(CNN) – Bristol Palin talked politics with Jay Leno Thursday, saying Sarah Palin's mid-term resignation as Alaska governor won't hurt her chances of running for president.
The 20-year-old said her mom stepped down in 2009 in response to a surge of lawsuits.
"It was just costing the state tons of money and us personally tons of money, and she just wasn't able to do her job with those lawsuits being filed," Bristol said.
Leno, however, pointed out that lawsuits against governors are "part of the job" in state politics.
"Not to the magnitude that she was getting," Bristol said. "She just wanted to put her state first."
The former Alaska governor was the subject of multiple ethics complaints, including an investigation that her staff allegedly pressured a public official to fire a state trooper who had been through a messy divorce with Palin's sister.
When Palin resigned in July 2009, she said she had already decided against running for re-election and felt that her time as a lame-duck governor would be wasteful for the state.
In another media appearance, Bristol told HLN's Dr. Drew Pinsky in an hour long special to air this coming Thursday that she "definitely" agrees her mom could win.
"I think she's so smart, and I think she can debate anyone and do very well," Bristol said.
When asked if Bristol hopes her mom doesn't make it to the White House–given the added media attention–Bristol said, "no."
"I think that people are going to be talking about my family and her and everyone else, uh, no matter what we're doing," Bristol said.
This summer Palin has visited crucial voting states such as Iowa and New Hampshire, but she has yet to announce a decision on whether she'll join the 10-member field of GOP presidential hopefuls.
But, according to Palin, Bristol has already weighed in on her mom's 2012 decision.
"I think Bristol has made up her mind, and Bristol wants me to run for president," Palin said in a recent interview with Newsweek. "But we're still thinking about it. I'm still thinking about it."
From CNN Politics
© 2012 Cable News Network. Turner Broadcasting System, Inc. All Rights Reserved.
| Advertising practices | Advertise with us | About us | Work for us | Help
BWAAAAAAAAA! Sure she does. wink wink.
This country is stupid, no doubt about it but if American's are so stupid that they would vote Palin in as president then I will sell my home and move out of this country for good. I promise.
Why is she on Leno? Why is she in the spotlight. Her whole family needs to go away and keep quiet. Her mother will never get a vote from me...even if they waterboard me.
Keep dreaming Bristol. Levi Johnston has a better a chance than your mother.
Can leno sink any lower? Whi cares about him or the new kardashian wanna be! We stopped watching after he had lard man himself on the show riding in a car running over an effigy of gore. Never mind watching him again since that ougrid fird belly gaseous woman was on his show.
There isn't going to be an upcoming campaign, we know it, the hucksters in the palin family know it – but they're still trying to milk the rubes for every last dollar. The palins 15 minutes are over. What a sadly embarrassing period it was for our nation and it's credibility.
I, myself am certainly not voting for Sarah Palin as President of our country, now, or ever. Nor is the rest of my family. I'm just proud of President Obama right now, and would always, always, vote him over her.
She's almost as good at putting a spin on thngs as her mother. What a load of bull.
Bristol, you are uninformed. Your mom says she can win, and uncle Rico said he could throw a football over them mountains.
LOL @ this pititful excuse of an abstinence only "spokesperson"
Every time I think this nit can't appear more inane, she opens her mouth and proves me wrong
Those Palins just never give up. They are so greedy that they don't want to miss getting the last penny donated from their little lost sheep. Today we have the Sarah Palin movie coming to a theatre near you. What will it be tomorrow–selling Sarah Palin photographs or coffee mugs? I think someone just pass out suckers with Sarah Palin's name on them. Looks like Bristol's book bombed....did she even talk about it with Leno or did Bristol just tell him that she admired him so much that she now has the Leno chin, just like him. Her dentist must be so proud of his first plastic surgery patient.
Instead of blaming the lawsuits for the resignation, how about thinking about why the lawsuits were filed? Perhaps, if momma Sarah hadn't done so many questionable things, the lawsuits wouldn't have been filed? I think Bristol ought to think more about avoiding unplanned pregnancy number 2 than hoping Sarah drops a number two on the country by running for president.
more than the lowest common denominator. sad.
She is a single mom. You have the money now so go get a degree. Put money away for your son's future. Stay out of the public eye and do something good for your family and your community
Sad to think that anyone would listen to the political commentary of a 20-year-old who's only public appeal is that she is the daughter of a woman who walked out on her job as governor of Alaska.
Clone of her mother. Wish they would go away.
BEHOLD our next President and first daughters. We WILL have 8 years of the Palins in the White House and unheard of greatness and prosperity never before seen.
I wonder how much her mom is $$ her for working as a communications operative? IF her mom runs she can do all the speaking tours otherwise she should be in the entertainment section not the political section!!!! COME ON CNN...
Greetings from Alaska
Bristol.
QUITTERS never win.
Your to STUPID to know that because of your lack of schooling and how your parents didn't raised you properly..
Believe what you want, Mommy won't be president.
P.S. your book is full of LIES and it sucked. Just like your Mom's books.
Palin Power
BEHOLD our next President and first daughters. We WILL have 8 years of the Palins in the White House and unheard of greatness and prosperity never before seen.
Trig? Is that you?
Since when are the thoughts of children political news?
"Bristol Palin talked politics with Jay Leno Thursday".............That probably had every intellect on the edge of their seat.
Yeah she resigned because it was best for the state – because ANYONE would make a better Governor than Sarah Palin. She'll never be President. Hope she runs and wins the GOP nomination – would be fun to watch her get annihilated in the election and drag the entire GOP slate down with her.
Bristol – you're clearly as clueless as your mother!
$arah – if you have to think for so long about whether or not to run, it's probably not a good idea, huh? But, you have to already know how negatively you're received in this country now. Between continually ducking media "gotcha" questions (which you just don't want to answer because your truth is terrible), an inability to speak in anything other than word salads that no one understands, quitting half-way through your governship and abandoning your state after leaving it in worse financial shape than when you took office, never offering any solutions to any of this country's problems – just criticizing everyone else...you have absolutely no business whatsoever in any political office of leadership. You and your husband are terrible people.
{yawn} I switched from Leno back to Letterman when Palin came on. I have zero interest in the opinions of this person.
I will continue to turn away from media that lavishes attention on any members of that family.