Palin's Qualifications Now Top Concern About McCain Candidacy

Two polls released Tuesday provide striking evidence of Palin's transformation over the course of two months from GOP energy boost to major drawback, as the Alaska governor's rising unfavorability ratings have become a critical vulnerability for the McCain campaign.

Palin's qualifications to be president now rank as voters' top concern about John McCain's candidacy - "ahead of continuing President Bush's policies, enacting economic policies that only benefit the rich and keeping too high of a troop presence in Iraq," according to a new NBC/Wall Street Journal poll.

Fifty-five percent of respondents now say Palin is not qualified to serve as president, a five-point jump from the previous NBC/WSJ survey.

In addition, for the first time, more voters have a negative opinion of her than a positive one. In the survey, 47 percent view her negatively, versus 38 percent who see her in a positive light.

That's a striking shift since McCain chose Palin as his running mate in early September, when she held a 47 to 27 percent positive rating.

According to another poll by Pew Research Center for the People & the Press, opinions of Palin have flipped in the last month, especially among the female voters she was expected to attract to the McCain ticket.

Nearly half -- 49% -- of voters have an unfavorable opinion of her while 44% have a favorable view. A month ago, "favorable opinions of Palin outnumbered negative ones by 54% to 32%."

Women, especially women under age 50, have become increasingly critical of Palin: 60% now express an unfavorable view of Palin, up from 36% in mid-September. Notably, opinions of Palin have a greater impact on voting intentions than do opinions of Joe Biden, Obama's running mate.

Comments

[sammdphd]

women are recognizing that Palin does not represent them...She is not making the GOP look good

[stateretiree]

I don't understand how any female can vote Repub, or for that matter how any one belonging to a union can vote republican. That is like cutting off your nose to spite your face!

[theplaintrutho1]

There are no unions where majority republicans are located.

I remember many republicans on the CB-radio stating arguments like:

Unions turn a working man into a lazy man.
Unions contribute to the destruction of free enterprise.
Unions are against the company.
Unions cause people to lose their jobs, because they force YOUR business out or business.

Shall I go on?

You people need a CB radio, to understand what Joe the, Independent-over-the-road-trucker is spreading around America, FOR FREE.

[JR-Vette]

Palin supporters on this board:

http://www.albinoblacksheep.com/flash/youare/

[progressivelady]

Neighbor's are loosing their Home's worth about $150.000 and she get's a Major Makeover, Now how is that Country First? It's More like Country Club First, And I don't believe for One Min. that they are Donating Those Clothe's

[balrog221]

She is not qualified to teach 3rd grade. The first lesson would likely replace the notion of evolution with the logic of intelligent design or worse. Any school board would have to remove her immediately

[middlemarch]

she's not intelligent enough to teach intelligent design.

[mercuryguy]

We probably have to make her take the 'Citizenship Test' which the US Govt makes immigrants take before taking up Citizenship. Maybe that will help her with the US Constitution.

[newbridge]

Perhaps we should give the Citizenship test to all candidates for political office. Bet that would knock a lot of them off. The fact that Palin does not know that the V.P. does not run the Senate and would be able to enact policy issues is unbelievable!! Bet the other 100 Senators are shaking their heads.

[lloydc123]

Random Notes:

If Palin could tax big oil and give every American a $3200, she would have an 80% rating in the entire US.

I'm JOE SIX-PACK and I won't spend $150,000 on clothes in my lifetime. Neither do I spend $400 on haircuts (Edwards) nor $500 (McCain) on shoes.

After the first two or three speeches Palin had captured the base, but she and McCain loved that cheering. She and he should have started talking to inedependents like me, but the roar of the crowd was too much for them. The wasted the time.

[Porsche]

I dont have a problem with rich people spending their money however they want. What I have a problem with is the lies and deception and yet their supporters are so dumb they buy it. Dont go around saying I am for the everyday average Joe and brand your kids with Louis Vuiton. Dont go around saying I will reform the goverment and have Alaskan pay for your kids plane tickets and hotels. Dont go around preaching that small town are pro america while shopping at upper scale stores in New York. It's sad really for the people who believe in the Repub rhetorics.

[a canadian observer]

Right on.

[balrog221]

We desperatly need to advance in Math and Science... we cannot afford this intellectual lamness. Too costly for us.

[alteregoess]

I'm a scientist, and appalled by the lack of intellectual curiosity this woman and her ardent admirers display. I think No Child Pushed Ahead must have been designed to keep kids drilling for meaningless tests so they couldn't learn any critical thinking skills, thereby turning them into empty vessels for receiving Republican propaganda. For example, does it not occur to the base that the US Government must be doing an absolutely terrible job on national security if they've allowed a terrorist to infiltrate the Senate and run for President? Obama should be held for questioning or jailed if he's guilty of all the nonsense they accuse him of. These people are irrational, and susceptible to all kinds of ridiculous conspiracy theories. They're asked, "Who IS Barack Obama?" but are too lazy to read his autobiography. I feel sorry for all the intelligent, thoughtful, moderate Republicans who have had to watch their party degenerate into this.

[a canadian observer]

Perhaps that's why they're concerned with Obama's goal to improve the education system.

[Porsche]

What? Scientist? You are so unamerican!

