Sarah Palin has resigned from the governorship of Alaska, and her attorney is warning national news media outlets not to publish defamatory stories about her. The move came unexpectedly, as Palin was seen by many as a rising star in the Republican Party.

According to published stories, Palin has been "a controversial figure" since she rose from relative obscurity to serve as Sen. John McCain's running mate in the 2008 presidential campaign. After Palin gave several interviews, she became the butt of talk-show jokes and late-night comics. Even in Alaska, she became a polarizing figure. A steady stream of ethics complaints against her has been filed with the state personnel board, and she has wound up defending herself and her family against a steady stream of partisan critics, including many un-named aids to Sen. McCain.

Allegedly, all but two of the 15 ethics complaints filed against her were dismissed with no findings of wrongdoing, but one complaint led to Palin's agreement to reimburse the state about $8,100 for costs associated with trips taken with her children. The state of Alaska apparently spent about $300,000 to investigate the complaints, and Palin said she racked up more than $500,000 in legal fees fighting them.

Questions to consider: Does this eliminate Palin from a possible run for the presidency in 2012? Will she be missed by the Republican party? Was she treated unfairly by the news media? What is your opinion of Sarah Palin?