Yes, she posed for it in that context at the time. but when those photos were circulated widely on the web, no complaints. That said, she has to know that photos end up everywhere and once the photo is taken, it is taken. Newsweek used that photo to sell magazines. Nothing more, nothing less. If they wanted to embarrass her on the cover, there are literally hundreds of news photos that do that.

Is it sexist? Not so much. Poor taste? Yep. Bad choice for a news magazine? Definitely. Indicative of Newsweek’s desperation to both sell magazines and somehow become politically relevant? For sure.

@MartiniShark

As to the photos of Obama, if they were taken with his knowledge, then they are fair game. Plus as public personalities, they have to accept that. How often do we still see Obama on the beach? I did not complain about the native attire photo of Obama because he stood there and let the photo be taken. That photo is as fair a game as the one of Palin.

“She/he posed for the photo” is actually a standard. If it can be proven that the photo was taken surreptitiously, that is different. This was a carefully set and posed photo. By the way, an extremely well composed photo I thought.

Fox, MSNBC and CNN do the same thing with their female anchors. All cleavage, all the time for ratings. Even The Weather Channel does that.

What I find most entertaining is the clowns at MSNBC calling the photo sexist when they used a fake photo of her in a bikini repeatedly.

And shame on Runner’s World for not buying the photo flat out. By allowing the photographer to resell it via a stock photo agency, Runner’s World effectively surrendered control of the photo and really has no valid complaint.

When I do a photo shoot, I buy the photos to prevent the photographer from reselling them. And when there is a photo that the model was obviously not prepared for (yawning, laughing, etc.) it gets deleted.

From Runner’s World magazine:

On the cover of this week’s issue of Newsweek is a photo that was shot for the August 2009 issue of Runner’s World, in which Sarah Palin was featured on the monthly “I’m a Runner” back page. Runner’s World did not provide Newsweek with the image. Instead, it was provided to Newsweek by the photographer’s stock agency, without Runner’s World’s knowledge or permission.

Careful, you’ll chip a molar.

Are you gonna be okay?

It is typical of the liberal media, attempting to diminish a strong pro-life, pro-Christian, conservative woman. It says more about Newsweek than it ever will about Palin. This is the picture that Newsweek, a supposed “news” magazine chose to put forth. It reeks of disrespect, but then again, this is Newsweek who is in some sort of arrangement with MSNBC who despises all things conservative/republican.

Newsweek is oftentimes written as newsweak for a reason, this cover is a prime example.

Yes, Gov. Palin posed for that photo for the context in which it was orginally used for: a short profile of Gov. Palin’s health and fitness routine. In that context, it is the perfect photo.

I think the problem most people have is the Newsweek article focuses on her politics, yet uses this picture of her. I think Bob Beckel stated it correctly when he said, “Is she running for office or for head cheerleader?” when discussing what the narrative of the cover photo is. You don’t see any liberal women being portrayed in the same light, nor do you see any of Newsweeks 30+ cover photos of Pres. Obama in his gym shorts driving the lane during one of his basketball games.

I believe that this photo has less to do with the actual picture than it does with the narrative (especially with the headline “How do You Solve a Problem like Sarah?” – have they never never watched “The Sound of Music”?) it describes on a “News” magazine discussing her politics.

Ah yes, the old “Let’s judge a book by its cover” line. Apparently politics never made it through elementary school “diversity training.”

As for the flag… really? THAT’S the argument? From people who believe the flag can be burned, worn, stomped on, etc… and all of that should be federally protected… Palin “leaning” on a flag is “offensive.” Wow… get a grip.

@Chuck Varrick:

Problems with women? All fat? By the way, Obama was also a Senator. And, oh, yeah – Palin quit her governor’s job mid-term.

I also think it’s really interesting that people are focusing on her legs. The controversy over this image was about the flag draped over the chair, and her leaning on it. There all sorts of photos in that Runner’s World series, including Palin bending over and stretching in spandex, which if Newsweek was seeking to marginalize her based on sexualization, would have been a better image to use. This is the image they chose, and the image that emerged as most controversial from that Runner’s World series – because of the flag. Her legs, as it turned out, took second place to an actual political controversy.

Win-win for Newsweek and Palin, both of whom are topics on conversation on this in ways that they’re comfortable with.

As for the picture itself: Sarah Palin, politician, wanted to show off her legs. Doesn’t matter the magazine. (That picture is about health and fitness like Mediaite is about crocheting.) That’s an odd decision, and one that encapsulates the divide over Palin. I doubt many of her supporters see it as a bad photo.

I think the decision to use the image was one made to make her look bad, politically nonviable and ultimately unpresidential.