WEST DES MOINES, Iowa » The visit was, according to the official line, just a book signing — a chance for Sarah Palin to scrawl her signature for a few hundred fans on copies of her latest work.

But against a backdrop of unceasing speculation about her future and coming after recent interviews in which Palin acknowledged that, yes, she was thinking about running and, yes, she thought she could win, her return to the state expected to play a central role in determining the next Republican nominee for president took on, intentionally or not, a distinctly political flavor.

The line of autograph seekers that snaked around the Borders bookstore buzzed with the same two questions that trail Palin these days: Would she and should she? Those expecting clarity, however, would leave disappointed. "Thank you for your encouragement," was all she told them.

During her three-hour visit, Palin was insulated from both the crowd and the news media. She arrived and left through a separate entrance and spent her time behind a black curtain at the back of the store, though two of her daughters wandered freely, signing autographs. People were required to leave their cellphones and cameras before approaching Palin. Reporters were prohibited from asking questions, though photographers were allowed to take pictures.

"It really bothered me, actually," said Todd Steinberg, 52, a medical worker from nearby Johnston, who described himself as a committed supporter. "I’d like to see her not be so closed or censored with her public appearances."

If anything, the visit mostly offered a reminder that Palin — a paid Fox News commentator, star of a reality television program and mother of a dancing star — sure knows how to draw a crowd, pulling in at least five times the number of people who turned out here the previous week for Newt Gingrich. Donna Otis, 66, a small-business owner from Des Moines, said: "There’s a draw for her I can’t explain. You want to see Sarah."

There was a mix of strong opinions as to whether Palin, a former Republican nominee for vice president and governor of Alaska, should declare herself a candidate. (A poll here over the summer of likely Republican voters found that Palin was viewed favorably by 58 percent and unfavorably by 39 percent, with just 3 percent undecided.)

"I would like her to run and I would definitely vote for her," said Mary Kirkpatrick, a retired United Parcel Service worker from Des Moines, clutching a newly purchased copy of Palin’s book, "America by Heart: Reflections on Family, Faith and Flag" (Harper), which was published Tuesday. "But there is no need to rush right now because she’s doing things like this and her face is constantly on TV."

Kristin Blackman, 39, took the opposite view, saying that Palin was an effective advocate for the views of conservative Christian women. "I don’t necessarily want to see her in office," she said. "I like the role she’s in right now."

The start of the political season here has been slower and more tentative then usual. Palin and her political plans, whatever they may be, continue to loom large over a slowly assembling field of possible candidates eager to be the party’s choice to take on President Barack Obama. But while others have begun lining up support, Palin has developed a reputation for being inaccessible, leading some to question how serious she is about running.

"There are a lot of people who are willing to engage with her, but right now its almost impossible," said Craig Robinson, who was political director for the Iowa Republican Party during the last caucus and now runs the website The Iowa Republican. "If I wanted to reach out, I wouldn’t know how to do it."

This is Palin’s third visit to the state since the last presidential campaign. She will return again Thursday at the end of her nine-day, 13-state book tour for an appearance in Spirit Lake.

Her events here have been criticized for being mostly staged, with less of the give-and-take seen as critical in a state where voters are used to meeting politicians in person. Amy Linney, general manager of the bookstore, said that when Gingrich and former Gov. Mike Huckabee of Arkansas held far smaller book signings at the store, "there weren’t as many stipulations."

But after signing more than 500 books, Palin left her table to approach the stragglers who had been told they had arrived too late. With a beaming smile, she patiently signed more books and urged the crowd to watch her show the next night.

And she sidestepped a question from a reporter about when she would decide to run. "Oh my goodness!" she said.

Then another person asked for her autograph. "Thanks for changing the subject for me," she said.

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