I know politicians love soft news coverage, but the strategy of seeking out non-political outlets works better for wonky politicians who need to be humanized. That’s why I don’t understand the decision for Sarah Palin to do a story with Runner’s World in their August issue (presumably completed before her bizarre resignation). It’s the opposite of the serious, policy-focused coverage she so desperately needs. If you haven’t seen it, the interview isn’t so bad, but the posed pictures are pretty embarrassing. That’s why politicians have communications staff around — to prevent pictures like that from being taken. At this point, the Runner’s World story is obviously the least of her problems, but it does further illustrate the misguided approach she and her advisers have taken to managing her career.