Posted on 09/10/2011 3:51:27 PM PDT by smoothsailing
by The Anniston Star Editorial Board Anniston Star
Sep 10, 2011
The Capital Survey Research Center, which does polling for the Alabama Education Association, has surveyed Alabamians about President Barack Obama and the candidates seeking the Republican nomination.
First, the president.
Of the 841 registered voters who were polled, a majority said they did not like Obama and the direction he was taking the country. This comes as no surprise since a majority of those polled (488) said they would vote next year in the Republican primary.
In the GOP contest, Texas Gov. Rick Perry is favored by Alabamians over former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney, though nearly half of those polled didn’t know who Perry was.
The fly in the ointment seems to be former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. She was rated unfavorable or very unfavorable by 56 percent of those polled. She also polls as the weakest candidate against Obama. But 12 percent of polled Alabamians who plan to vote in the Republican primary said they would support a Palin bid for the White House.
As polls in other states and regions have shown, Palin would take votes from Perry. With Palin in the race, 22.5 percent would support the Texas governor, 20 percent would support Romney.
But if Palin is not in the race, Perry would get the votes of nearly 30 percent of Alabama Republicans — a jump of 7.5 points. Romney would gain only 4 points. About 14 percent of GOP voters were undecided, so if Romney can hold his base and attract the undecided, then Romney might pull it out. But it will be difficult.
Since a majority of those polled said they thought the country was going in the wrong direction, it was not surprising that 64 percent rated current economic conditions as poor. What is surprising is that more than 47 percent told pollsters that their personal economic condition was good or excellent, despite the pessimism about the economy. That’s possibly an indication that those polled are doing well in comparison to others they know, but they are nonetheless concerned about the future.
This early polling says several things about Alabama Republicans.
Perry is slightly on top, but he has name-recognition work to do.
Romney remains firmly in the race, but he has far to go.
Perry supporters surely hope Palin stays on the sidelines.
Any of the Republican candidates can beat Obama in Alabama, but the former Alaska governor is the weakest in the field.
Now Republicans must wait to see what Sarah Palin will do.
Palin was not at the fair the day of the debate thus your whole icing on the cake is a made up lie.
in fact it was Perry who tried to upstage the debate by doing a preannouncement of his coming Sat announcment on the day of thedebate. Then Perry again tried to upstage the straw poll by announcing at the same time as the poll. Now that is tacky tacky tacky....maybe you should rethink your support for Perry since you accused Palin of doing what Perry really did.
The debate was Thursday, Palin showed up at the State Fair the next day, Friday, the straw poll was Saturday.
http://www.wgal.com/politics/28850687/detail.html
The difference between what Perry and Palin did is obvious. Perry's actions were those of a man about to announce a run for President. Palin's actions were what? A tourist? A showboater? What was the point of her being there? Oh, I remember, she was doing a video. "Iowa Passion".
(Screen Cap from "Iowa Passion")
Nonsense? You started this with a muted version of the normal Perry talking point at # 128. I started with a fairly mild rebuke, pointing out that Perry will have the same exact problem with independents and dems in blue states, you’re the one who has now reverted to name calling.
The point of Palin’s appearance at the State fiar was obvious. Palin allowed the candidates their moment in the sun. she allowed them to debate and get their ideas and names out there. She allowed them their straw poll and respected the money and time those candidates had spent in pursuit of winning/buying the straw poll. By Sat Palin was out of IA and starting her second leg of her Bus tour in IL. She showed by coming Friday that she didn’t need to try to upstage the other candidates. Palin in other words showed her power. Perry had to try to steal the potlight from the others to promote himself. Perry’s actions were of a man afraid to allow others their moment, a man afraid of giving his opponents the spotlight.
Palin allowed the spotlight to rest on the others secure in the knowledge that she would not be reduced. In fact by allowing the others to have the spotlight on thursday and Sat to themsleves Palin was able to show all who bothered to understand a complete contrast with the others. She did not have to reduce the others to build herself up like Perry tried to do.
Have it your way, Lakeshark, if it means so much to you. It’s just not that important.
she allowed them to debate and get their ideas and names out there.
She allowed them their straw poll
Listen to yourself.
Good grief, you sound like you're talking about the Queen!
If you want to think Palin is wonderful and Perry is not, that's fine, that's your choice. It doesn't matter to me.
I wouldn't want to be around when your dreamy illusions meet cold hard reality.
Lame on so many accounts. Perry tried to do what the poster accused Palin of doing. And instead of admitting that he got caught in a lie and Perry was the spotlight hog you defend him?
dishonest in the extreme you Perry supporters are becoming....
Not dishonest at all, but if questioning my character somehow helps you justify your irrational Palin worship, then that helps define you. So does your denigration of Perry and anyone who supports him. I know I understand you better now.
I can support Perry and Palin, they both have positive qualities that will serve the country well. It's not an either or proposition for me.
unseen1, I realize you're relatively new around here, but it is proper freeper etiquette and just common courtesy to ping a poster you're talking about, particularly when you're accusing him of lying. Lonestar deserves that courtesy.
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.