[Cyano]

The moment I found out Palin was a Creationist, that was enough for me. She supports teaching "Intelligent Design" in science classes? How about teaching astrology in astronomy class, or alchemy in chemistry class? Equally stupid, and should disqualify a person from any elective office higher than dog catcher. It's disappointing that her anti-science attitudes have not been examined more stringently (and by extension those of her one voter so far, John McCain.) A large portion of the nation's GNP is derived from science and technology, and having a reality-based educational system and funding for basic research is the only way to keep that pump primed. Several of my Republican friends have reregistered in disgust due to the continuing nastiness and anti-intellectualism of their former party.

[TooReal]

I'm not a what you would call politically inclined. This is actually the first time I've had any real or steady interest from beginning to end of an election. But I would like to commend you on stating the obvious regarding this so called terrorist rhetoric the Republicans keep harping on. I actually thought I was the only one who drew that conclusion but only because I looked at the situation from a realist point of view.

I do think "sadly" the hardcore McCain supporters could care less about what he's saying because they need a new reason every week to hate Obama!

[imjustsayingthat]

And, what's with the red, leather jacket/shirt? A little racy for a VP - I guess no more than the boots.

[norsegirl]

She forgot to accessorize! She roams around in a slick pants suite or jacket and skirt with that ugly moose tote-bag from the Wasilla “Hole” foods! So the RNC had to buy her wardrobe huh? This really proves the “empress has no clothes.”

Obama/Biden 08

[Hillrick]

C'mon! Being fashion critical of a 42 year old woman who still wears bangs? We're lucky she's not still wearing the handmade dresses she wore in Wassila.

[norsegirl]

What are you talking about? They were Igloo Chic!

[Number15]

What's wrong with bangs? -Plenty of women have them- myself included. Be outraged about the money. Be outragaged about her stand on the issues and be outraged about her idiocy. But don't pick on appearances because everyone has something that can be made fun of no one is perfect. If you take that approach you are no better than the chauvanistic (i know i spelled that wrong) pigs that showed up with "iron my shirt" signs at hillary rallies.

[reggieb]

I can't believe that picture of the 7 year old carrying a Louis Vuitton bag. ridiculous

[Porsche]

Wait, your daughters dont have a Louis Vuitton bag? Lame! You are so anti america.

[middlemarch]

maybe it's a knockoff from the illegals on the streets of nyc.

[balrog221]

Ironic? Palin the proposed energy czarina who will "advise" on fossil fuels over 100 million years old,thinks that the earth is 5000 years old. She is the expert...

[sammdphd]

lol

[Willow712]

And she negotiated that pipeline to go into Canada, instead of the US. Now that pipeline goes through several tribal lands, which have court cases that will ensure that pipeline never gets built. but she didn't want it to go into the continental US, cuz if Alaska tries to secede, Canada would give them money for gas and oil. but the US wouldn't. they go on and on about Obama's terrorist ties, but never say anything about Palin's terrorist ties, which include her husband. Remember, the AIP says "Alaska first, Alaska always."

[keepemhonest]

McCain "I'm proud of her ... she is my soul mate."

[Pacojam]

That was at first. Now it is the morning after and he is wondering what he was thinking.

[KayDGee]

History will note, with a nod to Sec of State William Seward, "McCain's Folly"
Don't forget to vote early... or it could become the American People's Folly!

[hapiguy]

Sorry, McCain is McCains biggest drag, followed closely,by ole Sarah,,without him she might be doing better,,look how she took Alaska with her six guns.

[Chixsngr]

I've been making up a list. Spread it around and remind people what the GOP has been about.

This is what Obama COULD have talked about but chose not to:

Walter Reed, Plamegate and Scooter Libby, Hurricane Katrina, Jack Abramoff and lobbyists, Terri Schiavo, Bill Frist and the Prescription Drug Benefit: lying to Congress about the cost of the medicare bill, Tom Delay, Rick Santorum, "Curveball", Larry Craig, Mark Foley, Bob Ney, Randy Cunningham, Illegal firing of US attorneys for political reasons, Memogate:stealing of Democratic memos, Haliburton and no bid contracts, millions of missing dollars in Iraq, Blackwater, illegal NSA wiretapping (including the UN), faked photo ops and lots of them, Jeff Gannon, suspending habeas corpus, fake terror alerts during election season, Presidential "vacations" at the ranch, trying to destroy PBS, Abu Ghraib, John Bolton, Harriet Myers, Alberto Gonzales interrogating John Ashcroft in the hospital.....Mission Accomplished.

Add your own.

[Titus Pullo]

That's one good list. I'm guessing Obama's strategists are going out of their way to avoid anything personal in order to elevate and bolster their campaign's 'Real Change' mantra. But, yeah, there's so much ammo, and good ammo, that it's a shame to let it go to waste.

[theplaintrutho1]

To Sir/Madam Chixsngr,
Your list is a very good one, with your knowledge I'm quite sure though you only mention 1/3 of the last 12 to 16 years, most being in the last 8.

In an attempt to try and be somewhat fair, I mentioned going back to 16 years, as about 2/6ths of the remaining mentioned 2/3rds belong to Clinton. Meaning 4/6ths or 2/3rds of remaining b/s belongs to Prez W.

Starting with:
Contract-for-America featuring Newt G., nine-eleven, go shopping, good job-Brownie, all in between, right up until, "we will not negotiate..." - "we will negotiate with...", and "let us come together and pass this bail-out".
All of that in between, could be from the most disgusting person on TV today, Lou Dobbs, to our insecure borders and ports, while being sold a bill of goods of terrorist following us home.
Thank you for starting a thread that all should add to.

[bbc3341]

The Palin pick, should McCain lose (and I think he will), will go down as one of the greatest political blunders...

[thestargazer]

His WHOLE campaign (not just Palin) is a train wreck.