It's a matter of cultural differences and parochialism and narrow-mindedness on the part of those "city girls." Even "city people" should be able to fathom that Americans, even women, from the wide open spaces of the rural and small-town West, into which Palin was born and raised, commonly enjoy those pastimes without having any sinister motives attached to them.
I think another reason for most liberals' vitriol towards Sarah was her stance on abortion, her acceptance of Bristol's out of wedlock birth, and most importantly, her decision to have Trigg, a baby born with birth defects.
There seems to be a big gap between what liberal women, and especially liberal Jewish women, say and do about abortion. I've met a number of these types who will rant about "a women's right to choose." They can speak out oh so vociferously. But, to the best of my knowledge, I've never met a Jewish woman in my life whom I know to have actually had an elective abortion. Maybe you could explain this phenomenon.
Interesting. Thanks for the ping.