Daniels still serving the public

Sarah Palin, meet Mitch Daniels.

Of all the puzzling statements in her puzzling remarks about her puzzling decision to step down before the end of her term, the most puzzling came when Gov. Palin took some hard swipes at "lame duck" governors who just collect a paycheck and go on overseas junkets as they finish out their terms.

Obviously, Gov. Palin has never met Gov. Daniels. If she has met him, she hasn't paid enough attention to his record in office.

We've had plenty of disagreements with Indiana's governor over the past few years, some over style and some over substance.

And there were times in this second term when we wondered if his lame duck status would weaken his resolve or lessen his impact.

It hasn't.

If you doubt that, go ask Pat Bauer. The House Speaker and top Democrat has spent much of the year going toe-to-toe with Gov. Daniels, and it was the governor who walked away the victor after a bruising battle.

Mitch Daniels, it's clear, intends to be a force to be reckoned with in the Statehouse until the final minute of the final hour of his final term. He's prohibited from seeking re-election by law, so if he wanted to just collect a paycheck we suppose he could.

But that's not what he signed on for. That's not the oath of office he took.

And Gov. Palin would have been well-served to make a phone call to her Hoosier counterpoint before quitting her post last week. He could have given her some good advice about what public service is all about. - J.R.[[In-content Ad]]