McCain's Palin Pick Gives Him Alaska, Pollster Says

For months now, Barack Obama campaign manager David Plouffe has been bragging to anyone who will listen that the Democratic nominee has many paths to 270 electoral votes. But with John McCain's selection of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin as his running mate, one of the state's most prominent pollsters tells the Huffington Post that Plouffe should strike any plan that includes Alaska from his slate.

"Yes, I would think this takes it off the table," independent pollster Ivan Moore said, adding that Palin has a "stupendously positive approval rating ... that really cuts across party lines."

Currently, the Pollster.com poll of polls shows Obama with a slight lead in the state.

Noting that while Palin is "very very conservative" -- fiercely pro-life and open to teaching creationism in schools, for example -- she has thus far shied away from running Juneau as a hardcore right-winger. "People were worried [about that]," Moore said, "but it didn't pan out in the sense that after she took office ... she has governed pragmatically."

Moore also said that a simple recitation of policy positions doesn't do Palin justice as a politician. "It's her personality that will win people over, not her policy views," Moore said. "That's why she's been picked. She has an extraordinary talent at communicating on a mass political level, one that's quite unique. The thin resume and limited foreign policy experience, of course, is the huge risk here."

Comments

[helonias]

Pollster: Palin Pick Gives McCain a ?

[Kalel]

I think the Dems will trade those 3 Alaska delegates for a better shot at Michigan and Minnesota.

[DRaymond]

Three whole votes. Note that is the minimum that a state can have. So while Pawlenty might have been able to flip Minnesota and Romney could have done the job in Michigain an Ridge hauled in Pennsylvania. They decice to shore up Alaska?

Still the pollster is most likely right, Alaska was close and the state would love to get some better exposture on the national stage.

[Bettysdad]

[DaOne]

And to think with Mittens he probably would have had Michigan.

[Cobie]

I argue that one of the main reasons that McCain has chosen Palin as his running mate is to try to grab some of those 18,000,000 votes from the voters who cast heir ballots for Hillary. Obviously this won't work because she does not even share the democrats' philosophy on most of the burnibg issues, such as a woman right's to choose.
I truly believe that McCain, in his desire to win over some of those 18 million people who have voted for Hillary, has made one of the gravest mistakes of his life by choosing Palin as his running mate.
And this, for several reasons: As far as foreign affairs experience is concerned, Joe Biden is no match for Palin, that's one. Second, across the US,, most people don't know who Palin is. Third, She is now under investigation for a rather dirty issue. Fourth, She has never been under the brutal scrutiny of the media. Fifth, most American voters have seen McCain's high level of desperation for choosing a Vice Presidentail candidate that he did not even know. Isn't this a serious lack of judgment on the part of the presidential candidate himself, John McCain? Sixth, isn't it true that as far as Palin is concerned, OIL revenue comes first and anything else second. And, check that out: She has no regard for natural preservation. If my prediction is correct, she is nothing short from being a loser for the republlican ticket.

[CaptainSunshine]

It may give him AK, but he loses NH, FL, VA and a host of other states because of this pick.

[TrumanHugh]

In the grand scheme, I don't think Obama was counting on Alaska's three EVs. Sure, he would like to turn as many red states as possible, but losing Alaska is hardly a reason to panic. It's no where near a game changer.

In all my EV scenarios, I have never entertained the notion of a "blue" Alaska, and have come up with more 270+ outcomes for Obama than not.

Palin's pick is about a EV-relevant to McCain's campaign as Biden's pick was to Obama. It's a nonissue.

[CharlesJ]

Not so fast, too many people do not like Palin, she may be the govenor but, the people in the state are not that happy with her, nor are the other poltical leaders of the state. Plus I do not think the people of Alaska are willing to sell their own state down the tube for Palin.

[ajax2]

And the Aleutians.

[Emper0r]

So wait, since when does a VP guarantee to deliver their home state? I'd say it'll get tighter, but Obama certainly still has a shot.

[SoCalNick]

McCain saw this and said SHES THE ONE DON'T Bother Vetting!!!!

http://thebruceblog.wordpress.com/2008/08/30/sarah-palin-sisterhood-of-the-traveling-catsuit/

Now THIS Photo of Palin just SCREAMS "Take me seriously I am woman to be reckoned with and ready to be the President of the United States of America" Or does it just Scream " Take me"?
Yea a leader I want MY Daughter to look up too yeah!

[pilgrim7]

Wow. MoveOn.org should do something with that. Keep running it until November. Talk about represent.

[mediamarv]

Her own words, via The New Yorker"

Palin on Obama
by Philip Gourevitch September 8, 2008

Before she was running against him, Sarah Palin"the governor of Alaska and now the Republican candidate for Vice-President of the United States"thought it was pretty neat that Barack Obama was edging ahead of John McCain in her usually solidly red state. After all, she said, Obama"s campaign was using the same sort of language that she had in her gubernatorial race. "The theme of our campaign was "new energy," " she said recently. "It was no more status quo, no more politics as usual, it was all about change. So then to see that Obama"literally, part of his campaign uses those themes, even, new energy, change, all that, I think, O.K., well, we were a little bit ahead on that." She also noted, "Something"s kind of changing here in Alaska, too, for being such a red state on the Presidential level. Obama"s doing just fine in polls up here, which is kind of wigging people out, because they"re saying, "This hasn"t happened for decades that in polls the D" ""the Democratic candidate"" "is doing just fine." To me, that"s indicative, too. It"s the no-more-status-quo, it"s change."

[gman1232]

But hey...we should lay off because she like Moose Stew and is a Hockey Mom (whatever that is)...They are portraying her as a down home "regular person and mom".

I don't know about all of you...but if I wanted a down home regular person and mom I'd simply call my own mother or neighbor. There's no way I want my mom or neighbor next in line for the Presidency. No way at all!

[chrisandjake]

I am from Alaska and I have to say that Sarah Palin has over 95% approval rating here because she IS exactly what she says she is. She has completely cleaned house here in Alaska and she has been a godsend in our dirty, corrupt Big Oil politics of the past. Sarah Palin is a rockstar and I love her and what she has done for Alaska. I will be voting for Obama this November and will be glad to keep Sarah Palin in Alaska for a few more years. When Obama's term is over, I will vote for Sarah Palin for President, not VP. Go Sarah!