A couple of folks have written me to say, approximately, "I think Sarah Palin is awful but let's be honest. There is an accepted definition of 'going rogue' that doesn't quite fit the definitions you posted." They're right.
Just for fun, I tried to find an online definition of the phrase, "going rogue." The ones I found were all about not wearing underpants or engaging in anal sex. That's so much better.
Actually, even defining "going rogue" the way Ms. Palin and her handlers presumably define it, it's not a very flattering term. Going rogue from what? The first time I heard the term in connection with her, it was to say that she might not toe the lines the McCain campaign wanted her to follow during the campaign. The context was that when she signed on to be his running mate, she agreed implicitly or explicitly to join a team and follow their battle plan. And when it was said she might "go rogue," what they meant was that since the McCain-Palin ticket was down in the polls, she might put her own agenda and self-promotion ahead of that plan and begin undermining it.
Or maybe she thinks she's been "going rogue" from the way people expect a female politician or a governor to act. That might not be a bad thing if it meant being uncommonly honest or candid. I don't think too many people think that of her. For one thing, we generally expect elected officials to serve out their terms.
I didn't see the Oprah interview or the entirety of any others she's done. Has anyone asked her what she thinks she's "going rogue" from?