Good afternoon, friends and fellow Alaskans.
The last year and a half have been a real whirlwind for me and for my family.
The national media has reported all kinds of things, many of which have been very hurtful to the privacy our family cherishes. You know that I have a wonderful and supportive family, and that we have had some challenges recently with Trig and with Bristol and my wonderful grandson Brickbat.
These challenges, and my experiences campaigning with Senator McCain last fall, have helped me open my heart and my soul to the future.
What I see in that future is that I need to put my family and my country ahead of my own personal ambitions. Because of that, I have decided to leave elected politics for the next few years. I have loved serving the people of Alaska and I have been thrilled by all the great folks I met on the campaign trail. But I love my family even more.
For the next few years, I need to help my son Trig in his development, and I want to be a good mother and grandmother to my family. Because of the importance of attention for infant and toddler development in children with Downs Syndrome, I will be leaving the Governor's office before the end of the month. My lieutenant governor will be working with me over the next three weeks to plan for a smooth and orderly transition.
I know that many people in Alaska, and in the rest of America, are going to be disappointed with me. I will not be seeking office for the next few years, including 2012. Rest assured, I will continue to be interested in politics as an outside observer. I will continue to work to get Republicans elected, and help our country move to a future of plentiful American energy and low taxes. But for now, my family's needs will require most of my time. I do hope to become more active in politics as Trig and Brickbat grow up.
Remember, I have plenty of time for politics ahead of me.
Thank you all, and god bless you.

The differences between the above speech and what she actually said should be the basis for speculation about her sanity and lack of criminal culpability. If I could whip this out in twenty minutes, why is it that Gov. P. could not come up with a speech that said something similar instead of that rambling bit of wackitude that made everybody wonder if she's off her meds, about to be indicted, or hiking the Appalachian Trail?