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

[realpolitic]

Tina Fey may retire. She will say she can not keep up with all the ridiculousness that is Sarah Palin. Palin is only a reformer in the Republican sense of the word, meaning she rewards herself and punishes her enemies.

[MossyOak]

My question is... what took everyone so long to see she's a bimbo? It was evident from Day One!

[Pacojam]

She can read a good attack speech and some people believed that this proved that she would make a great president of the USA.

[Gizmo1125]

There is a serious problem in this country when people are more concern about Sarah Palin's wardrobe than Joe Biden telling his donors in private that we are going to have a generated or international crisis if Obama is elected in the first 6 months of his Presidency. "Mark my words there will be a generated or international crisis in the first 6 months if Barack Obama is elected, I can named 4-5 scenarios right now, you will not like his decision but you must stand by him". This is some powerful stuff here. Am I the only one who would like to know what this generated or international crisis is that is doomed to happen, What are the 4-5 scenarios, what is the decision that we will not like, but must stand by him, what does Biden know that we do not know, what else is being said in private that we do not know about?????? This is some serious stuff and I think we deserve some answers.

[Cloball]

Not if he's elected. After he's elected. Something happens every year and even after every presidenial election.

You're reading too much into this.

[Gizmo1125]

Really....­.... I think it is more like concerned. Very concerned.

[BethA]

I agree with Cloball, don't read stuff in to this that simply is over the line of what was meant. Though it was a dumb comment to make, it's true of either candidate. If people are planning attacks, to do so right after a new group takes power and is a little less coordinated yet would be the time any anti-American group would try something, against either candidate. And NO, McCain wouldn't be any better at handling any such problem for exactly what his campaign says he's good at, he's a "maverick", meaning just like Bush he does what he wants without listening to anyone else. Maverick is just code for Bush II.
At least Biden and Obama are aware the transition in government is a vulnerable time and being aware will take the utmost precaution.

[realpolitic]

I am sure you would like to change the conversation to some hypothetical international crisis. Just as you would like to talk about Bill Ayers all night and day. These are Republican talking points. Senator Biden did say, if tested, terrorists would see the steel in Obama's spine. General Colin Powell is very comfortable with Obama's national security credentials and endorsed Obama over his old friend McCain. McCain has acted erractically and would be a disater for the economy, just as Bush has been. Let's put an intelligent problem solver in there who speaks with experts in the field before making critical decisions. We need Obama to avoid another Great Depression, which McCain's policies of no regulation and tax cuts for the wealthy will feed into.

[justobserve]

SHAME ON BIDEN! Just like everyone said, you don't need to mark what Biden said, a President has always been tested EVERYDAY for his entire term with unexpected situations. Do you have your life charted out for you beforehand exactly? It's your judgment and decision based on what you knew to help you going through life successfully or not. You don't base your election of President on just a few things. If you believe Obama has what it takes to be an excellent President with extensive knowledge, good judgment, calm assesment in dangerous situations, good advisers, has your interests at his heart, unites the country and inspires people to better themselves, who will take this country back to its glory of the past when the world looked upon America as a shining icon for democracy, and who will "spread the wealth" more equitable so that not all the wealth is concentrated on only a few top 1% as in the past 8 years, then you must vote Obama. McCain and Palin lied even when the truths that had been checked by the media, . If you want to be lied to just like the past 8 years, especially don't mind Palin's unethical behavior in Troopergate, Travelgate, her shadow Co-Governor Todd, her cronyism, her staying at home with her children half of the time and charged the state for it (she is not ready for full-time job yet!) then you must vote for McCain-Pal­in..

[IndyofDC]

The Republicans are jumping all over Biden's remark. Notably, Senator Joe Lieberman BFF of McCain made the same remark several months ago. I believe he said, and I paraphrase, that the newly elected President will face an international crisis very early. Are Republicans that desperate to forget this?

[georgie44]

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2008/06/29/ftn/main4217516.shtml
this is the link...
CBS) In describing the reasons he believes the Republicans' presumptive nominee for president would be better prepared than the Democrats' to lead the nation next January, Sen. Joe Lieberman said that history shows the United States would likely face a terrorist attack in 2009.

"Our enemies will test the new president early," Lieberman, I-Conn., told Face The Nation host Bob Schieffer. "Remember that the truck bombing of the World Trade Center happened in the first year of the Clinton administration. 9/11 happened in the first year of the Bush administra­tion."

[Titus Pullo]

Biden should have kept a sock in it, but it's probably a 50-50 shot. If I had to guess, I'd say an economic related disaster. And remember that in this world economy, such a scenario plays out world-wide. The implications are the same as in a domestic depression: civil unrest and crime. Think of our current world trying to reach a consensus to pull all of us out of a global deep recession, with some nations in depression. It could get real ugly domestically AND globally.

