We all stared in slack-jawed astonishment at Sarah Palin's extraordinary lakeside farewell speech. What is happening here? I won't speculate on why, the pundits are already doing enough of that, all I can think of is the how and the when. Why now, at the start of a holiday weekend when everyone is busy with other things, including the Jackson funeral arrangements? That is certainly not a coincidence. And her reasons, as expressed in her remarks, did little to clear things up. Expressed with her usual clarity and directness, they still managed to sound rather vague and unconvincing. Did you get the impression that there is much here left unsaid?

I will allow myself one bit of speculation: we haven't heard the last of the pretty Ms Palin. But whatever we do hear, it will probably be totally unexpected.