I’m afraid the way zero is running the country and everything he touches into the ground. She will feel compelled to run for the top of the ticket. It reminds me of 1968 when Nixon came out of nowhere after losing the 1960 presidential race and the 1962 Calf. Governor’s race. After that loss he said “You won’t have Nixon to kick around anymore because, gentlemen, this is my last press conference.” He campaigned for Republican candidates in the 1966 Congressional elections and took an extended trip to South America and parts of the Middle East in 1967. This is the same thing Sarah should do. Campaign for the conservative base in the 2010 congressional elections and go places and meet all kinds of foreign leaders to prepare for 2012. Run Sarah Run!
Speaking of which, she did just make her first trip to Europe; I wondered at the time if that might be a start, particularly since one of the things the press criticized was that she hadn't been to Europe. Of course, neither had Bambi until he went as US president, but that's different...
Maybe, as you suggest, she's taking the long view and will prepare herself for the big run in the future. I don't think so, though; for one thing, I don't think we're going to continue with our current system and I suspect that even by 2012, Obama will have done something to install himself in permanent power. Elections will either be non-existent or purely for show.
I think Sarah Palin is somebody who likes politics and will probably return to it in some way, but I don't think she's quitting now with the intention of building up for a presidential run. She has been subjected to truly vicious attacks, from Republicans such as the Romney crowd as well as from the Dems and the press, and I think she simply wants to take the heat off her family and also off the state of Alaska. I have noticed that there have been attacks on Alaska coming from Congress, and it's quite possible that she knows these will get worse and is taking advantage of this lull - summer, congressional recess, etc. - to step out of the picture and let Alaska just go back to being that big unknown place up North.