She surprised even her closest friends with the announcement that she was stepping down as Alaska governor on Friday.

And with speculation surrounding the reasons behind her quitting over a year before her term was up, former Republican vice-presidential candidate Sarah Palin has been providing clues to the mystery through her social networking accounts.

The 45-year-old has fuelled reports that she may be considering a run for the White House in 2012 after posting that she is free to pursue a "higher calling" on her Facebook page.

Dropping a further hint, she said she is "now looking ahead and at how we can advance this country together".

And Mrs Palin's former running mate John McCain hasn't ruled out a return to politics for her. "She will continue to play an important leadership role in the Republican Party and our nation," he says. 

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