I was working on an article on the similarities between liberals’ embrace of theories of anthropogenic climate change and their enthusiasm, in an earlier generation, for Keynesian economics when I heard the news of Sarah Palin’s decision to resign as governor of Alaska.

So, naturally, I have to write about it. After all, I’ve already published five articles on this site about the Alaska governor and the never-ending stream vicious attacks on her. My last article appeared just three weeks ago. I didn’t expect to be writing again on the subject so soon — even after I read the recent hit piece in August’s Vanity Fair that provided an outlet for the anti-Palin rants of the (still) unnamed McCain campaign staffers.

Partly, this was because not all the recent media coverage of Palin has been that bad. The August issue of Runner’s World has a very positive feature story focusing on Gov. Palin’s passion for long-distance running — a passion I share (along with Rep. Ron Paul’s passion for cycling!). Had she not announced her resignation as governor, I expect that the story would have generated still another frivolous ethics complaint. After all, she expressed a preference for a particular brand of running shoe. (To find out which brand, you’ll have to read the article.)

Gov. Palin alluded to the frivolous ethics complaints — fifteen have been filed against her since last summer, and all of them have been dismissed — in the press conference she called to announce her resignation. The complaints, she said, have consumed enormous amounts of her time and her staff’s time, impairing her ability to govern effectively.

Naturally, the cable network talking heads have already begun to dissect Palin’s decision and its effect on her chances of winning the Republican Presidential nomination in 2012. The consensus seems to be — William Kristol of The Weekly Standard being one of the few exceptions — that Palin’s decision to resign before the end of her term will irreparably harm her chances of winning the nomination or getting elected if she wins it. Another dumb move by the Wasilla whack-job, the chatterers are saying. Proof that she’s unfit to be President. I’m sure that Kathleen Parker, the “conservative” columnist with an incurable case of PDS*, will be out with a column this weekend making these very points.

They’re all assuming, of course, that Governor Palin wants to be President Palin.

Suppose she doesn’t. Suppose she really, truly wants what’s best for those to whom she has made solemn commitments — namely, the people of Alaska and the members of her family. Suppose that the endless attacks on her, the frivolous ethics complaints, the intense media scrutiny — suppose that the time and resources spent in constantly putting out these fires have made it difficult, if not impossible, to keep the commitments she has made, and suppose that she has determined, accordingly, that she can do more for Alaskans and her family if she is not the governor.

Then her decision is actually an act of statesmanship. She is like the soldier in battle who willingly takes a bullet to save his comrades. She has put the interests of those she serves ahead of her own. She really does have the “servant’s heart” she’s always talking about.

Of course, I don’t expect the beltway talking heads — of either party — to understand this. Even William Kristol thought Gov. Palin’s resignation might just be a clever way to set herself up for winning the Republican nomination in 2012. And maybe it is, even if it is unintentional. Imagine: a candidate who puts the interests of her constituents and her family ahead of her own political ambitions. Wow! What a concept!

And maybe, just maybe, somewhere in the subconscious recesses of their collective (and collectivist) minds the beltway elites do understand this. And, if they do, they are right to be afraid.

I really, truly, hope that I won’t find it necessary to write any more articles defending Sarah Palin, at least for a while. I hope she can find some well-deserved peace and time to enjoy her family. But I’m afraid this is not to be.

I predict that Sarah Palin, as a private citizen, will continue to be attacked and vilified in the liberal blogosphere and the mainstream media. I predict that she will continue to be the butt of jokes from late-night comedians. I predict that the D. C. Republican establishment will continue to try to shut her out. I make these predictions because, as I explained in the last two articles I published on this site (which you can read here and here), she is an attractive, intelligent, articulate, pro-life evangelical Christian who resonates with a large number of American voters because she is one of them. And the elites are afraid of her, even if they don’t know why.

In fact, the attacks have begun already. Upon learning the news, Brad Woodhouse, a spokesman for the Democratic National Committee, issued the following statement:

Either Sarah Palin is leaving the people of Alaska high and dry to pursue her long shot national political ambitions or she simply can’t handle the job now that her popularity has dimmed and oil revenues are down. Either way — her decision to abandon her post and the people of Alaska who elected her continues a pattern of bizarre behavior that more than anything else may explain the decision she made today.

We can expect more of this, and worse, in the days, weeks and months to come. Because, although they might claim otherwise, her enemies know, in their heart of hearts, that Sarah Palin is no lightweight. If she were, they wouldn’t be trying so hard to destroy her.

*Palin Derangement Syndrome.

From Nolan Chart.