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

[beeleepro]

I know this is off topic but....why does McCain use air quotes for every other word now?

[MsDebate]

I thought that too, he was on CNN this morning at a rally and I had to turn the station he was getting on my nerves.

[cungar]

Because he's "an idiot"

[BeatrixK]

THANK YOU! I was beginning to think it was just me! What the Sam Hill is with that? Is it supposed to make him less "out of touch" with "ordinary Americans"?

I seriously thought it was just my "growing disdain/pity" for the man because it does seem like he's seriously "OD'ing" on the "air quotes."

Note to Mr. McCain. Most "people" don't "do that."

[JLJL]

More than $20,000 spent on Palin kids for travel by her royal highness Pricess Palin.

http://www.adn.com/news/alaska/story/563580.html

[hortonhearsawho]

Real Merkins shop at Sachs.

[TrooAmerican]

The Republican's idea of spreading the wealth is to gather it all up from you and me, and spread it around in stacks to themselves and their richer than sh-T corporate biggies.

I keep wondering about the Irony.... Palin is McCain's biggest drag on the campaign..­....Yet shes the main reason anyone shows up at his rallies and many leave when she's done talking even if theres more to go including McCain.

So, if she stepped down(theoretically) from the ticket,...­.. would ALL of mccain's support dry up cept for about oh, 4 or 5% of the vote?
LOL

[hyjanks]

Notice the folks behind Palin at her rallies. She can say anything she wants--no matter how outrageous, stupid, or violence-p­rovoking--­and they stand there, heads bobbing in agreement, smiles on their faces, hands clapping in unison.
Which tells me that McCain can promote any ignoramus OR any so-called Republican intellectual as his new running mate and there will still be 44% of the American public who will pull the lever for him and his VP.
Fortunately, 44% ain't gonna' hack it in an election.

[TrooAmerican]

Youre right. I have heard the blissfully ignorant words out of some republican friends mouths and they just believe the drivel like its gold coming from the GOP.
sad.
mostly good people too.

[At home abroad]

The outrageousness of her clothing budget is easier to focus on and react to, but there's something else I just learned from a pediatrician that's very disturbing and that puts the lie to her claims of competence in dealing with special needs children. The pediatrician told me that exposing any infant to campaign platform lights and noise was harmful, but the risk of damage is intense with a Down Syndrome baby. Why has this not been exposed and discussed?

[HappyAtheist]

I know exactly what you mean, AthomeAbroad! I'm constantly staggered by how she puts her narcissistic needs and wants before her children. The fact that she agreed to be on the mccain ticket is mind-boggling to me. I have a dear friend who recently had a Downs Syndrome baby and they spent the first year of his life completely focused on him and his needs. Little Trig seems to be very low on Ms. Palin's priority list.

[solanus]

wow, at home abroad, that makes sense, but I really don't think she cares, it helps her campaign

[2876]

Because if any journalist brings this up, Palin will scream at the top of her lungs that they're attacking her child

[trixie]

"Their pro-Ameri ka" God is getting the last laugh.

[jeanrenoir]

God is not mocked. He DOES the mocking.

[brobike42]

I have given this whole campaign much thought and I think I get it now. Nobody, and I mean nobody, could be as stupid as McCain appears to be. Even Jimmy Swaggert. Everyone knows that John McCain holds a grudge forever. In 2000 he was chopped off at the knees by the Republican party. For eight years he has been plotting the total demise of that same party. I mean, Sarah Palin? I have just two words for you, puh-leaze! John McCain is deliberately doing what I have dreamed of all my life: the destruction of the greediest, traitorous, stupidest, meanest group of anti-Americans in this country...­the Republican party. Way to go, John!

[Anya830]

Brilliant!

Go, Johnny, go --

[brneyed62]

Exactly!!! When McCain chose Palin, the first thing I said was, He's either REALLY pissed of at his party, or that man just does't WANT to be president. But it is all about the shoes right?

[HappyAtheist]

I have had these exact thoughts! Especially as I watched the debates - I couldn't comprehend how McCain could possibly perform so horribly..­...unless it was on purpse. That was honestly the only conclusion that made sense to me.

[shaaronie]

Revenge is sweet! John McCain is getting some payback!

[ScottyBob]

It's as if McCain is a Kamikaze pilot flying into the mother ship! If the GOP tanks he'll be my hero all over again.

