Sarah Palin gave a speech in Manchester on Monday in which she said the Republican Party needs to nominate a 2012 presidential candidate “who can do more than just talk.” She said of conservatives, “We’re not going to just sit back on the couch and throw stones from afar.”

Those are interesting rallying cries from a woman whose contributions to the 2012 election thus far have consisted entirely of talk.

Unlike many in the media, we enjoy Palin’s talking. She excels at it, and to good effect. She is a highly effective motivator of the right, and with her energy and enthusiasm she has become a valuable ally in the ongoing struggle against creeping statism. She should talk more — and flirt less.

With all due respect, Gov. Palin’s initial flirtation with running for President has lost its sparkle. The hints, followed for months and months by nothing but more hints, have grown tiresome. It is time for a decision. Or more precisely, it is time for a public announcement, as we suspect Palin has already made her decision.

The New Hampshire Primary is four months away (presuming the calendar stays as it is). We understand that Palin doesn’t like to play by anyone else’s rules. But she needs to understand that her prolonged decision-making process is lowering her standing among Republican voters and conservative independents. Many are starting to feel as though she is stringing them along.

If she does not announce a decision soon, she risks alienating some of the people who might be inclined to vote for her, or to continue buying her books and attending her speeches. This would be bad not only for Palin, but for the conservative movement, which has been invigorated by Palin’s active participation.

To use a term Palin herself might use, it is time to fish or cut bait. The next announcement she makes should reveal her decision to run or not to run for President in 2012.