Bookies Giving Odds On Palin Divorce

Following Sarah Palin’s attack on those who are reporting that she is getting a divorce, bookmakers have offered odds on whether or not she and Todd Palin will be divorcing this year. An observant reader from Alaska helpfully sent us the information regarding the fact that Mickey Richardson, CEO of Bookmaker.com has placed odds on the Palins getting a divorce in 2009. Currently, the odds stand at +200 for them getting divorced this year, and -500 for them not doing so. There are, of course, several different possibilities as to what may be going on with the Palins including the potential that they are separating and not divorcing.

Until former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin made a major announcement refuting the recent speculation on her marital status, these rumors had remained pinned to the pages of some blogs and tabloids. As a “family values” candidate, Palin’s martial woes become fodder for those who wish to expose a certain level of the “do as I say, not as I do” mentality among certain areas of the political arena. In many ways, this is what made the marital strife of Governor Mark Sanford and Senator John Ensign so salacious. Both men looked hypocritical for their affairs, especially in light of their own past condemnation of other politician’s affairs. The rumors of the Palins having affairs and being on the cusp of breaking up have been tabloid fodder since October ‘08. They were largely ignored by the major media outlets simply because, quite frankly, most reporters are not in the habit of actually caring about the personal life of politicians until it becomes unavoidable. With this announcement going after the media who had not reported anything substantive concerning the divorce rumors, Governor Palin all but assured that the major media outlets would now have to pay attention.

Politicians attract rumors like nobodies’ business. Rumors swirl around President Barack Obama, and have swirled around his predecessors. The media typically does not go after those rumors until they are shown to be at least partially true. Some rumors you address like with John Kerry and the Swift Boaters or President Barack Obama and the Birthers. Some rumors, like this one, you just do not comment on. Commenting on them only makes the media sit up and notice.

There are some who are suggesting that the reason Governor Palin addressed these rumors now rather than letting them simply fade has more to do with a lack of press coverage of late. The price that Governor Palin’s leaving office is paid in the lack of media coverage. Mitt Romney is largely ignored now because he is no longer in office. Others, of course, are now wondering if they rumors are true since she took the extraordinary step of addressing them.

Since announcing that she was leaving office, Governor Sarah Palin’s support among Republicans has slipped drastically. While she has her supporters, they are largely a segment within the GOP rather than a major component of it. Currently, there are four leaders within the GOP rather than one. Sarah Palin simply heads up one segment within the Party rather than being its leader. Unfortunately, the divisions within the GOP are as divisive as those delineating the divide between the Republicans and Democrats. Despite claims that she is on the way up, her political future remains murky. Many Democrats would love to see her run for President in 2012 because they believe that she will be easy to beat. Unfortunately for her, many Republicans also feel that she will be easy to beat.

In her favor is that three years in politics is a long time. The big unknown will be the economy. If the economy does not recover, the Democrats will have problems. Of course, the Republicans know this and are trying everything that they can to derail reform. The divisions between sides will continue to get deeper.

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