I don't like Sarah Palin's hokey "you betcha" style of political discourse. I don't really like some of her alliances in the GOP. So, this isn't a pufff piece in favor of Sarah Palin. I've got a dog in the race, but she's not the one. That said, is it possible that Sarah Palin doesn't lie with every breath and she has already disclosed her reasons for leaving office? Sure, she left off alternative opportunities. She didn't talk about the potential speaking tour or big media contract offers that have no doubt given her reason to believe she has options. But, her reasons seem simple. It's not been easy to be governor since she sat on one of America's least liked GOP tickets in 2008.

Political operatives descended on Alaska last August, digging for dirt. The ethics law I championed became their weapon of choice. Over the past nine months I've been accused of all sorts of frivolous ethics violations - such as holding a fish in a photograph, wearing a jacket with a logo on it, and answering reporters' questions.

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.

If I have learned one thing: LIFE is about choices!
Transcript on WSJ

Is it possible that the self-proclaimed anti-waste candidate thinks continuing as governor is wasteful, both of her personal opportunity and time and the taxpayer's money? No, folks just can't believe she's not conspiring some bigger scam. Maybe she is. I don't give her that much credit.