Not putting on my gloom and doom hat, just saying ... tough decisions would need to be made. Very tough. Biden has been on enough Senate committees to have insight into the possibilities, but he also has an innate ability to open his mouth and find his foot.

[justobserve]

Palin, from a not -so- diverse state of Alaska of 683,000 people, thinks she can do the same thing she did in Alaska to win the Presidency but America is a big country of very diverse people who found her extremist' views are just that: extreme! Americans in general are living proof of our ideals of freedom, equality while Palin, accustomed to Alaskan way of thinking, wanted to press her extremist ideas on everyone. If she wants to divide this country for her own ambition, how can she fight terrorists of the world? You just can't win when you are divided at home. She could draw quite a few of the haters but not enough to win Presidency of this great country. Her Presidency dream is toast! And it's good for the country also!

[keepemhonest]

What did she do FOR Alaska ... really.

* she charged the taxpayers for 300 nights staying in her own home NOT doing the state's business.

* She charged per diem on her kids being at home with her.

* she charged taxpayers for vacation travel time with her kids.

* she fired people who she didn't like.

And she calls herself a reformer ... sounds like a typical republican to me "do as I say not as I do."

[bonofide]

My cousin calls her the Alaskan Bimbo. I`m glad to see people are finally realizing that.

[neckozihp]

I'd like to see you survive a winter in Alaska. That state has the one of the highest cost of living.
She is the only candidate that has held a wide variety of jobs, and earned an honest living. That is why she relates so well to the common folk.

[Fordham03]

Wow! She's fodder for comedians alright. First of all, the hateful rhetoric she has been spewing on the campaign trail says something about her honesty and integrity. She was asked about the fringe-cases in the audience that she was inciting to violence, and she said if she had heard that she certainly would have stopped it. If you weren't on that podium, where were you Sarah?

Second, when she was talking to third or fourth graders explaining what the office of VP did, she showed her ambition and ignorance. To paraphrase, she went on to tell the kids that "you get in there with Senators and influence policy and change laws to do good for the American people." Hello! Hasn't anyone explained to her what office she is interviewing for?

Third, according to Palin, only hard working small town America is patriotic--the rest of us big city folks are unAmerican. Doesn't this smack of McCarthyism? And speaking of that, did you get a gander at that female Republican from Minnesota that wants everyone in Congress to take an unAmerican test? If this is an example of the right-wing of the Republican party who want to continue to control this country, then God help us.

McCain wants the presidency so badly that he sold out to this bigoted, narrow group of people who want to hold the White House hostage. That's reason enough to vote for Obama.

[justobserve]

This is the most damaging proof of her ignorance being from the wilderness Alaska, she thought VP and P can do whtever they want, no separation of power, just like in Alaska!

[MYSTERIOUS]

EXCELLENT VIEW, FORDHAMO3. BETWEEN PFOTNAUER (OR WHATEVER HER NAME IS) ALONG WITH MINNESOTA'S BACHMAN AND ALASKA'S PALIN, IT IS QUITE DISTURBING THAT THESE "PEOPLE" ARE IN ANY UNITED STATES OFFICE. WHAT'S NEXT? NEVERMIND.

[necer65]

Well, hopefully people are seeing that being VP requires more than just being pretty and personable. Palin just isn't qualified to be in that level of a position. Obama does have more experience than Palin. Not only does he have a better education background­...he has more years than her in the senate. If other world leaders are OK with Obama being our next President than that is a good sign.

[hortonhearsawho]

These children behind the mcpalins at the rallies...­.how many are actually of age to vote?

[vegancheesenut]

That's what I noticed...­they must try to get as many people in there as they can because certainly those children cannot vote.

[rr52]

CNN reported so wonderfully for Sarah Palin's sit down interview with them in Reno. The interviewer was male and appeared to be charmed. Palin basically called Obama a socialist.

[munki]

also about VP job descriptio­n...
can not find a word... to say...

[justobserve]

He was charmed by her and kept saying he found her very personable and easy to relate to, ect,... but that doesn't make a President/VP!

[gentlernation]

Drew Griffin from CNN should be fired for such bias and unintelligent reporting. There is a place for him at Fox Noise, Sean Hannity will take some time off after the election and seek Psychiatric help......­..........­...

[neckozihp]

Well yeah, Obama is a Socialist. She calls it like it is. Can't understand why you don't recognize that. Joe the Plumber did. Poor Joe just asked a simple question of Obama and the media was all over him. Pretty soon we knew more about a plumber then the Democratic Presidential candidate! Go figure?!

