Sarah Palin releases campaign-style Iowa video (video)

WASHINGTON — Sarah Palin is out with a slickly produced video that captures her impromptu visit to the Iowa State Fair last week in the most positive light possible. And the release is certain to fire up yet another round of will-she-or-won’t-she speculation about a presidential bid.

Unlike “The Undefeated,” the hagiographical film released this summer that was produced outside Palin’s circle, the new spot, dubbed “Iowa Passion,” is a product of Palin’s political action committee, making it perhaps the biggest tease yet about a possible run.

The release comes as Palin plans to give a speech to a “tea party” group in Iowa on Labor Day weekend, an address that possibly could provide some hint about her plans. She has said repeatedly that she expects to decide in September whether to mount a campaign for the GOP nomination.

The two-minutes-plus spot is filled with Iowans praising Palin as “down to earth,” “a normal person” and “solid.” And interestingly, for someone who has appeared to take satisfaction in frustrating the mainstream media, the video also notes how cooperative she was with reporters during her daylong visit.

It also contains a populist, anti-Washington message that makes her sound very much like a candidate.

“I think we’re seeing a great awakening of the American public,” she says in the spot.

The video ends with a roaring grizzly and a promise from Palin that she will return to Iowa on Sept. 3. That’s the day she is scheduled to speak in Waukee, Iowa.

If Palin, who has done little work in terms of building a campaign organization, were to enter the race, it would likely set off a fierce brawl with two of her competitors, Michele Bachmann and Rick Perry, for the votes of social conservatives in Iowa and elsewhere.