Leadership Problems: 7
Whether you like outgoing Gov. Sarah Palin (R) or not, it seems fair to differentiate between her tenure before being named to the 2008 presidential ticket and her tenure afterward. Before she became a national figure, Palin worked well with Democrats in the legislature (at times, better than she did with Republicans, many of whom she had taken on directly during her "reform" candidacy in 2006). She also enjoyed broad support from the public.
But Palin's attack-dog role in the 2008 presidential race burned bridges with her former Democratic allies, leaving her politically isolated. Moreover, the continuing soap opera that surrounded Palin and her family -- and her frequent forays out of the state on national Republican business -- alienated a chunk of her supporters in Alaska, sending her approval ratings plummeting from the 80s to the 50s.
"Palin has been largely absent or ineffective since her bid for VP," said one reporter who covers the state. "Many legislators are simply relieved that Palin is going to be gone from the scene."
Her successor-to-be is Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell (R), who is considered somewhat bland -- certainly more so than the outgoing governor. Whether that is enough to rebuild cooperation with legislators remains to be seen.
Criminality: 6
Palin has said that one reason for her July 3 decision to quit the governorship early was to spare the state from a spiraling number of ethics complaints lodged against her, ironically enough, under the provisions of a law she signed. The Anchorage Daily News has reported that 18 ethics complaints are known to have been filed against her; the state personnel board estimated its cost of dealing with the complaints at $300,000, though the governor's office uses a more encompassing total of $2 million.
So far, the complaints against Palin have been more smoke than fire. And a run of separate corruption prosecutions -- which have hung over legislators and other key Alaska politicians for several years -- may be fizzling in the wake of the overturned conviction of Republican Sen. Ted Stevens. As a result, this rating is much different than what it would have been just a few months ago.
Statewide Challenges: 6
Alaska's fiscal well-being depends heavily on the price of oil, which is volatile. The price per barrel is lower than it was a year ago, which has put the squeeze on some spending. But all things being equal, Alaska is not as in as bad a shape as other states.
Media Circus: 10
As the sudden press conference announcing her resignation showed, Palin is catnip for the national media. One can easily see how the intense media focus on Palin since last August harmed her ability to govern the state. Whether she or the media is more to blame for that is an open question.
TOTAL DYSFUNCTIONALITY: 7.25
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