[wtc911]

You can make the assessment, but don't expect people to agree with it...

I make the assessment that quitting was the best financial decision for herself based on her own comments about the personal cost and on her actions since quitting.

Bear in mind that in her resignation speach she gave multiple reasons and none of them clearly. One reason she gave was that, since she had decided not to run again she would be a lame-duck, and that lame-ducks just waste tax-payer monies by jet setting around.

That was extremely lame and patently false. Plenty, in fact I'd wager most, governors who are either term limited or have decided not to run do not spend their last two years in office frivolously wasting the public dollar. Most spend every minute up to their last day in office trying to push their agenda.

Quitting killed her POTUS dreams if she ever had any. It gave her opposition in any quarter the chance to ask her...

"Mrs. Palin, we know what it took to get you to quit the governorship. Since the problems, attacks and affronts are so much greater in the presidency, what will it take you to quit that job?"

If she had national ambitions then quitting was a damned stupid move. If she wanted to pursue wealth in the private sector then it worked.

[Lakeshark]

Nice lib talking points, you've got them down.

As I remember, you're not willing to admit what candidate your supporting. Is that still true?

[MaggieCarta]

Quitting killed her POTUS dreams if she ever had any. It gave her opposition in any quarter the chance to ask her...

"Mrs. Palin, we know what it took to get you to quit the governorship. Since the problems, attacks and affronts are so much greater in the presidency, what will it take (to make) you to quit that job?"

wtc911 has a point, there, Palin people. She had better have a ready answer. Frankly, her abrupt departure (quitting, if you will) really doesn't play well in some circles.

[FreeReign]

If she had national ambitions then quitting was a damned stupid move.

Staying in Alaska until Jan. 2011 would have killed her national ambitions.

I think most people can see that.

[Dr. Sivana]

I make the assessment that quitting was the best financial decision for herself based on her own comments about the personal cost and on her actions since quitting.

Bear in mind that in her resignation speach she gave multiple reasons and none of them clearly.

I read the book, and had no problem with her reasoning. I don't recall the details of the speech, but the gist was similar. Beats the heck out of the "spend more time with my family" nonsense. This was not a one-dimensional decision. Certainly, not being hammered with frivolous lawsuits is a financial plus for her. I stated she made the best decision under the circumstances. The people of the U.S. are served better, the people of Alaska, and yes, even the Palins themselves are served better. I'll take that process over that of "non-quitter" Larry Craig.

Most spend every minute up to their last day in office trying to push their agenda.

Romney sure didn't, unless his agenda is not a conservative one. (I am thinking of his weak response to the court decision regarding homosexuals that happened on his watch.) Except maybe for RomneyCare. Pataki, Cuomo, Rell, Jim Thompson are governors of both parties who come to mind who just played out the string. They do mostly like to spend money at the very end,(e.g. Christie's predecessor).

I know what quitters look like. Female political quitters look like Patsy Schroeder. Sarah Palin is no Patsy Schroeder.

And if it turns out that Palin is running for president, then she is acting no differently than many who left office to pursue a higher one, knowing full well that that a formal announcement puts on a lot of restrictions, which is why so many don't formally announce even when there move is well-telegraphed.