If Sarah Palin is leaving politics, then I offer my best wishes and can deeply sympathise with her decision to leave politics.
If Palin is preparing a 2012 campaign, then she no longer has my support. Yes the media have been overtly hostile to her and her family. Yes the democrats have said mean things about her family and filed frivolous suits against her. But if she IS planning to run, why does she think it will be any better for a presidential candidate than a governor?
If Palin wants to be a politician, then leaving politics is the worst thing she could do.
Put simply, even her supporters are listing the unremitting attacks against her as the reason for her to resign. But if she runs for president, the attacks will be every bit -- or even more -- vicious. Frivolous complaints to the Alaska ethics board will be replaced by frivolous FEC complaints, or lawsuits regarding campaign expenses. And every article written about her will start out "Sarah Palin, who resigned her only elected office, ...". And most of the media will add "After facing over a dozen ethics complaints" to that.
Don't misunderstand me -- if Palin becomes the nominee I'll admit I was wrong and return as a supporter. But she is no longer my first pick for nominee.