Former half-term Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is reportedly ending her love affair with the conservative Fox News network, according to Real Clear Politics, citing an anonymous source close to Palin.
It seemed a match made in heaven. Palin, still a GOP darling despite a failed vice-presidential run in 2008 and her resignation from as Alaska Governor in 2009, signed a three-year contract with Fox News in 2010. She offered folksy commentary and down-home political analysis on all things weird and wonky. Palin's star has certainly faded a bit since her debut on the cable news network, perhaps more so after she declined to compete for the Republican presidential nomination in 2011.
According to a source close to Palin cited by Real Clear Politics, it wasn't Fox that opted to terminate the contract, but the former reality-TV star and political celebrity.
"It's my understanding that Gov. Palin was offered a contract by Fox, and she decided not to renew the arrangement," Real Clear Politics quotes the source as saying. "She remains focused on broadening her message of common-sense conservatism across the country and will be expanding her voice in the national discussion."
Palin's contract expired this month. Fox News doesn't appear to bear any ill will toward Palin and her departure, with network Executive Vice President Bill Shine telling the New York Times in a statement that the network has "thoroughly enjoyed" its time with Palin as a talking head and wishes her the best.
Shine did not allude to who determined it was time for the network and Palin to part ways, and the New York Times said that neither Palin's spokesperson nor her attorney returned a request for comment.
What might those endeavors be? It seemed a 50/50 shot that Palin would make a run at the 2012 presidential nomination, so it surprised many when she opted out. Maybe she'll re-evaluate her 2016 presidential prospects, though three years of Palin-esque soundbites from her time at Fox News might provide too much ammo for any opponent -- Republican or Democrat -- looking to take her down.
That's not stopping folks on her Facebook page from urging her to run again for political office, or congratulating her on throwing off the chains of Fox News and striking out on her own -- proving once again that the lure of Palin might be too strong to deny.
Read more, at Real Clear Politics.