Bristol Palin says her mom has decided whether to run for president

Bristol Palin, the eldest daughter of former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin (R), said Tuesday that her mother had made up her mind already about whether to run for president in 2012.

The younger Palin said that she would like to see her mother run for president.

As to whether Sarah Palin had already reached a decision: "She definitely knows," Bristol Palin said during an appearance on Fox News. The younger Palin said the decision would remain internal to the family in the meantime, though.

"We've talked about it before, but some things just need to stay in the family," she said.

That's a provocative answer, especially as Sarah Palin heads to Iowa Tuesday, the key 2012 stomping ground for Republican candidates, for a screening of a biopic about her, "The Undefeated."

Reports had circulated that Sarah Palin would meet with key Republican officials in the state during her visit, but SarahPAC, the former governor's political action committee, issued a statement disputing that (along with usual backlash toward the media).

After Tuesday night's screening, SarahPAC said, Sarah Palin "heads to Minnesota to join her daughter Bristol at a book signing for Bristol's new book Not Afraid of Life at the Mall of America. Then back to Alaska for jury duty."

Updated 9:31 a.m.

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