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Sarah Palin’s visit to Wisconsin over the weekend may have been – unbeknownst to Badger State residents – the unofficial kickoff of a 2012 presidential bid.

Palin in Madison

Palin spoke to a Tea Party rally that gathered outside the State Capitol on Saturday (along with anti-Tea Party protestors) amidst a wintry mix of sleet and snow, praising Republican Gov. Scott Walker while calling President Barack Obama “the inspiration for why we’re here today.”

Political observers say Wisconsin is likely to figure prominently in the 2012 presidential race. Palin certainly thinks so. “This is where the line has been drawn in the sand,” she said, then invoked labor union language, “I am proud to stand with you today in solidarity.”

On Monday, Palin launched a new website for her political action committee. The leading item contains videos of her speech in Madison.

The PAC’s treasurer, Tim Crawford, tells the New York Times, “The governor is keeping her options open.” The newspaper says her Wisconsin speech and new website “seem to have reversed pundits’ suspicions that she was dropping her presidential ambitions.”

In the speech, Palin criticized Obama for increasing the national debt and flushing “a trillion dollars down the drain on a useless stimulus package.” She jabbed, “We’re flat broke, but he thinks these solar shingles and really fast trains will magically save us.”

Walker, on the other hand, “understands that states must be solvent in order to keep their promises … He’s not trying to hurt union members. Hey, folks, he’s trying to save your jobs and your pensions!”

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