Sarah Palin, who rocketed to immense popularity in Utah after she was nominated for the vice presidency on the Republican ticket last year, resigned from her post as Alaska's governor.

It was ... well ... strange.

"I've never believed that I, nor anyone else, needs a title to do this -- to make a difference ... to help people," she said. "So I choose, for my state and my family, more freedom to progress, all the way around ... I will not seek re-election as governor. ... I am determined to take the right path for Alaska even though it is unconventional and not so comfortable."

Supporters see her planning a run for the White House in 2012; critics sneered that she couldn't stand the heat so she got out of the kitchen.

"Caribou Barbie is one nutty puppy," meowed New York Times columnist Maureen Dowd. Republican political operative Mark McKinnon compared her to "a moose on roller skates." Richard Cohen in the Washington Post said she was "a ditz with no national experience whatsoever."

Some saw the move as political suicide, especially for someone with relatively little background in government.

"Sarah Palin's career as governor of Alaska is over," wrote Michael Carey, a columnist for the Anchorage Daily News. "So is her barely begun career as a serious presidential candidate. The road map to the White House doesn't include a stop at 'I quit.' "

Many doubted that Palin could have lasted on the political scene: "It has confirmed Republicans' sense that she's not merely a 'maverick' -- an attribute the party never prized much anyway -- but a flake," said the Los Angeles Times's Doyle McManus.

Even discounting the envy, snobbery, fear and sexism of such comments, conservatives might well wonder if there's some truth in them. Palin, for all her charm, has yet to demonstrate the strength of character and commitment to ideas that a real national leader needs.

The way she stepped down irked even some supporters. If she's thinking of running for president, she might want to present a more polished and convincing picture. She might have done better by thinking more deeply and crafting a better explanation. Even in today's unceasing waves of politics, she could have waited until after Labor Day. With some planning, she could have made a less clunky announcement.

Labor Day also would have given her more time to tie up loose ends. She owes at least that much to the people of Alaska who voted for her, and to Americans whose votes she may be seeking later.

Of course, there is a more sympathetic view. She is married, with five children, one with Down syndrome. She's been vilified by the media and hounded by the left. If she's just sick of all that and puts her family first, that just goes to show she's a normal human being, and that's no crime.

If she doesn't want to be governor, it's good she's being forthright. At least she won't be part of the ongoing scandal that elected officials work full-time to land higher office even as they continue to collect the paychecks and perks of their current offices.

But Palin's announcement also stoked enthusiasm among many conservatives. After all, she has the greatest gift a politician can have: the ability to connect with ordinary people. A Republican Party desperate for leadership could use some of that.

Writer Bill Quick's attitude was summarized by the headline on his column in the New York Post: "Run, Sarah, Run."

Hard-hitting pundit Ann Coulter called Palin "a huge star," and said critics in the New York-Washington corridor would never relent on their attacks anyway, so Palin might as well do what she wants.

For some conservatives, conventional Republican politicians don't deliver the goods politically or ideologically. That Palin doesn't follow convention is a plus from that perspective.

Others thought her move a sound political gambit. Longtime GOP strategist Roger Stone said that "Palin's stunning move guarantees an outsider strategy in which Palin is a movement but not a party candidate."

He should know: he master-minded Richard Nixon's incredible comeback from political oblivion to the presidency.

His point seems especially true as the political landscape changes. Some suggest that in the Twitter Age, Palin has a better chance if she runs an unconventional campaign as a guerrilla fighter challenging the powers that be.

Even from a nuts and bolts view of politics, writes political analyst Charlie Cook, "Palin's decision to step down earlier seems totally reasonable, even if badly executed."

The presidential race has grown so much that 2009 is by no means too early to clear the decks and get into action. Palin, as an anti-establishment candidate, would have to work harder to gain support.

She and her husband are by no means wealthy. If she gives some speeches, writes a book, maybe lands a television gig, she could amass the kind of dough that, like it or not, serious candidates need, while testing the waters and honing her skills.

Starting a run now would also offer a chance for her to prove her critics wrong. Free from the routine of office, she could study, travel and meet national and world leaders and experts. That would give her the opportunity to prove she has mastered vital issues.

Maybe it was put best by conservative journalist William Kristol, who said, "Let Sarah Palin have a shot. Either she'll perform or she won't."

WHAT DO YOU THINK?

Should Sarah Palin have resigned as governor of Alaska? Should she run for president? Send your comments to dhpolls@heraldextra.com or call (801) 344-2942. Please leave your name, city of residence and phone number with your comments. E-mail comments should not exceed 100 words; voicemail comments should not exceed 30 seconds. The Daily Herald will publish comments on July 12.

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• Palin steps down as Alaska governor