Back at work, Palin vents a bit over campaign criticism - the latest heading in the local language newspaper. Continued stress and pressure are bound to be the order of the day for Sarah. This will continue for some time.
If you look at the research on stress levels of politicians, you will have to read Cary Cooper’s research. He says that within six months there are significantly elevated stress levels for politicians. Before Sarah failed in her vice president race I was predicting her levels of stress.
The stress markers that are usually reported for new politicians include the usual symptoms. Loss of confidence is one of the interesting ones. It is not unusual that politicians under stress have problems sleeping, eat and drink too much, they lose motivation and they show evidence of constant strain.
Adapting to the role of Governor on her return after a failed election campaign nationally will provide additional stresses and challenges. She doesn’t have to deal with all the new issues that might occur at the national level - that is true. But she does have to pick up the reins of governorship of Alaska.
America was impressed with Sarah as a vigorous debater and an attractive politician. As vice president on the Republican ticket, she had to assume the role of Democrat attack dog. This has alienated her within the state because she formerly promoted the notion that she is bipartisan.
The democratic opposition and government in Alaska bound to have many questions about unresolved issues. Today’s paper highlights different opinions of Sarah’s role in Troopergate. Reporters also asked how she could rebuild bipartisan relationships after her vice presidential attacks on the Democrats.
The biggest stress is likely to be post-campaign dumping. Already we see ‘unnamed McCain staffers’ leveling claims at here. They said that she did not know Africa was a continent. They criticized her Republican party funded shopping spree. She reduced staffers to tears with her attitude and demands. We will never know if these are true or not and, of course, Sarah should not give dignity to these criticisms whether they are founded or baseless.
It will be interesting to see who tries to scapegoat Sarah Palin in the weeks to come. There has to be continuing interest in her because of the constant calls for Sarah as president in 2012. A strong sense of purpose and clear values, together with obvious family support, will be her best defense against critical onslaughts. She is going to need a great deal of assistance to manage and reduce the inevitable stress on her return to Alaska.