If I am to understand her speech correctly, and that was difficult, it sounds like she's not just resigining from the Gov's office but resigning from politics. She just referred to "the blood sport of politics" or some such. Keeps saying she's going to "fight for our children from another direction, outside of politics."

So basically if she runs for president in 2012 she will have some major words to eat.

Here in Juneau, we're having a heat wave. (It's, like, 60 out, and we're all broiling.) So I have my windows open. I live on a busy street, and I keep hearing people shouting, "Oh my god! Sarah Palin resigned," followed by a long series of, "No ways," "Get outs", and "Yeah rights."

I follow Alaska politics pretty closely, and no one had any idea this was coming. Right now people are speculating about why this she did this. Some of the major reasons suggested are:

1. She's pregnant. I think this is a very unlikely reason for her to resign, mainly because she's already had a kid while governor, and I don't think she would resign the second time.

2. An affair, either by her or by Todd. However, for years, there have been rumors swirling that she had an affair with someone. Unless that guy or someone close to him is planning to step forward, I don't see why she would resign at this time.

3. The recent spate of articles and bad news. Again, I find this unlikely. Sarah Palin seems to thrive on negative coverage -- she enjoys playing the victim and saying, "Woe is me." Having a week with a couple of negative reports come out seems (to me) to just give her another chance to cry about how everyone picks on her.

4. Emmonak. Most people out of state don't know about this, but there's a big hoopla about how she's giving commercial fishing vessels the right to throw overboard fish most people in Western Alaska use for subsistence, which is really cutting down on their food supply. However, last year, people in the same area had a similar problem, and she visited with Billy Graham's kid and gave them cookies; didn't seem to faze her.

5. Emails. She is reported to have a close relationship with Alaska's own Rush Limbaugh, and one blogger has requested all emails dealing with him. There probably will be some news in those emails that will make most reasonable people bang their head and say, "Oh, Sarah." But, like reason 3 above, I'm not sure that's enough to make her resign.

6. Attention. Sarah Palin loves the attention. Maybe she's just resigning because people haven't been paying enough attention to her. (This is my personal favorite.) Now she can get her own talk show and be on TV every night, and she won't have to listen to people who criticize (not that she does now, but...)

7. Something else. There are rumors about a tax scandal, a house building scandal, various other lies, or something completely different. Hopefully, we will find out in the coming days, but, for now, there doesn't seem to be any clear reason for her to do this.

Don't get me wrong -- I am totally and completely overjoyed about this. (Hopefully, the completely incompetent people she insisted on hiring will be replaced, though, considering how completely incompetent Sean Parnell is, that's doubtful.) But I want to know WHY!

For Palin to leave before the end of her term without explanation to her constituency is extremely self-serving, no matter how she tries to spin it.

Bottom line: nobody likes a quitter.

Romantic tryst, my guess.

There just something really wrong with the idea that our next president can make her case to the American people by NOT governing. By NOT dealing with complex issues for the benefit of her constituents. By NOT standing up for her job over what she sees to be distractions. By NOT having -

grit.

"she said she could be more effective outside of government"

Translation:

"I can more easily subvert government from outside than inside it, because while inside it, I was subject to ethics scrutiny and media attention."

She finally learned that, just like cockroaches, the right wing more easily works its social sabotage under cover of darkness and other convenient smokescreens (think torture memos, NSA and the compliant corporations scurrying around without fear of exposure, etc).

On first hearing this news, thinking selfishly of relief from imprudently elevated trashy ideologues, I had wished her deep obscurity. But now I see that public interest and safety demands that Palin continue to be monitored by both the media and the authorities. She just can't be trusted.

This thing is bigger than Palin just resigning. Rumors have been swirling for months that a major scandal is heading toward Palin and will sink her career, just like an iceberg sunk the Titanic.

More details can be found here: http://tiny.cc/sarahpalinstuff

I bet she could make a ton of money being a pundit on Fox. I bet her ratings would be higher than Glenn Beck's.

That way she could spew her views and make tons of money without actually having to be held in account for her words or actions.

Yeah, I'm sure Bristol and Cooter and Old Yeller and Jim-Bob-Joe are really concerned above all else with rising deficits and out of control government spending! Poor buggers!

Can you believe ANY politician giving up a governorship because she thinks she can be "more effective outside government"? That makes no sense. If she can't be effective as the top dog in the state, what good is she?

Something smells rotten here.

Oh sweet victory, you have hounded her from office.

WOOF WOOF!

Evil and low class all the way with no humanity whatsoever.

Meanwhile your HERO finds torture, rape and murder UNPROSECUTABLE.

OH LOOK! IT'S PALIN!

LET'S GET HER!!!

What a spectacle you are.

And you are offended by Bill O'Reilly???

You, Madam, are his peer.

Followed by speaking engagements in brewpubs throughout the nation.

Anyway, between the seagulls and the point guard analogy, I suspect our late night comedians and Saturday Night Live will be drowning in a wealth of gags.