Posted on 03/22/2011 5:08:01 AM PDT by FreeManDC
Sarah Palin’s standing with the American public has undergone a stunning reversal of fortune, according to two recently released polls. Just two and a half years ago, Sarah Palin’s star was ascending to the political heavens. A solid 53% of Americans held a favorable opinion of Mrs. Palin, while only 28% had a negative view. But according to a March 3 Bloomberg News poll, only 28% of Americans now hold a positive view of the former Alaska governor, while a stunning 60% see her in an unfavorable light. And a March 16 Washington Post-ABC poll found Palin’s negative ratings fell to a nadir of 37% among Republicans and right-leaning independents. How do we explain this stunning reversal for the immensely ambitious political wunderkind? Following John McCain’s surprise selection of Palin on August 29, 2008, and her well-received acceptance speech at the Republican National Convention, she notched an impressive favorability rating of 53% as a virtual political unknown (all figures I cite are from the Gallup poll, unless otherwise noted). But as the campaign jolted toward the November election, stories began to circulate about a simmering discord between the McCain and Palin campaign staffs. “She is a diva. She takes no advice from anyone,” complained a top McCain adviser just days before the election. “Also, she is playing for her own future and sees herself as the next leader of the party.” Following the GOP’s sweeping losses on November 4, Palin’s favorability ratings still registered 48% — a respectable number, considering the predictable miscues of the grueling campaign. Soon shaking off the post-election blues, Palin’s first move was to establish SarahPAC, which would eventually raise $1 million for conservative candidates around the country. Throughout 2009, Palin’s favorability ratings cruised along in the acceptable low to mid 40s range. Palin’s heralded book Going Rogue came out on November 17. Even though the autobiography would eventually sell over 2 million copies, it also raised questions about the former candidate’s conservative credentials — even her character. Going Rogue highlights Palin’s endorsement of the controversial Title IX quota program. It reveals her predilection for gender-baiting clichés like “I’ve been living in a man’s world all my life.” The autobiography even suggests a mean streak. When then-boyfriend Todd told his friends that Sarah didn’t know how to kiss, Palin’s judgment was as harsh as it was swift: she “learned a lesson about guys that day: even the good ones can act like jerks.” As if women never gossip about their mates’ sexual prowess! Throughout the year Palin appeared at endless Tea Party rallies around the country. On February 6, 2010, Palin keynoted the inaugural Tea Party convention in Nashville, TN, cementing her position as the charismatic leader for the burgeoning movement. But in mid-2010, the apparently unstoppable train suddenly took a pro-feminist turn. During a May 15 speech at a Susan B. Anthony conference, Palin unveiled the term “Mama Grizzly,” and invoked the words “feminism” and “feminist” no less than a dozen times. This provoked predictable attacks from the NOW blowhards — and raised conservative eyebrows as well. Palin’s response was to accuse her critics, including her female detractors, of chauvinism — a stance that began to wear thin in the eyes of many. The cracks in Mrs. Palin’s formidable reputation began to show themselves in the Gallup poll taken after the November 2 elections. While she garnered a steady 40% favorability rating, for the first time ever her unfavorable numbers spiked to 52%. Perhaps the decisive turning point, though, was the day that Palin decided to take on Barbara Bush. First ladies occupy a revered spot in the American iconography, but apparently Palin was too tone-deaf to understand this. When the former first lady remarked that Palin might prefer to stay in Alaska rather than throw herself in the hurly-burly of national politics, Palin rebuked Mrs. Bush — and her family — as a group of elite “blue bloods.” Wrong move, Mrs. Palin. Then came her “blood libel” gaffe on January 12. And just last month, Palin insinuated former Pennsylvania Senator Rick Santorum was “Neanderthal.” Manhattan Institute scholar Heather Mac Donald has ridiculed the “feminist strain” of the Mama Grizzlies and notes that Palin “is living up to the most skeptical assessment of her.” But the real reason for her plummeting support is that many Americans are confused about who Sarah Palin is and what she really stands for. Is Mrs. Palin the tireless spokesperson for a recrudescent silent majority? Is she a have-it-all, do-it-all Super Mom? A dazzling, but ephemeral Media Maven? Or is she an old-school, quota-embracing, male-bashing feminist who also happens to be pro-life? Is she a shake-and-bake liberal whose political resumé includes support for the ill-fated bridge to nowhere and a record-breaking $6.6 billion state operating budget in 2007? Until Mrs. Palin takes steps to reconcile these apparent contradictions, these questions will continue to be grist for the political mill.
I completely agree with that statement. Though I think the public has been too propagandized to see her in a different light than it already does, her presence in the campaign will certainly make it interesting.
I do hope she's well-versed enough in policy matters to make a strong stand in the debates. If she is, her stock will rise.
We shall see.
That’s right, if anyone questions Palin we’re all labeled as having PDS, get real, you sound like a freaking Obama supporter.
You know what, everyone one of you that refuses to see any negatives with Palin is no better than an Obama supporter circa 2008.
Stop putting all your hops and faith into some candidate, they’re human, they fail, they’re not perfect.
My God, you’re becoming a cult.
Hey, I admit that it could just be me.
Maybe it’s just that her voice reminds me so much of my ex-wife screeching at me.
They created a cartoon character on Saturday Night Live whom they dubbed “Sarah Palin” and then polled on her. Most people who aren’t paying attention out there aren’t even hearing from the real Sarah Palin right now. Once she gets out there on the campaign trail without McCain handlers she’ll do okay.
When you stop calling women you don’t agree with whores I’ll stop calling you a sexist pig.
I said no such thing that you are Pissant the II ......but you said that she is unelectable and I ask you on what basis and you haven’t yet revealed why? Everyone has an opinion one way or the other, but not all opinions are equal
We know you don’t like Palin. Who’s your candidate?
Then maybe we can debate them on the issues, background, etc. Instead of name calling.
The bottomline is the so-called “Palinistas” have chosen a candidate to back, while you guys do drive-bys with negative MSM stories, then fail to state who you are backing.
Honestly, I haven’t seen a great candidate yet, I know of people I would like, but they may or may not be running.
ROFL....the moderator thought your post was sexist garbage too. It has been removed. It’s a good day when Free republic starts calling the sexist idiots around here to account. First pissant got banned for his sexist crap now your comment got deleted....makes me proud to be a Freeper You don’t like Palin? Fine. Explain why without going into the gutter.
Pardon my ignorance. What does this refer to?
Doesn’t matter what you or the moderator think, doesn’t change the meaning of the word in the English language.
Don’t blame me for your poor language comprehension skills...
The writer has never heard of paragraphs, and I didn’t bother to read it. Besides, I already knew what was in it.
Whatever the phony numbers, millions of Americans admire and trust Sarah Palin, and I am one of them.
OK...aside from Texas and possibly Florida, what big states could she win?
Rand Paul will get the same 3% he always gets.
Irrelevant...and a nutty buddy.
and don’t blame me for people thinking your a sexist pig because of your word choices.
1. Never an Obama supporter.
2. I never put my “hops” (hope) and/or faith into any human.
3. Not cult orientated.
As such, I support Mrs. Palin because she seems the closest to my personal beliefs when it comes to religion, the body politic and just basic pro-American thought.
Also, I have been here at FR long enough to observe that any candidate is questioned to the max and for a long time. I also note that there are certain people who cannot resist jumping into every thread with a negative. If you disagree with the concept, then move on, that way we can all keep it adult-like and polite without having to use terms like “jackass”. It shows that you are indeed more interested one way or another than you let on. Have a nice day!
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.