...the idea that Gov. Palin just up and decided for no reason in particular to resign her office little more than half way through her term, with a hastily assembled press conference and a rambling and histrionic speech, is just too silly for serious consideration.

But, you know what? Who knows with these people? Dehr crazee. I mean, let's face it. Sarah Palin is not (and never was) going to be elected president of the United States. And even though the Republican Establishment is disoriented and at a low ebb, they're not suicidal enough to make her the nominee of their party. The real question for Sarah Palin was not how she should go about winning the nomination in 2012, but whether she should cash in on her fame and cult following while she's hot, or whether she should endure routine humiliation and mounting legal bills as an ineffectual, ethically-challenged, and increasingly unpopular governor of an Arctic state. That math seems easy enough that even Palin can solve for it.

And if she isn't going anywhere politically, and her star is starting to dim, the best thing to do is to get out now. As embarrassing as it is to quit her job with eighteen months to go, she could hardly have selected a better time to make her announcement. Other Republicans are in the spotlight for much bigger failures, most people are traveling and preparing for their Holiday weekend, and Michael Jackson will continue to dominate the news through at least Tuesday when his memorial service takes place in Los Angeles' Staples Center.

Sure, there may be some scandals bubbling beneath the surface that helped her make this decision, but that doesn't change that she's going out on top, in a position to make millions. Why risk that by staying in office and taking a daily beating?

Palin admitted it was about money in her speech.

Every one - all 15 of the ethics complaints have been dismissed. We've won! But it hasn't been cheap - the State has wasted THOUSANDS of hours of YOUR time and shelled out some two million of YOUR dollars to respond to "opposition research" - that's money NOT going to fund teachers or troopers - or safer roads. And this political absurdity, the "politics of personal destruction" ... Todd and I are looking at more than half a million dollars in legal bills in order to set the record straight. And what about the people who offer up these silly accusations? It doesn't cost them a dime so they're not going to stop draining public resources - spending other peoples' money in their game.

It's pretty insane - my staff and I spend most of our day dealing with THIS instead of progressing our state now. I know I promised no more "politics as usual," but THIS isn't what anyone had in mind for ALASKA.

She isn't going to go away. Far from it. She'll be cashing in the same way Mike Huckabee is cashing in, but with more success. Godspeed Sarah Palin. I'm winking right back atcha.