It is being reported this morning that Governor Palin’s longtime friend and aide, Meghan Stapleton, is stepping down from her official duties with SarahPAC.  In relaying her decision to her fellow SarahPAC staff, Stapleton wrote:

While I had hoped to work together on so many more projects, time with my precious 2-year-old has been further minimized with the whirlwind commitments of all things Palin…I have done my best to scale back, but Isabella is now resorting to hiding my BlackBerry, and she shouldn’t grow up begging for a mother to start acting like a mother.”

Meghan Stapleton has been a tireless and dedicated aide to the governor, and it is certain that her absence will be felt by all.  She is to be commended, though, for focusing on what really matters:  her role as a mother to a 2-year-old toddler.  After all, it’s never too early to start grooming the next generation of strong Palin-esque women!

The last two years of American politics have been fascinating and invigorating to watch from the outside in - much of that due to the presence of Governor Sarah Palin in the public square.  Indeed, what a “whirlwind” it must have been on the inside!  That said, none of it would have been possible without the efforts of many people behind the scenes, and Ms. Stapleton has been a key member of the team.

So, Meghan, I (we) send you best wishes for the future, and you have our gratitude for all that you have done to support the whirlwind that is Sarah Palin.

Thank you, Meghan Stapleton!

- tdc

*Thanks to Palin TV for the link to the story

Yesterday, it was confirmed that Governor Sarah Palin will not be attending the 2010 Conservative Political Action Conference (CPAC) in Washington, DC in February.  She will, however, be the keynote speaker for April’s Southern Republican Leadership Conference (SRLC), causing a bit of hubub in the blogging world regarding her motivations for accepting one invitation, but refusing the other.

I won’t go into detail here, but Conservatives 4 Palin has a number of excellent write-ups that thoroughly explain the background of this story.  For my part, I have read various news stories and blog posts on the issue in the last 24 hours, and have developed a few thoughts that I will share here.

ON CPAC

I attended CPAC last year as a way to fully embrace my newly-discovered Conservative tendencies.  During the 2008 election cycle, I was disgusted with the rhetorical wool that the Obama campaign was able to pull over the eyes of too many voters, thanks to a complacent media and well-executed branding (more on that here).  After the election, I made the decision to get more involved in politics and become more educated about the philosophies behind each of the political parties.

For a neophyte like myself, CPAC was a way to spend three solid days hearing from great speakers, learning about Conservatism, and gaining exposure to the many facets of the Conservative movement - from students, to media-types, to politicians.  In attendance in 2009 were notable voices of Conservatism that I would otherwise never have been able to hear from in person.  One can argue about the authenticity of each of the speakers - how Conservative are they, really? - but, as I listened to the likes of Andrew Breitbart, Newt Gingrich, John Boehner, Ann Coulter, and the keynote speaker, Rush Limbaugh (in one of the best speeches I have ever heard) I was thankful for the opportunity to immerse myself in the experience.

CPAC proved to be a valuable introduction to Conservatism.  It gave me a great deal of ‘food for thought’ as I formulated my own opinions and beliefs about the role of government, and the citizen, in our nation’s history and its future.  Looking back, the only thing that would have made a great event exceptional would have been the presence of Governor Palin.

ON GOVERNOR PALIN’S 2010 DECISION

As the GOP’s leading voice and its most authentic representative, it is safe to say that Governor Palin has an open invitation to be a part of any Conservative event to which she would like to lend her name.  She will not only draw crowds, but, as she proved on the campaign trail, her mere presence provides an energy and excitement that no other political figure can inspire.  In light of this, one can see how event organizers and attendees can become so emotionally invested in Governor Palin’s decisions to accept or decline speaking engagements.  And I think that is, in part, what is happening here.

The People love Sarah Palin.  They - we - look to her for her leadership and her ‘take’ on the events happening in Washington, D.C.  So, when she eschews a well-known event like CPAC, everyone takes notice.

The Governor has a reputation for being true to herself and her beliefs, no matter the political costs.  Therefore, I tend to give her the benefit of the doubt when she makes what appear to be controversial decisions.  I am also inherently distrustful of any stories that reference “sources close to the Palin camp” or any other unnamed individuals - no matter the quality of the writer quoting them.  Thus, the one quote to which I give credence in this situation is this:

We support those who advance our core beliefs and lead by principle.

Meghan Stapleton - longtime spokeswoman for Governor Palin

In the context of the story, what this tells me is that CPAC is not aligned with the Governor in one of these areas - in espousing her core beliefs and/or in exhibiting principled leadership.  Beyond this, though, I choose not to make suppositions about the basis of her decision to skip CPAC this year.

Is it due to the “pay-for-play” controversy surrounding event organizer David Keene last year?  Perhaps.  Is Governor Palin uncomfortable with the sponsorship of the John Birch Society?  That may very well be.  Until Palin herself (or a named source) offer greater detail, however, I will simply accept that the Governor had her reasons and, based on her track record, they were good ones.

In the meantime, I will offer that CPAC remains a good event, if for no other reason than it provides yet one more opportunity for Conservative minds to come together - making contacts and getting energized for the political challenges ahead.  As for Governor Palin, I don’t unequivocally agree with her every move, but I will always trust her judgment to do what she feels is best, regardless of the potential fallout.

She’s been down this road many times before and she’s managed just fine.

- tdc