[Kleon]

"It occurs to me to wonder: once she’s gone back to being a private citizen, does this mean that when Tina Fey does an insulting impression of her, or David Letterman tells a “joke” about raping her daughter, or Playboy publishes a “joke” about raping her, it’s no longer something she has to put up with but now something she can sue over?"

It changes nothing. Holding public office has never been a requirement for being a public figure.

[Tublecane]

“Holding public office has never been a requirement for being a public figure”

Exactly. If Michael Jackson had to put up with abuse, so does Sarah Palin.