Sarah Palin's future

I am watching the McCain campaign self-implode. However, I think the press is misreading Sarah Palin. It appears to me that the entire campaign is off the reservation, but Gov. Palin is starting her own tribe. My evidence thus far:
1. Interview of her and McCain of NBC- she was interrupting him and appeared to be steering the conversation where SHE wanted to go.
2. Her "wink wink" to the religious right on terrorism (See MSNBC) referring to bombers of abortion clinics

"I don’t know if you’re going to use the word ‘terrorist’ there,”
she said

3. Her announcement of a multi-billion dollar expansion of the education system to better support special needs kids. The being said in a campaign in McCain has called for a spending freeze on all government spending except defense, healthcare and vets benefits.

I am looking for more, but my hypothesis is as follows:

1. Sarah and her people know they are not going to win

2. She is going off on whatever tangent she wants because she can and the campaign can't stop her

3. She wants to run for national office in the future, and is leveraging this opportunity to bundle up the religious right and line up fundraisers

I don't really believe that Gov Sarah will make a real run for President in 2012, but....

Lisa Murkowski's (the junior Senator from the great state of Alaska) (R) is up for reelection on 2010 and I think Ms. Sarah intends to make a primary run at her from the right.

Guess we will see what happens...