Obama sure has you charmed (fooled). Palin is personable, passionate, and stands up for what is right and moral i.e. respecting life from conception to natural death.

The intellegent, educated, intuitive people in America are be able to tell the difference. Let's hope there will be enough of them at the polls on Nov. 4th!

[BeSomeone]

The videos below are about change, inspiration, belief and compassion. I hope you like them and share them with everyone you know. We are headed in a new direction in the world we live and we as a society can embrace this new era with love. I ask for your support in helping spread the world.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EM58nqX1ehE

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=VN_pGy_1bEg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bD0iAQN7VPY

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=YpfHz_WeXHw

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=QH9BtZwTyHo

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tWVGsuNecYg

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UssvnQMn-EM

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fdfvQmh3b90

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03Enn5yiY-0



Go to youtube and do a search for "thinkverybig" and watch all of those videos. The one called "We Must Change" would be fitting to recite at Obama's Inauguration.

Here's a community organizer that's reached out to over 20,000 youth and has a goal of touching a million by teaching them the game of life using the game of chess. Click below to watch video.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NLFENGymr34

[BluePride]

lemme add:

The Ballad of Johnny McCain:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=tDceTz3UAgI

Everybody RUN... HomeComing Queen Palin's got a GUN!

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=59mOukUZNUo

Sam, Patti & a 22-year old Diane: A Change IS Gonna Come:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTba2ERcsrw

humor & inspiration, take your pick!

[Militant Leftist]

Come gather round people
Wherever you roam
And admit that the waters
Around you have grown
And accept it that soon
You'll be drenched to the bone
If your time to you is worth savin'
Then you better start swimming
Or you'll sink like a stone
For the times they are a changin

[solanus]

very good militant_l­eftist,,,I have that song on my space.....­...ex-hipp­ie

[hyjanks]

Funny you didn't give credit to Bob Dylan.

[Adebukola]

I'm a 56 yr old hippie and I always tell my kids there is a song for every occasion. For John McCain the song should be "Looser" by Beck.

[cronkyvoddy]

56 too, old enough to remember the 1968 convention and why we, American kids, were marching in the streets against the war. This new movement, organized through the power of the internet is amazing.

Arianna says it so well. The republicans can lie, but in a minute, the lie can be fact checked, debunked and the truth told, thank to the internet. Keep it free.

“Something happening and you don’t know what it is, do you Mr. Jones”, Bob Dylan.

[arvay]

I have some great ideas for the McRove campaign.

First, have Sarah resign to attend to family matters. Name Anne Coulter as your new running mate.

Buy 30 minutes of major TV time two days before the election, and have president Bush name all the reasons he supports McCain. Last five minutes, ditto for Lieberman.

Announce your post-election plans to bomb Iran and invade Pakistan. Remember, we have Macedonia on our side!

Re-state your belief in deregulation and privatization of Social Security. Have Cindy post tasty recipes for cat food. Point out that the Chinese eat rats, cats and dogs, and they all look very healthy.

Change your position on euthanasia to permit the poor and elderly to stop burdening the nation. One exemption: if you're "deserving poor," stay alive for the next wave of sub-prime mortgages and credit card extensions.

I can't have thought of everything, but I'm sure Republican lurkers on this site can chime in!

[nimblehuman]

With Macedonia on our side, we can't lose! I hear their Macedonian Phalanx is a very effective military formation.

[WyomingJack]

Maybe Sarah can redefine the role of VP to include Fashion Plate Mama. What ever happened to the "respectable Republican cloth coat" made famous by Nixon?

[PatrickforO]

If you have any kind of a sense of humor, this just keeps getting better and better. But don't let laughter cause you to be any less vigilant. Election fraud and voter suppression have been exported throughout the nation by those who pioneered the techniques in FL and OH. Efforts to disenfranchise likely Dem voters are now ubiquitous. So, I'm going to surprise you all with a quote from that paragon of liberalism, Barry Goldwater. "The price of freedom is eternal vigilance.­"

Make no mistake, this election at its most fundamental is about whether we want to keep our freedom or not.

[WillCooney]

Which charity will these clothes be donated to? I'd like to know so I can be the first through the door and snatch up that beautiful black silk suit. Must have cost $3,000. How much do you think they'll want for it? Maybe $50? $100? Hey, my wife's a hockey mom and she deserves the best for less!

[KAYKELJEK6]

Maybe she'll put them on EBAY

[neckozihp]

I wonder how much that custom suit Obama wore at his exceptance speech at the DNC was?
Only the best for the Almightly One!