How Sarah Plalin makes her endorsement decisions.

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Jay Newton-Small of TIME magazine asked Sarah Palin Tuesday how she makes her endorsement decisions. The governor explained:

"Often times I'm looking at the candidate who shares the circumstances in which I've been: underfunded, up against the machine, no big endorsements, running a grassroots campaign with the help of volunteer friends and family. When I see that, and can feel the momentum they can create with their passion in spite of greater challenges than their more comfortable opponents have, then I empathize, I relate, and I want to help."

"I always ask myself if it seems the candidate understands the importance of protecting our Constitution, first, of course. And if they have a record of, or at least articulate plans for, fighting for freedom, both economically and militarily. I inherently root for the underdog, and I end up going with my gut."

The TIME article does contain a few inaccuracies. Newton-Small, for example, wrote that the 2008 GOP vice presidential candidate has endorsed Marsha Blackburn of Tennessee, Oklahoma's Tom Coburn and Jim DeMint of South Carolina. While her political action committee, SarahPAC, has contributed to the campaigns of the three, Sarah Palin has never formally endorsed them. A campaign contribution is not the same thing as a specific candidate endorsement.

- JP