SARAH, TAKE TWO

Posted at 10:16 a.m. ET

For those inclined to believe that Sarah Palin would disappear into the tundra after the election, there must be crushing disappointment.  It seems that the governor is in more demand now than ever.  She has a career ahead of her.  Tina Fey has a career ahead of her.  Everybody should really be happy.  The facts:

ANCHORAGE, Alaska (AP) - Oprah wants her, and so do Letterman and Leno. Fresh from her political defeat, Sarah Palin is juggling offers to write books, appear in films and sit on dozens of interview couches at a rate that would be astonishing for most Hollywood stars, let alone a first-term governor.

The failed Republican vice presidential candidate crunched state budget numbers this week in her 17th-floor office as tumbling oil prices hit Alaska's revenues. Meanwhile, her staff fielded television requests seeking the 44-year-old Palin for late-night banter and Sunday morning Washington policy.

Agents, including those from the William Morris Agency, have come knocking. There's even been an offer to host a TV show.

I used to be a William Morris client.  Sarah will have to get used to five-foot-five-inch men named Murray. 

"Tomorrow, Governor Palin could do an interview with any news media on the planet," said her spokesman, Bill McAllister. "Tomorrow, she could probably sign any one of a dozen book deals. She could start talking to people about a documentary or a movie on her life. That's the level we are at here."

"Barbara Walters called me. George Stephanopoulos called me," McAllister said. "I've had multiple conversations with producers for Oprah, Letterman, Leno and 'The Daily Show.'"

And there's more:

Palin is considering about 800 requests for appearances from December through 2009, with 75 percent coming from out of state. A year ago, just a sprinkle of requests came from beyond Alaska's borders. They range from invitations to speak at The Chief Executives' Club of Boston to attend a 5-year-old's birthday party, from a prayer breakfast in Cedar Rapids, Iowa, to a business conference in Britain.

Michael Steele, the former Maryland lieutenant governor who wants to be the next chairman of the Republican National Committee, is seeking face time.

She has invitations to make appearances in 20 foreign countries, typically with all expenses paid, McAllister said. She has more than 200 requests for media interviews, again from around the globe.

Of course, it's legitimate to ask how many of these people will try to ambush her, and make her look bad.  But I suspect she's ready for that now.  She wasn't that ready in the first few weeks after McCain selected her.

The right book or movie deal could help Palin reintroduce herself to the nation, on terms she could dictate.

The book tour would be something to behold.  Of course, there are the party poopers:

"She has to deal with the perception that she bobbled her debut," said Claremont McKenna College political scientist John Pitney. "She needs to stay home for a while. If she wants a future in national politics, her No. 1 job is doing a good job as governor."

Hey, guy, she has an 80-percent approval rating. 

Sarah Palin is a political phenomenon.  We cannot and should not try to project how far she can go.  No doubt, and it must be admitted, part of the fascination is her good looks.  She's the most lookable major candidate we've had in years.

But there's also a fascination with her life story, which she now has a chance to tell in her own time, and in her own way, unencumbered by campaign staffs.

With Sarah emerging, and Hillary as secretary of state, we're in for juicy times.

November 22, 2008.