At first, the reports were contradictory. But now we've seen multiple reports that Sarah Palin plans to resign her office as governor of Alaska at some point in the very near future. Initially reports suggested only that she wouldn't run again; quickly followed by reports of an imminent resignation.

More in a moment.

3:26 PM ... A few have suggested that she's resigning to free up time to run for president in 2012. (She would have left office at the end of next year.) But I'm not so sure about that. Generally, when you run for election to a high office it's understood that you'll stick around to do the job. Many people run for another office while they're serving out one term and then resign to take the next job. Obama did that, after all. As did Bush and Clinton before them. But resigning an office just to run for another one leaves you open to a lot of criticism for not fulfilling your commitments. So I'm not certain this is really about freeing up time to run for president full time. And if it is, the wisdom of the move, from her perspective, is questionable.

Local station KTVA in Alaska has this ...

Palin announced that she will transfer power to Lt. Governor Sean Parnell. Parnell will be sworn in during the upcoming governor's picnic in Fairbanks on July 25. An emotionally choked-up Parnell said he plans to keep all state commissioners and continue to pursue a natural gas pipeline.

Palin did not field questions and would not give any indications as to her future plans.