@ossobuco,
So now that everyone is on ignore, where were we? I see the following options:
1 Palin is tired of getting beat up and since she's got hers, there is no need to continue doing the whole politics thing.
2 Palin is bored with Alaska politics and would rather be on the talk circuit making real money and feeling out the 2012 race.
3 Palin is facing a brutal year in local politics with several veto overrides possible, so she's cutting and running before being forced to either make hard decisions that will be fodder for later criticism or suffer bruising defeats.
4 Palin is trying to reduce the heat of rumored investigations.
5 Palin is following a secret strategy, painting the media and un-named, shadowy forces as enemies to solidify her base while freeing her up to start campaigning.
I'm in the 2 and 3 camp with a little 5 tossed in.