I agree with your point of view, but one thing I've noticed quite a bit in the Internet days is that political followers like us sometimes forget that just because we see things one way doesn't mean everyone sees it that way--rightly or wrongly. Palin is a case of people seeing things about her so clearly and so passionately that, I think, they can't take seriously the idea that anyone could see things in any other way.
It doesn't matter that it's Romney and the MSM see it this way--others see it that way, too. Calling them RINOs or robots or slaves to Romney (I'm not accusing you of any of that) is a way to dismiss them, but it doesn't alter the fact that many people see it this way. If we don' accept that and realize it's a serious issue and we have to deal with it, we're in for some rude surprises, as I've seen happen to so many folks on election nights--they were just so SURE everyone would see Obama was inexperienced, and so SURE people would see Harry Reid is an old fart, and so SURE Barney Frank is a thug...
Our own conviction as to whether or not Palin's quitting should matter doesn't change the fact that to a lot of people, it indeed DOES matter.
She may not be able to overcome it.
That being said, if she decides to run, I think she does have the time and is capable of putting it behind her.
If nothing else, this is going to be an interesting couple of years for political junkies like ourselves, and whichever way she chooses to go it will be fun to watch and be a part of.