26 mins ago

WASILLA, Alaska – Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin said Friday she is resigning from office at the end of the month, raising speculation that she would focus on a run for the White House in the 2012 race.

The former Republican vice presidential candidate made the surprise announcement from her home in suburban Wasilla on Friday morning. She said she would step down July 26 but didn't announce her plans.

"Once I decided not to run for re-election, I also felt that to embrace the conventional Lame Duck status in this particular climate would just be another dose of politics as usual, something I campaigned against and will always oppose," Palin said in a statement released by her office.

"It is my duty to always protect our great state. With that in mind, my family and I determined that it is best to make a difference this summer, and I am willing to change things, so that this administration, with its positive agenda, its accomplishments, and its successful road to an incredible future, can continue without interruption and with great administrative and legislative success," she said.

Lt. Gov. Sean Parnell will be inaugurated at the governor's picnic in Fairbanks at the end of the month, Palin spokesman Dave Murrow said.

Palin was first elected in 2006 on a populist platform. But her popularity has waned as she waged in partisan politics following her return from the presidential campaign. Her term would have ended in 2010.

Good luck to her if there is any thing left called America by then wink wink nudge nudge

I think she knew she was an emberessment to Alaska and would lose any re election and is playing the only hand she has left.

"It raises speculation that she would focus on a run for the White House in the 2012 race."

It would be great for the Democrats if she did and great for Saturday night Live and the rest of the comedians.

I just thought about how bad it would be for the Republicans if she ran after I posted that.

The announcement seemed kind of bizarre

Expect a bizzare campaign Oh what fun we will have!

Is this a Joke? Hahahaha

She can see Russia and Puttin when he raises his ugly head! I say she is the best the republicans can offer up to the sacrafice! Lymbaugh/Palin 2012! Beauty and the beast!

This is an unusual choice for someone with presidential ambitions. Normally a politician use the power of his/her current job to extract large donations from companies and rich people.

Hopefully it's good for Alaska.

While I don't think she could be taken seriously in the first place, after this there's no way to take her seriously. She walks away in the middle of her term? Lovely.

Think there is more to this then is currently known. No doubt there is going to be a lot of speculation. Which is going to make it hard to tell fact from fiction.

*shrugs*

Don't really see why anyone should care?!

She is a quitter, quitters never win!

I expect her to be working for Fox news she can spew all her trash with no accountability andget rich doing it.

No doubt someone will give her her own show and she'll be a female Rush Limbauh (sp?)....

Colbert, Stewart, olbermann, Mathews, maddow all on vacation.....yep, this is the time to resign.
Can you imagine the fun the comedians would have with this? But I do feel sorry for the Palin bots, all those folks disapointed, she couldnt even finsih her first term as Govenor. Thank god she didnt get the VP spot.

she's pretty fuggin' hot...

hardly...but...lets hope so...hows that Hope and Change workin' for ya' ?...