[SeekAndFind]

Palin's the only politician we have right now with the same level of natural talent and connection to the average voter that Obama has. If she's mobilizing now, it's because she sees a path to victory, and is taking it.

My problem with this move is the TIMING. She was ELECTED to serve a full 4 year term. The next presidential elections are 3 1/2 years away. Why resign now ?

Why not serve till 2010 and THEN announce that she's not running for a second term ? That would have been the better course of action if she were truly exploring a run for the presidency...

[RobbyS]

Well, she is probably NOT. In any case, while you weren’t looking, the Democratics have done everything in their power to keep her from doing her job as governor of Alaska, and she has enemies among the local Republicans.

[RobbyS]

Well, she is probably NOT. In any case, while you weren’t looking, the Democratics have done everything in their power to keep her from doing her job as governor of Alaska, and she has enemies among the local Republicans.

[Steel Wolf]

My problem with this move is the TIMING. She was ELECTED to serve a full 4 year term.

The obsession with this is really. Being elected isn't like enlisting in the military. People quit jobs all the time for personal reasons, or to pursue better jobs. Obama did it himself when he left the Senate after only 2 years on the job, and 2 years campaigning. There was no breathless, wide eyed panic at him abandoning his Senate post with 2 years left unserved to the fine people of Illinois. Yet people are acting like she quit being a doctor halfway through surgery, and left some guy on the table.

Why not serve till 2010 and THEN announce that she's not running for a second term ? That would have been the better course of action if she were truly exploring a run for the presidency...

1. Why spend 2 more years doing a job that America knows you're good at? She could spend 20 more years as governor. Who would care?

2. She can raise untold millions for the GOP in the next 2 years, and stump for GOP candidates all over the country. Help the party perform well in 2010, and you've got the rank and file party regulars on your side. Right now, Palin is an outsider. A popular outsider, but she's not tied in with the rest of the GOP. She can't ever be as Governor of Alaska. As a freelance conservative rockstar, she can spend years getting the GOP back on its feet, with her to thank for it.

3. Alaska doesn't need a rockstar governor. They need a level headed guy who isn't tied down all day with national level drama. She's doing the state a favor by taking their politics out of the national spotlight.

OR, she could do another 2 years, and finish out her term tired, poor, harassed, and not tangibly improved as a candidate against a wealthy, popular and incumbent President.