Posted on 11/07/2008 8:31:02 AM PST by KentTrappedInLiberalSeattle
Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Republican voters say Alaska Governor Sarah Palin helped John McCain’s bid for the presidency, even as news reports surface that some McCain staffers think she was a liability.
Only 20% of GOP voters say Palin hurt the party’s ticket, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Six percent (6%) say she had no impact, and five percent (5%) are undecided.
Ninety-one percent (91%) of Republicans have a favorable view of Palin, including 65% who say their view is Very Favorable. Only eight percent (8%) have an unfavorable view of her, including three percent (3%) Very Unfavorable.
When asked to choose among some of the GOP’s top names for their choice for the party’s 2012 presidential nominee, 64% say Palin. The next closest contenders are two former governors and unsuccessful challengers for the presidential nomination this year -- Mike Huckabee of Arkansas with 12% support and Mitt Romney of Massachusetts with 11%.
Three other sitting governors – Bobby Jindal of Louisiana, Charlie Crist of Florida and Tim Pawlenty of Minnesota – all pull low single-digit support.
These findings echo a survey earlier this week which found that Republicans were happier with their vice presidential candidate than with their presidential nominee. Seventy-one percent (71%) said McCain made the right choice by picking Palin as his running mate, while only 65% said the party picked the right nominee for president.
The key for the 44-year-old Palin will be whether she can broaden her base of support. An Election Day survey found that 81% of Democrats and, more importantly, 57% of unaffiliated voters had an unfavorable view of her.
Palin, Alaska’s first woman governor, was elected to a four-year term in 2006. She was largely unknown nationally until McCain chose her to be the party’s vice presidential candidate. She quickly became a darling of the GOP’s conservative base and energized the party’s rank-and-file.
Speculation about her future has run high for weeks when it appeared Barack Obama was likely to beat McCain. Already this week there is talk of her possibly taking the seat of embattled Republican Senator Ted Stevens if he manages to hang on and win won reelection despite recent federal felony convictions. Stevens would have to step down if his appeal of the convictions is unsuccessful.
Palin could also run for another term as Governor in the state where she still enjoys very high approval ratings.
Among Republicans, 66% of men and 61% of women say Palin is their choice for the Republican presidential nomination in 2012. Sixty-six percent (66%) of GOP women have a Very Favorable view of her, as do 64% of men.
While Palin’s high favorables suggest she has a bright political future in the Republican Party, it is important to note that favorites four years out from a presidential election quite often do not get the nomination. Obama, for example, was just an Illinois state senator four years ago, and Hillary Clinton appeared a shoo-in for the Democratic presidential nomination in 2008.
Similarly, vice presidential candidates historically have seldom risen to the highest office by election.
Republicans are closely divided over the two most important issues in the next presidential election: 31% say economic issues, 30% say national security. Fifteen percent (15%) list fiscal issues, followed by cultural issues (12%) and domestic issues (6%). Five percent (5%) are undecided. Palin is overwhelmingly the top choice for 2012 among voters in all these categories.
Over two-thirds of Republicans describe themselves as conservative in terms of foreign policy, fiscal and social issues.
Eighty percent (80%) of Republicans have a favorable view of Huckabee, including 46% Very Favorable. Sixteen percent (16%) regard him unfavorably.
Eighty-one percent (81%) view Romney favorably, with 45% Very Favorable. Fifteen percent (15%) have an unfavorable opinion of him.
Jindal, Pawlenty, and Crist are far less known than the other candidates. Roughly 40% of GOP voters have no opinion one way or the other of these three Republican Governors.
Ahh. All is revealed. Thanks.
"The chick from Alaska"...?
Pfffft. Well, at least now we have a better idea of where this guy's really coming from. Top-notch find, ansel12.
LOL and thanks for the confirmnation
McC would have received nothing from me if he had chosen someone else. McC was and is a born loser.
God Bless America and Sarah Palin.
You were fine except for this phrase.
For the position of VP, she was more than qualified.
For the position of President, I have seen no evidence she could do the job if necessary.
The other three dolts in the race were mere Senators. None of them has ever governed anything.
If you can be a small town mayor you can handle almost anything. The level of accountability is extremely high.
Otherwise, you make an interesting point.
As for me, I'm leaning toward a view that says that there were not one, but two Manchurian candidates in this race.I just don't know who holds the puppet strings.
Perhaps I misread your comment and context, but that's how it struck me.
Let me rephase what I wrote to make it a little clearer:
It didn't matter that critics said she wasn't really qualified to be VP
Actually, I think that state governors are the only politicians who should run for president as they actually have experience running a government executive branch. That said, I must admit I usually look for the governor to be from a moderate to large state and to have served at least one full term and possibly two.
I consider legislator candidates (with no previous governor experience) as very poor second choices. This is due to the fact that legislators can blow hot and cold, be involved or run away, as they see political advantage shifting around a particular issue.
By contrast, the executive is the leader that people look to 24/7/365 on all matters of governance. Whether succeeding or failing, they and they alone are responsible as long as they hold the office.
By that measure, Palin was/is more qualified in my book than the other three. However, two years as governor is a pretty thin experience base. And I must disagree with you in this respect: there is little comparison in the breadth of management oversight responsibility between a small town mayor and a state governor. The size differences are too great and the layers of bureaucracy to be supervised too many.
Now, how about elaborating a little on this TWO Manchurian candidates comment?
But it did hurt her with the general public.
You my friend are a LIKELY Hero...LOL
Good answer, short and sweet
the same call and time period would have affected Hawaii. They supported their native son almost 29% more than they did Kerry in 2004.
True words!
LLS
x2
Joe, you’re working a little too hard here. People tend to like to vote to be part of a winning campaign, though not to be part of a losing one. It is the psychology of the weak-minded.
Did anyone notice that a couple of days or so before the election, Fox’s coverage changed? I noticed they were changing their coverage to be less “fair and balanced” for conservatives, more critical.
I’ve lurked here for years. I’m not a troll, although I know my “born-on” date and sometimes contrarian stance will likely convince others of the opposite.
There are 80,000 absentee ballots left to be counted. It’s why the Stevens race hasn’t been called yet.
I think you’re rationalizing. Second, republicans should be strong on voting period, whether the top of the ticket is decided or not. Local elections and issues are important also.
I joined because I enjoy the discussions, and find the variety of opinions refreshing. Also, it is a great source for news. Although it seems to be becoming more monolithic in viewpoints, at least among the most vocal.
Excellent tagline alert!
Assuming they break the same way they did in 04, they would still be short.
“I joined because I enjoy the discussions, and find the variety of opinions refreshing. Also, it is a great source for news. Although it seems to be becoming more monolithic in viewpoints, at least among the most vocal.”
“becoming more monolithic” whoopee, you signed up in June and you don’t like us.
To me your short posting history reads like a classic troll.
You stay pretty general for a few weeks and then you start pushing your agenda in a quiet way, by July you were working the Palin vs Romney angle which is pretty good since later you keep pointing out that no one has ever heard of her, you of course were up on any potential threats to Romney.
You make it clear that you are no conservative in your posts and that you don’t think much of us , including the “out of touch” FReepers. You signed up to push Romney and denigrate any conservative that gets in his way.
You are working too hard and clumsily against Palin, it isn’t very skillful for a lawyer.
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