[lejman]

chuck todd also elicited and stressed this point on morning joke this am, and if chuck todd says that the palin choice is the top concern for the mccain candidacy, then it must be true.

[Venise Alstergren]

Possible scenario if McCain were to win the election: "The world has gone into Depression. A depression even more severe than 1929. John McCain finds the job to be too much for a man of 74. Deep in thought he trips over a white house rug, hits his head against a stout desk. He dies. Meanwhile, somewhere in an unexpected place, there emerges a political entity feeling strong enough to tackle the once awesome might of the USA. Eroded now by continuous warfare. The threat from the 'new messiah' is such that they have begun to amass a huge army to invade America-via Alaska. . At the same time North Korea-seeing that the new President is not the sharpest knife in the drawer-decides to test its considerable nuclear might. A lone Muslim extremist threatens a biological attack on a major city in Mexico. Riots have started in the American South West. And throughout the world hunger has begun to be a part of every day life, to the point that American citizens are on food rationing. Disease is increasing. Suddenly a European country-for reasons unknown-decides to go to war with the UK.
There is one person standing between the collapse of civilization, or the survival of millions of people.
The person is President Sarah Palin. God help the world, because she wont be able to!

[ScottyBob]

Two more weeks... Will McCain drop Palin from his ticket? No. Why? If he burned that bridge to nowhere he'd never have the chance to tap into her and do that.

http://i265.photobucket.com/albums/ii233/IndieLeft/Tongue.gif

[SUSANINCOLUMBIA]

Sounds like she's spreading the wealth!

[Viper]

The Republican way.. upward it's just rewards, downward to the middleclass and its socialism and welfare!

Oh for the days of a $400 haircut.

Heck with the kids travel, its the charging the state for her to sleep in her own home 300 times in LT 2 years! Thats unethical conduct even in the U.S. Congress..­. is that the reform she wants to bring when she Runs the Senate..lo­l.

The Executive Chef.. she did not fire, that still cooks for her... who she just keeps shipping to other departments to deceive the voters....

The 60% increase in the Alaskan budget in 2 years since she has been Governor? The windfall profit tax on oil in Alaska such that each Alaskan gets a state welfare check for $3K, while Repugs in Congress are against such a tax. Alaska gets 3 bucks back for every one dollar it pay in Federal taxes... A redistribution of wealth to Alaska. Alaska is the biggest welfare state! The Queen of Pork!

Her cut in salary as mayor, which never happened. She got a raise.

Her reality is as phoney as Joe, I'm not Joe, The non Plumber, the non employee (contract labor), the non 250K income, non plumbing business.

The HYPOCRACY! I will cut your taxes and tax your employee benfits... thats a tax cut?

Regards





Or not ever being in Juno when the Legislature


Regards

[SpencersMom]

And in case you missed it, here's Joe TheNotaPlumber telling Hannity that he, and his parents, were on welfare "a coupla times"

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rnK84mM5N-o

And Sean just glosses over it. Think he would have done that with an Obama supporter?

"I got mine, go get your own!" And Good Ole Joe doesn't want to pay taxes because it might wind up going to... welfare?

PEACE

[rsaillant1]

O.K. John, here's your last chance to put your country first. Send Sarah Packin.'

You still won't win the election, but you won't leave a bad taste in the collective mouths
of the citizenry. You'll retire to AZ with the praise of the country ringing in your ears.

That would be a fitting exit, dontcha' think. You bet.

[hyjanks]

That's, "You betcha!"

[StillAmused]

Maybe, when Alaska secedes, she can be the queenie person.

[jimmbuck]

F*@# YOU SARAH PALIN

And God Bless the MSM for making this race seem tight, otherwise we might not get the full Landslide effect on voting day if people don't feel we need their vote.

Funny how people always whine about the media being liberal. Well, if you have to cover the Bush Administration and the McCain Campaign for the last 8 years and you had an IQ over 50, who would you lean towards?

[cobobs]

Hey, at least she will get snazzy wardrobe from this.

She is not fit to be president, but that is about it. No need to be mean.

[corkonian]

The campaign is saying that the clothes were ALWAYS intended to go to charity after the election - and if you believe that I've got a bridge to sell ya'.

[OhComeOnNow]

The one to nowhere...

[AmericasMostGangsta]

Oh yes there is.