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.
Governor Sarah Palin is the only, repeat only, reason I pushed the button for McCain. Before he picked her for VP, I was having a major internal debate whether I’d hold my nose for McPain or vote third party. I suspect I’m not the only person that feels this way. Miss Sarah is too genuine and too for-real for the Vichy limousine-RINOs, and they aren’t good enough to lick the dust stirred up by her heels.
So, which is it?
The thread has to do with Republicans seeing Sarah Palin in a mostly positive light. Since conservatives constitute a majority of the GOP base, then I think its fair to say Palin has most Republicans on her side.
What needs to be accomplished in the next couple years, is for Palin to turn around the perception by Independents, moderates and even some conservatives, that she is damaged goods. If she can't appeal to a good chunk of voters in the middle, she has no chance of being successful on the national political stage. Palin did help McCain get further than he would have otherwise, but still, many voters on the right did stay home on election day. Including many members of the Religious Right who would NEVER, EVER vote for McCain.
The word "NOT" was supposed to be after "could".
Didn't proofread it well.
Please see my correction to post 160.
Yea, Cause they thought she was too inexperienced
We’ll see what they think in anither 4 years
I’ll agree with that. 4 years is an eternity in politics.
A good deal more seriously than "people I talk to say blah blah blah," certainly.
Again: that's the way reasoned argument works. You either cite evidence, or else admit you're simply going with brute opinion.
I know, it’s the “dying media” lying about her to destroy her, because they fear her.
This is a prime example of what is commonly referred to as "special pleading." Knowing in advance, as you certainly must, that you're citing two sources widely and routinely discredited hereabouts -- the New York Times and CNN -- you attempt to preempt any objections by loudly proclaiming such standards to be de facto invalid ones.
Both organizations boast of long, ugly and meticulously documented histories, insofar as the relentless sliming any and all political conservatives is concerned. Can you provide any good and compelling reason(s), given that, for any here to take them even remotely seriously in this regard?
I can say I am a little distressed because of all the heroine-worship.
You are certainly well within your rights to interpret and/or feel that way, of course. Reaction to a legitimately conservative political candidate, with a compelling presence and life story, will vary from person to person.
While 91% of GOPs view Palin favorably, 20% say she hurt the ticket.
______
Those numbers do not compute. Ah, the samo, samo...the MSM convinces some people of what other people are thinking.
“I like her, but others don’t.”
A CNN poll. That's almost as credible as a DNC survey or a DU online poll.
The same argument I made earlier (although yours was phrased a good deal more succinctly). ;) "Garbage In, Garbage Out," as the programmers say...
Bought a 10 pack of bumper stickers yesterday
“Palin 2012”
go Sarah!
Is it just me, or is there a steadily upward-spiraling edge of panic bordering on outright hysteria in their postings, as they flail against her with increasing futility...? ;)
I hope she hires Rove from now
This is why the MSM is still trashing her. How often has the VP’s name of the losing side been the subject of news articles after the election is over? Most fade into obscurity. They know she’s our future.
Off topic, a bit... Who can identify the man behind Patton, and what is he most famous for?
You Betcha!!! ;)
;)
I think there will be articles trashing her well after Obama takes office. And of course, about how Alaska is suffering under her command. ;(
actually Lieberman managed to recover despite being a liberal.
I wonder if we do a comparison of democrats who cross and republicans who cross.
Zell Miller is still respected and dare I say loved by conservatives.
Lieberman at the very least is respected even if we don’t agree.
or to put it another way:
Republican Conservatives say, bless me father for I have sinned and now I see the error of my ways and associates.
Democrats say, bless me father for I have been caught sinning, now where are the girls and the booze? (or the men or the farm animals becaus its all good to democrats)
I will be happy to change my opinion if you have other stats...
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