Speculation I heard: one of AZ's senators is vacating; Sarah may be making moves to run for his seat.
God, I hope not. The Senate is like the Borg. She will be assimilated. I hope that her purchase of the house in Arizona is for logistical reasons--that it is easier to run a Presidential campaign if she lives in the lower 48 rather than way the hell out there in Alaska, which may as well be a foreign country. (Canada and Mexico really
are foreign countries, and it is much easier to travel between them and the lower 48 than from Alaska.)
I'm late to this thread, so there are plenty of points to address. Historically, the Senate has never been regarded as a steppingstone to the Presidency. I found
this site, which lists 16 former Senators who eventually became President. I was surprised that the number was so high, but look at the dates. Most of them were Senators long before they became President. They served in other offices in between, such as Governor or Vice President. Only three have gone directly from the Senate to the Presidency: Harding, Kennedy, and Obama.
In 2008, three out of the four Presidential/Vice Presidential candidates were sitting Senators. That was unprecedented as far as I know. Palin, as a Governor, was more qualified than all the rest of them. Even at the time, I wished that she was at the top of the ticket. I happily cast my vote for her, not McCain.
So bottom line, the notion that she should become a Senator before trying for President is wrongheaded and ahistorical. She's already been a Governor, which is a more pertinent qualification.
With her optimism, her clear love of America, and her solid moral grounding, she is far and away the best potential Presidential candidate for 2012. As I've said before, she's the best we've got, and the future of America is on the line. It's time for a Hail Mary pass. If she can't win, then it may be time to move beyond the ballot box to the next box. It would be useful to clarify that.
And as I've also said before, my dream ticket is Palin/West. Allen West would give the ticket balance since he has some understanding of foreign policy and history, unlike Herman Cain. He is also under no illusions about the nature of Islam. Serving as Vice President for a term or two would of course prepare him for a future Presidential run.