Alaska Gov. Palin, ex-VP nominee, resigning - USATODAY.com

This seems to have come out of nowhere. Some speculate it might be to focus on running for office in 2012.

If she runs, I feel as though I would vote for her so it would be interesting if she was going to shift focus this early.

Personally I don't think she can win in a presidential race. Maybe the VP thing could work out still but I think there are better and more qualified candidates for the top of the ticket.

She's been hit with an ethics complaint at least once a month since she was selected for VP. They've all been dismissed, but they are all politically draining. Personally, I believe it is a coordinated effort by people on the outside. Most Alaskans see them as political hackery, nationally I'm not so sure it will be seen as such. I'm sure it played some part in the decision.

Palin is an extremely talented politician. She didn't get the credit she deserved in that regard when she ran with the old man. I think she senses the void. 40% of people in this country call themselves Conservative, yet there is essentially zero politicians on a national level to fill that void. I was very hopeful about Sanford, but he screwed that. Hybrix, I'd really like to hear who you think can fill the void, because I really don't see anyone that can.

I like Palin, I can see her running for President in 2012. I'm somewhat persuaded that she can't win though, I think Mitt Romney is going to fill that void.

It'll be interesting to see if she steps away from the spotlight and gives it all up or if she intends to come back in a couple of years.

I'm unsure how I feel about Palin.

One thing I've noticed is how many people claim they might have voted for McCain, until he nominated Palin. Strictly as a attempt to win (ignoring her stance on issues), that seems like a big negative.

I supported Mitt till his end. But, with health care being the issue of the day, I don't think Romney will win over a lot of Conservatives. I'm torn on it actually. As I said, I really liked the Mitt Romney of 2008. Its the Mitt Romney of 2004 that might not play well given the politics we are in.

Palin, IMO, is such a ****ing joke. She's completely ignorant of political facts that every politician should know. I actually feel embarrassed for her when I see her in interviews.

I'm not saying she is dumb, just saying she's ignorant. I think she got where she is playing on people emotions (winking at them, etc.), not on any real knowledge.

If she runs in 2012, I doubt she'll ever make the nomination.

Plus, she held a press conference saying that she was resigning because (I'm majorly paraphrasing) "she doesn't want to ride on the tax payers' dollars, even though other politicians are ok with being sitting ducks," or something to that effect. Is she admitting she is a sitting duck politician? Maybe someone here can find the quote.

Maybe the constant pressure of being in the spotlight of public attention since her nomination by McCain was too much for her. If that is the case, her step deserves respect -- it's sometimes hard to admit you are not up to a certain task.

Probably she is a skilled politician, but she is really not suited for the office of VP or even President, because she is lacking experience. Obama was accused of lacking experience, but at least he had several years as a Senator on his back and almost a decade as legislator -- while all Palin has is being mayor of a small village of not even 10,000 inhabitants (hell, even many sports clubs have more members!) and 2 years as Governor of one of the smallest states. She might have become a good choice later, in a few years or a decade, but probably all this VP nomination was too much pressure for her to handle too soon.

That said, I also strongly disagree with her politically. Her own family is a good example for the hypocrisy and ineffectiveness of abstinence-only campaigns that deprive children of a proper education about the risks of sex and contraception, which would enable them to make their own responsible decisions. I am not sure if her many odd statements, which seem to indicate ignorance or lack of education, are really a reason to believe she doesn't know Africa is a continent or that there is more to diplomacy than just seeing Russia from her home state -- maybe those were just slips due to too much pressure and stress. But even if they were, they seem to indicate she probably isn't fit for office. The mayor of a small village, or even the Governor of a very small state may do a very good job on this smaller stage, yet not be suited for more demanding offices.

On a personal level, I hope she'll get the out-time and privacy for her personal life and family she is looking for, due to this resignation -- it must be horrible to be constantly in the focus of public attention and may make a private life almost impossible. If that out-time is what she is looking for, let's hope the media will leave her and her family alone for a change.

I couldn't have said it better myself.

When it came out that her daughter was pregnant, I remember thinking that if this had happened to one of the Obama kids (if she was a bit older), he would have totally lost the presidency. Total double-standard.

But anyways, I just don't think she's capable of much more than being a small town mayor.