Why Sarah Palin Is Not Running for President

The governor's family evidently decided that enough is enough.
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Just one man's opinion, but those who are trying to make sense of why Sarah Palin decided not to seek her party's presidential nomination need look no further than the first paragraph of her statement on the matter:

"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."

Obviously, those members of her family who didn't want her to run could not be convinced to change their minds by those who did want her to run. Which members were on which side of the debate is purely a matter of speculation at this point. But we won't speculate because in the end it doesn't matter. Whether a simple majority carried the day or a unanimous vote of family members was needed to allow her to run in good conscience, the governor's family evidently decided that enough is enough.

And who can blame them? Nicolle Wallace's bizarre comments yesterday -- although exposed as disingenuous by Charlie Black -- surely served to bring back unpleasant memories from the 2008 election cycle and reinforce any misgivings Clan Palin may have that hired campaign mercenaries can't always be trusted not to stab their candidate in the back.

Bristol's recent encounter with a deranged Hollywood Palin-hater may have also factored into the governor's decision. Although the worm who verbally assaulted Gov. Palin to her eldest daughter later apologized and did not get physically violent, he just as easily could have. The incident had to drive home the fact of life to the Mama Grizzly that as her cubs venture far from home, she and Papa Bear can't always be there to protect them.

The ease with which creepy author Joe McGinness was able to rent a house right next door to the Palin's home last summer surely had to give at least some, if not all, family members pause. The manufactured filth contained in his book of lies, while more than most families would be willing to endure, almost pales in comparison to having such a shady character actually lurking just a few feet away from Palin property.

That the Palins have been on the receiving end of a long list of threats of violence and death had to have been a prime consideration. Recall that haters actually attempted to burn down the Wasilla church the Palin family attends while there were some women and children inside it less than three years ago. Though nothing Sarah ever said or did could have justified such a crime, it nevertheless served to drive home the point that acts of violence directed at Sarah Palin could well reach beyond her immediate family and impact the lives of bystanders. Just recently a Pennsylvania man and his father were charged with making repeated threats to Sarah Palin, her family and lawyer.

Indeed, the Palin family may have concluded that no matter how good a professional security team may be, there's no guarantee they can protect you. Secret Service agents are among the world's best, yet even they could not prevent President Reagan from being shot. Only by the grace of God, John Hinckley's bullet struck his lung and not his heart.

Doubtless the preponderance of evidence persuaded the Palins, or at least enough of their number, that they would just as soon not suffer the additional slings and arrows that would come with a run for the White House. They have obviously concluded that in the final analysis, life on Lake Lucille is preferable to what a presidential campaign would have to offer them, not to mention much less hazardous to their health and peace of mind. No one in their right mind can blame them. Were you in her place, would you want to put your own family through that?

- JP