Is Palin Definitely Out of the 2012 Race?

With the early success of like-minded Minnesota Rep. Michele Bachmann, and the new and formidable challenger in Texas Governor Rick Perry, is there still a place for Sarah Palin in the 2012 Republican presidential primary? Based off her statements at the Iowa State Fair yesterday some conservative commentators believe Sarah Palin is not going to run for President in 2012.

“It’s fair to them to give them an answer here, in short order, so that they can jump on  board with someone else."

A candidate needing time to consider if he or she will still be able to meet the needs of their family prior to jumping into the strenuous 24/7 engagement of a presidential campaign, is generally accepted as a fair reason to hold off throwing your hat in the ring. However, Palin probably knows better than any other 2012 GOP hopeful the effects that a presidential campaign will have on the family considering she has already been on a major party ticket in the general election.

In this short video from David Brody of CBN News, Palin indicates that she is likely to make an announcement on whether or not she will run in September or October. As the GOP primary race appears to already be in full gear with candidates like Bachmann and Romney surging to the head of the pack, some may ask what does Palin still have to consider from now to the fall that she has not already thought about over the last two and a half years?

Dan Spencer of RedState speculates that Palin's rhetoric in Iowa this weekend signals her stepping away from the list of GOP candidates in 2012:

"With those words, former Gov. Sarah Palin made it clear to me that she will not run for president in 2012.

You don’t tell your supporters 'they can jump on board with someone else' if you are going to run. It’s as simple as that. One could, and no doubt many will, say Palin was just inarticulate. I don’t buy that."

What do you think? Is Palin standing idly by only in wait for the perfect strategic entrance to surge ahead of the other Republican presidential candidates? Could she honestly still be in the 'decision-making phase'? Do you want her to jump in but think she will hold off this election? Or with the success of Michele Bachmann and highly anticipated entrance of Rick Perry do you question if there is still a space for Palin in 2012?