Palin Crashes A-List Party

Hope it’s not awkward at the water cooler: Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin has signed on to the GOP’s rebranding effort—the National Council for a New America—amid swirling rumors that Republicans would rather she stay home. The council has been cast as a Republican “establishment” group that shuns big-name, tabloid-ready figures like Palin and South Carolina Gov. Mark Sanford. On CNN on Sunday, council member Mitt Romney snubbed Palin’s appearance on Time’s 100 Most Influential list: “I think there are a lot more influential Republicans than that would suggest,” he said.