Who's Handling Sarah Palin?

So I watched, on Youtube, the Sarah Palin interview on Oprah. Standing over my kitchen counter, pretending that I had to stay there to clean up and why not watch TV?, I saw a totally different woman than the one we watched during last year’s Presidential campaign. And all I could think of was, I wonder who she’s hired? Sure, I think she’s probably giving herself permission to be more herself, but I think someone else (or probably an entire coterie of advisors) has said it is absolutely okay to be yourself but only if yourself is less pit bull and more lipstick. And, folks, I thought of that myself though so have a bunch of other people. Take the recent cover of Newsweek. Her legs have been the talk of the town. Good for her on that one. I’ve always wanted better legs, but that’s another story.

            What I want to emphasize here is the importance of having people on your team who can interpret the public’s response to someone before anything ever happens, before she even opens her mouth. Americans love it when their heroes (and heroines) act like human beings, complete with human frailties, vulnerabilities, hopes and dreams, and other characteristics we share.

            I keep wondering if Palin has hired Republican strategist Mary Matalin, but it doesn’t really matter who she’s hired. And her image re-do (and yes, I do thing there’s been some adjustments made). The point is this: she’s still with us saying things like she can understand how someone who might not want a baby would consider abortion if she became pregnant. I cannot imagine that Palin would have uttered such a thing during the campaign. It feels as if she’s trying to touch a lot more people and while I don’t agree with her politics, I am curious about her new handlers. What do you think?