly of the people, by the people, and for the people can better serve this most exceptional nation.
In the coming weeks I will help coordinate strategies to assist in replacing the President, re-taking the Senate, and maintaining the House.
Thank you again for all your support. Let’s unite to restore this country!
God bless America.
– Sarah Palin
