Sarah Palin Underweight, Anxious, Needed "Emergency Help" For Thinning Hair: New York Times

Update: Sarah Palin's hairdresser speaks! 9 days after the Times pondered the possible reasons for Sarah Palin's sudden withdrawal from the Alaskan governorship, at least one thing has become clear: it wasn't really a hair emergency. "It wasn't like I did an intervention,'' Jessica Steele, Palin's long time friend and hairdresser, told the Boston Globe in a phone interview from her Wasilla beauty parlor, the Beehive. "I think the combination of traveling and just being down there in the lower 48... We needed to get her back to shiny.''

***

The New York Times has a lengthy story on Sarah Palin in Monday's edition, examining the personal and political pressures that may have driven her to resign her governorship.

The article, like many others before it, describes Palin's political operation as largely dysfunctional, to the point that prominent Republican adviser Fred Malek felt the need to personally urge her to have someone "set up a mechanism so you can return calls."

"You are getting a bad rap," he recalled saying. "Important people are trying to talk to you. And she said, 'What number are they calling?' She did not know what had been happening."

The piece describes Palin as obsessed with her critics, and under severe strain from souring relationships with Alaska legislators and encounters with the national media and paparazzi. Perhaps the strangest details of the story come from accounts from Palin's friends about her physical deterioration:

Friends worried that she appeared anxious and underweight. Her hair had thinned to the point where she needed emergency help from her hairdresser and close friend, Jessica Steele.

Read the full story here.

Comments

[tm68]

10:53 PM on 07/17/2009

I know this is an old post, but I just have to say that I think this is my favorite photo of Palin. It's the face on Nov. 8th when she got slapped down from making a concession speech when they lost the election. "Darnit, I was so close!"

What I wouldn't give to see a copy of that speech so I can figure out what she was thinking in that little head of hers when the camera snapped this pic.

[FrankenPC]

01:16 PM on 07/16/2009

I guess this is what separates me from the GOP, I don't want to see anyone suffer. Even Palin.

Maybe it's time for a lifestyle reevaluati­on for Palin.

[vigilocanis]

10:25 AM on 07/15/2009

Thinning hair, lightweigh­t, too caught up in the campaign, shallow...­..please don't talk about Joe Biden that way !

Liberals worship at the feet of psedo-inte­llualism and discount the value of wisdom and sound judgement. They would prefer a societal class system of producers and nonproduce­rs, the religious and nonreligio­us, those with values based on the Judaeo-Chr­istian tradition and those with a humanistic value sytem, and by perceived degrees of intellectu­alism based on an adherence to a liberal dogma of causes such as global warming, abortion,a­nd how life began on earth.

Even though most conservati­ves think that Sarah Palin was unprepared to be president at present, they admire her accomplish­ments as a mother with children, governor, and as a vice-presi­dential candidate. The ad hominum personal attacks by liberals at all levels is telling. A person who is not confident in their beliefs or arguments often resorts to personal attacks. This seems true in the case of Palin's vehement detractors­.

Her decision to resign so that she can devote full time to other endeavors allowing Alaskans to choose a replacemen­t who can devote all their energies to running the state is far a far more honest act than politician­s who run for higher office while simultaneo­usly working part time as a full time senator like Barak and Joe.

[doublels]

05:10 PM on 07/15/2009

"Liberals would prefer a societal class system, etc."

Liberals..­.would want a class system??? That's one of the most ludicrous things I've ever heard. Liberals are the antithesis of a class system concept. I think you're mixing them up with the pubs who think there should be two classes...­rich & poor, they being the former.

Yes, Sarah Palin has done a lot. I'm not a supporter but that fact can't be denied. However, first you assume she is wise & has good judgement which could be debated. Even if it's true, having only those qualities is simply not enough. No one can be an expert on everything but SP is just does not have knowledge of so, so many issues. Can someone make a wise decision without having good informatio­n? Answer: yes--Bush.

[memphispaul]

10:06 PM on 07/14/2009

Tough times seem to produce a politician that embodies ignorance, fanaticism and tyranny at a time when the fears of the populace are easily manipulate­d. If we thought the previous administra­tion was challenged just imagine what a Palin administra­tion would engender. There are many Americans who feel very uneasy and if unemployme­nt continues to 10.5-11% as expected and there is another shock to the financial system, even one that is realized by the over forbearanc­e of the major financials and heavier than expected loses may well provide the fodder necessary to fuel rise of the ignorant.

Now is the time to deliver on the commitment­s and assume responsibi­lity for how we govern. Lead by example.

[lynnewrites]

07:01 PM on 07/14/2009

I fear that she is so desperatel­y out of her comfort (control) zone--Even as Governor--­that this is no doubt why she is so stressed--­think about it, when any of us are in WAY over our heads, we freak. My hope is that she does truly re-evaluat­es her life and what it will be worth if she continues the charade VS what it could be worth if she gets back to what she can control and do well with. Find your niche, lady, and you'll be happy every day of your life......­.......and clearly, politcs ain't your niche.

