Alaska Governor Sarah Palin: If I die politically, so be it

In taped interviews aired on Tuesday morning, Alaska Governor and former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin discussed her sudden resignation as governor and gave possible hints about her future political plans, reports RTTNews.

Photo: Alaska Governor Sarah Palin: If I die politically, so be it

In an interview for ABC News, Palin said that the mounting legal bills she and the state of Alaska have had to incur to fight ethics charges brought against her by her political adversaries played a big role in her decision to resign.

"You know conditions have really changed in Alaska in the political arena since August 29, since I was tapped to run for VP," Palin told.

"When that opposition research - those researchers really bombarded Alaska - started digging for dirt and have not let up. They're not gonna find any dirt. We keep proving that every time we win an ethics violation lawsuit and we've won every one of them. But it has been costing our state millions of dollars. It's cost Todd and me. You know the adversaries would love to see us put on the path of personal bankruptcy so that we can't afford to run."

But she also told ABC's "Good Morning America" that she recognizes that her resignation -- disclosed in a rambling speech in the news dead zone of the Friday of July Fourth weekend -- might have damaged her prospects. "You know, politically speaking, if I die, I die. So be it," she said.

She tried to portray her unusual decision as befitting her political character. "That caught people off guard," she said. "It's out of the box and unconventional. That's what we are as Alaskans and certainly how I am as a public servant."

Since her 2008 vice presidential run, Palin has racked up an estimated $500,000 in legal bills while fighting ethics charges.

Palin also said that spending more time with her family away from the media spotlight was another reason for her decision, telling ABC News, "Every mom that we know multi-tasks. I'm gonna keep working extremely hard but I am looking forward to having my kids by my side more, without getting criticized for having the kids by my side."

"Most candidates, most public officials get to look into a camera and say, 'you better leave your hands off my kids,'" Palin added in an interview with Fox News.

She will leave office on July 26. At that time, Lt. Governor Sean Parnell will take on the roll of governor. He has stated he will seek re-election after the end of the current term.