Palin can still campaign. Her State has a 9 billion dollar budget surplus.
Another level of brilliance re this move (and true patriotism, as well):
Consider you’re running for Prez. The decisions being made this week are going to be front and center at the heart of the domestic side of your 1st term (and likely beyond). Wouldn’t you want to have a seat at that table while Chuk-U Schumer, Hillary, Reid, Pelosi, Fwanks, et al are determining whether your presidency is going to start with only one or both testicles being removed (politically speaking, of course).
No, she can’t. That would make it an obvious attempt to take advantage of the crisis to game the system, and sink McCain’s credibility.