Sarah Palin @ The Tea Party of America Rally Indianola, Iowa September 3 2011

Sarah Palin tantalized supporters on the eve of her appearance at a tea party rally by telling reporters “there’s room for more” candidates in the contest for the Republican presidential nomination. But she gave no hint as to whether she was talking about herself.

The former Alaska governor was mobbed by enthusiastic supporters who chanted, “Run, Sarah, run!” when she arrived at a Des Moines suburb Friday evening. Many had come hundreds or thousands of miles to attend Saturday rally in Indianola and many believe that Palin will become a candidate.

Sarah Palin revved up a crowd of about 2,000 at a tea party rally here, telling them just about everything they wanted to hear — except that she was getting into the presidential race.

Instead, the Palin supporters who came from all over the U.S. wearing “Palin 2012” T-shirts and buttons got an intensely political speech from the former Alaska governor that scorched President Barack Obama and the “permanent political class” of both parties.

She slung an attack at the Republican candidates who “raise mammoth amounts of cash,” saying, “we need to ask them, too: What, if anything, do their donors expect in return for their investments?” She noted gleefully: “I don’t play that game, either, of hiring expert political advisers just so they’ll say something good about me on TV.”

Aides have suggested that Palin will not make her intentions clear on Saturday and what she said Friday night did nothing to clarify the picture. Asked about the current field of candidates, she said she was happy with them, but added, “I think there’s room for more, though, because spirited debate and more competition will allow an even better discourse and more rigorous discourse that the public deserves.”