Sarah Palin, Oprah Winfrey hug before talk show interview that covers Levi Johnston, new book

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Palin, Winfrey talk about book and Levi Johnston

CHICAGO — Sarah Palin said in an interview with Oprah Winfrey that it’s heartbreaking to see the road that Levi Johnston, the father of her grandson, has taken and that the soon-to-be Playgirl model hasn’t seen his baby in awhile.

In an episode that aired Monday, the two women also talked about the controversy surrounding Palin’s possible appearance on the show last year and touched on whether the former Alaska governor planned to run for president in 2012.

Palin and Winfrey embraced as the one-time Republican vice presidential candidate walked onto the talk show stage. Palin’s 413-page book, “Going Rogue,” will be released Tuesday and she begins a book tour Wednesday in Grand Rapids, Mich.

The new memoir doesn’t mention Johnston, who has sparred repeatedly with his former mother-in-law-to-be. Johnston and Palin’s daughter Bristol Palin are parents to son, Tripp.

When Winfrey asked about Johnston, Palin said she didn’t think “a national television show is the place to discuss some of the things he’s doing and saying.”

But Palin went on to say she finds it “a bit heartbreaking to see the road that he is on right now” and that “it’s not a healthy place to be.”

Bristol Palin and her son live at Palin’s home, she said, and have much family support.

“(Johnston’s) quite busy with his media tours and he hasn’t seen the baby for a while,” Palin said. “But we will let that be the discussion between Bristol and Levi as they work out their relationship.”

Palin also said Johnston remains a member of the family and that they can work out any troubles. She said she prays for him and that he has an “open invitation” to Thanksgiving dinner.

“He’s a teenager,” Palin said. “I don’t think he realizes quite yet what it is that he is being handled and orchestrated around.”

Winfrey began the interview by asking Palin if she felt snubbed at not getting an invitation to “The Oprah Winfrey Show” last year. Winfrey said she didn’t have any candidates on her Chicago-based show during the campaign because of her support of President Barack Obama.

Palin said she didn’t feel snubbed and told Winfrey, “No offense to you, but it wasn’t the center of my universe.”

Winfrey also asked Palin if she was thinking about running for president in 2012.

“It’s not on my radar screen right now,” Palin said.

On the Net: www.oprah.com

(This version CORRECTS publication name to Playgirl.)