Kristol: A Contrarian Take  —  If Palin wants to run in 2012, why not do exactly what she announced today?  It's an enormous gamble - but it could be a shrewd one.  —  After all, she's freeing herself from the duties of the governorship.  Now she can do her book, give speeches …

Palin won't run for re-election in Alaska, source says  —  WASHINGTON (CNN) — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is expected to announce Friday that she will not seek a second term, a Republican source close to Palin tells CNN.  —  Palin has scheduled a 3 p.m. ET news conference at her home in Wasilla.

But I'm doing what's best for Alaska"  —  Lots of heavy media anticipation over a Sarah Palin announcement expected any minute from Wasilla.  —  Here's CBS: … Feel free to speculate.  —  Allahpundit has a developing round-up; multiple sources reporting that Palin will say she's not going to run for governor again in 2010.

Palin Will Run In '12 On More Retardation Platform  —  In Sarah Palin's resignation announcement she complained about the treatment of her son Trig who always teaches her life lessons.  She said that the “world needs more Trigs, not fewer.”  That's a presidential campaign promise we can all get behind.

Breaking: Palin to resign within weeks?  Update: Is her career over?  —  No word as to why but Stephanopoulos has a hunch.  If it's related to her plans for next year, which way should Palinistas be rooting?  Presumably they hope she's not running for reelection so that she can devote herself full …

First Signs What Happened  —  Okay, we're getting our first indication of what happened.  It seems like a colossal sulk on Palin's part, or perhaps better to say an effort on her part to ingeniously combine anti-liberal media bias agitation with Christianist politics by portraying herself as having been crucified by the liberal media.

EXCLUSIVE: PALIN RESIGNATION ‘DAMAGE CONTROL’ FOR COMING ‘ICEBERG SCANDAL’ ... MORE: EMBEZZLEMENT INDICTMENTS COMING?  —  [See update below for exclusive source details from Alaska...FURTHER UPDATE now added below: AK sources say ‘embezzlement’ scandal, federal indictments may be in offing.

A Letter to Sarah  —  You're blowing it.  —  We haven't met, but you might remember I was one of the first columnists to tout you for John McCain's running mate.  I cheered you mightily when Senator McCain selected you, and I still believe that you were the smartest choice he could have made given the obstacles before him.

Palin To Resign, Focus on Presidential Run  —  Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is looking to build a national political operation in advance of 2012.  (AP Photo/Chris Miller, File)  —  Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin will resign her office later this month, according to several sources familiar with her decision …

Palin to Resign as Governor of Alaska  —  Update |  5:30 p.m. Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska announced Friday that she would step down by the end of the month and not seek a second term as governor, fueling speculation that she is seriously weighing whether to seek the Republican nomination for president in 2012.

Full Text Of Palin's Resignation Speech  —  The Governor's website posted this transcript on Friday, July 3.

Sarah Palin — What a Schmuck  —  Sarah Palin has announced her abdication of the Governorship of Alaska.  If I were a citizen of Alaska, and especially if I had voted for her, I'd be pissed off.  —  Who cares if she feels she has checked off her personal laundry list of things to do?

10 Possible Reasons for Palin's Decision  —  1. Her political standing has slipped enough that she could have lost a re-election bid if she tried to retain her current office.  —  2. Her political standing has slipped enough that even if she had run and won, she would have likely been bloodied in the race, maybe even in a primary.