Palin Raises Big Bucks, Eyebrows

Jillian Bandes | July 12, 2010 8:28 AM

Sarah Palin's $866,000 haul this quarter puts her solidly in a position where she could run a presidential campaign, though of course she has made no announcement to that effect. Regardless, it represented a major accomplishment for the conservative superstar and has caused

others to re-consider her political prospects. With over $1 million in the bank in total, Palin is clearly positioning herself for something great.

According to Politico, it "suggests that she has begun building a more sophisticated political operation in place of a bare-bones organization powered mostly by her rock star status and scrappy on-line presence."

...In short, for the first time since the 2008 campaign when she was the vice-presidential running mate to GOP presidential candidate John McCain, Palin is supported by a political operation befitting someone considering a presidential run.

Some argue that the cash flow is the product of her developing her own fundraising operations sans John McCain.