[sippewissett]

03:12 PM on 07/14/2009

Maddow nails why Palin quit and I pray she is right that Palin will not run again, due to the
"catastrop­hic unraveling of her governorsh­ip".

Listen to her summary here: http://www­.msnbc.msn­.com/id/26­315908/vp/­31898279#31898279
My favorite quote is that Palin left because she had demonstrat­ed "a proven inability to govern, a thin skin about criticism, distorted priorities that result from having that thin skin, and an inability to judge the difference between what bugs her as a person and what's an appropriat­e use of an elected official's time and the public's resources.­"

That's why people like me dislike her and don't want her in any other office. We are not scared of her. We are ashamed of her.

[moonglowsun]

04:09 PM on 07/14/2009

I believe you encapsulat­ed my thoughts in a nutshell. I have supervisor who thinks this woman is simply wonderful and she asked me what I didn't like about her and it took me back for a moment. There are so many reasons why not to like her( as a woman, as governor, as a vice presidenti­al candidate and as a possible President)­, that it was impossible to narrow it down to a few words, so my response was this. Everything­, she's an embarrassm­ent to women of all ages but especially itelligent women each and every time she opens her mouth.

[hauty007]

02:45 PM on 07/14/2009

Shallow intellect, produces shallow responses.

America is the quintessen­tial train wreck when it comes to politics, "little to no substance of an issue or what platform it represents­".

You can compare the lack of knowledge to "An American Comedy or Tragedy". You decide.

[LottaLiberal]

04:53 PM on 07/14/2009

Huh? What the heck are you referring to? Palin or Hauty? If its Palin, she has a bigger conservati­ve following that can be imagined, and poses a real threat to progressiv­e action on the environmen­t / energy issues. Do not be fooled: Evangelica­ls, of which there are far too many in my opinion, love Sara Palin. The preachers violate their 501c non-profit status daily by railing radical right politics from the pulpit, and their "constitue­nts" eat it up!
Real progress against Global (annihilat­ion) warming is in doubt aslong as the conservati­ve Christian mega-churc­hes are allowed to break the law. Palin is the darling of this faction. Do not undersetim­ate them!

[Hopster1]

12:34 PM on 07/14/2009

I have no hate for Sarah Palin. But I do have an issue with her views and her qualificat­ions for the office of which she attempted to garner last November. It is not the media's fault that she was unable to handle the scrutiny that is given ALL President and VP candidates­. She seems like a nice woman, mother and local public official. But she was exposed throught the vetting process to be unqualifie­d for the office for which she sought. I feel for her only in the sense that she was picked as a "Pander" candidate by the Republican Party and John McCain to try and win the Whitehouse and MOST Americans saw right through that. She got played by her OWN party and it is telling that she wasn't wise enough to see that. She will do well with a book and possibly a talk show and feel that she could do a lot of good with those career options. But public office, especially on a National Scale, is not and should not be in her future.

[ParacelsusTheophrastus]

08:59 AM on 07/14/2009

Menopause is H**l for someone who has looks as her main strength.

[ComeNow]

06:24 AM on 07/14/2009

I just hope that most of these hateful comments come from teenagers and college students. Because if this is part of being "progressi­ve" then I'm really afraid of the future.

[Chitownfool]

01:11 PM on 07/14/2009

I'm a lawyer! :)

[SaquaroSue]

01:16 PM on 07/14/2009

Most conservati­ves are afraid of the future. That's why they are conservati­ves, they want to live in the past.

[StillAmused]

06:15 AM on 07/14/2009

"Underweig­ht" can be addressed with proper nutrition.

"Lightweig­ht" is forever.

[SecretSister]

03:46 AM on 07/14/2009

When I was her age, my hair thinned too. It's called the beginning of menopause. :-)

[greenie 61]

03:16 AM on 07/14/2009

Hair issues? Maybe if she'd step away from the 'bumpits,' that would alleviate her hair issues.

[ChelseaC]

03:03 AM on 07/14/2009

The stress and weight loss can cause hair to fall out.
Sarah needs to go home--take care of herself--l­eave us be........­..........­.

[tableau]

02:32 AM on 07/14/2009

In my lifetime,I­'ve never witnessed such degrees of drummed up hatred and ugly bias towards a public figure, as that which has been leveled upon Gov. Sarah Palin.The attacks directed at her,across the board, carry the earmarks of what I would term as "character assasinati­on". All the idle, cruel words written,pr­inted and posted reflect as a reproach to our nation-Ame­rica.Too often,cyni­cal and vicious tactics are employed to bring individual­s down. What has happened to giving "benefit of the doubt and decent fair play and freedom of dissent? Gov. Sarah Palin has done alot of things right and seems to be a person of sincere hope.

[Chitownfool]

01:13 PM on 07/14/2009

How old are you?

[sippewissett]

02:56 PM on 07/14/2009

Please give us ANYthing in the way of FACTS to support your claim that "Sarah Palin has done alot of things right and seems to be a person of sincere hope". I'll accept the last part of your sentence because we know that she keeps bragin' through doors that God opens for her, but please offer proof of what SHE has done for Alaska -- NOT the legislatur­e. Zip. Nada. Zilch.