Palin's Favorability Rating Drops As She Nears Exit: Poll

WASHINGTON — A majority of Americans take a negative view of outgoing Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin, and although she remains popular among Republicans, her image within the party has slipped, according to a new poll.

Palin's favorabilty rating has dipped to its lowest level in the Washington Post-ABC News since she came to national attention last summer as GOP presidential nominee John McCain's running mate. Fifty-three percent of those polled view her negatively and 40 percent have a favorable impression.

Last summer, almost six in 10 Americans viewed her favorably, but her poll numbers have slipped since.

Palin, seen as a possible GOP presidential contender in 2012, is stepping down as governor Sunday, ending her term 18 months early.

Palin, who said it was time to change course, remains strikingly popular within her own party, especially with white evangelical Protestants and conservatives. Seventy percent of Republicans view her favorably. But the number who have "strongly favorable" opinions has dropped since last fall, the Post reported Friday.

The poll involved 1,001 randomly selected adults on standard and cell phones and was taken from July 15-18 with a margin of sampling error of plus or minus three percentage points.

Comments

[bronceye]

02:24 PM on 07/26/2009

Most of her favorability stems from her exiting the stage(hopefully). Her hair really, really is getting thinner. Check it out, the female sideways combover. Kinda like cheney's mate.

[Bude]

01:22 PM on 07/26/2009

Correction:

Palin, (was) a possible GOP presidential contender in 2012.

[Prakosh]

01:04 PM on 07/25/2009

The reason all polls survey more Democrats is because so many more people in America are currently self-identifying as Democrats. If only about 30 percent of the population is claiming they are Republicans trying to half and half it is disingenuous and fool-hardy.

[cdkang]

03:41 PM on 07/25/2009

Actually, Democrats are losing more voters than Republicans. More people from both parties are identifying themselves as Independent - me included. I WAS a Democrat.

[ewadswor]

08:29 PM on 07/25/2009

Most Independents are Democratic-leaning.

[Prakosh]

12:53 PM on 07/25/2009

She can't think, she can't write, she can't speak extemporaneously and she can't hold a job. Who in their right mind could approve of her?

[sammyscout]

03:07 PM on 07/25/2009

The Wilderness Party

Remember W.

[Gatorray11]

03:25 PM on 07/25/2009

How can you forget the man who had 9/11 on his watch and ran the economy of the country into the ground -- just like he ran everything he touched in life into the ground?

[Gatorray11]

04:19 PM on 07/25/2009

How can you forget the man who had 9/11 on his watch? Who was briefed that "Osama bin Laden Determined to Strike Within the U.S.?" Who refused to interrupt his vacation and did nothing? Who ran the economy of the country into the ground, just like he ran into the ground everything he touched in life? Who presided over the failed government response in New Orleans during Hurricane Katrina and told us "Brownie you are doing a heck of a job?

[Womanvoter4Obama]

11:19 AM on 07/25/2009

If this woman were not on the political stage making decisions that affect me and my children I doubt I would care what she does. There are certainly things that I admire about her..her commitment to physical fitness. Her dedication to her children and the fact that people constantly underestimate her..as a person who is often underestimated I totally identify with her on that..you should never underestimate people. It's foolish to do so. I just don't want her running things for me politically. I don't believe she's ethical despite what her press releases say. She scares me on a lot of levels. She reminds me of myself in high school..she thinks a lot like I did before I actually left my small town and was exposed to other people and other ways of thinking and saw that my way of thinking was not always right. It was right some of the time but what I wanted or was taught was not always the gospel. She reminds me of someone who has a very small world view. I was like that once..very much like this. I didn't believe in abortion on any level..then I got pregnant..and had to look at another point of view. While I am still prolife I see another side of things. I was forced to. What in the world will force her to see life outside of herself and her small town? The world has and is changing.

[jimrs6]

09:06 AM on 07/25/2009

She still has higher favorability rating than any Dem woman.

[godsense2]

09:13 AM on 07/25/2009

Touche'

tou·ché (t-sh)
interj.
Used to acknowledge a hit in fencing or a successful criticism or an effective point in argument.

[pumpkin]

09:52 AM on 07/25/2009

Thanks so much for the definition. I had no idea what touche' meant.

[Buddy McCue]

01:32 PM on 07/25/2009

Palin: 40 percent favorability (according to this article.)

Hillary Clinton: 58 percent
CBS News poll http://www.secretaryclinton.blogspot.com/2009/03/hillary-clinton-favorability-ratings.html

[pbziegler]

08:51 AM on 07/25/2009

40% see her favorably. That's a frightening thought.

[ewadswor]

08:31 PM on 07/25/2009

Not really. Weed out the guys that want to sleep with her, and you probably don't have many left!

[Prakosh]

08:37 AM on 07/26/2009

HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA

[Realitylost]

01:41 PM on 07/26/2009

i thought that was 40% of repubs?

[MrBurlesk]

07:05 AM on 07/25/2009

On Sunday, everyone should have a party, play Anita Bryant records, and set fire to effigies of Sarah Palin.

[Gatorray11]

03:37 PM on 07/25/2009

Why not just drink Florida orange juice?

[Pjnpurcell]

03:04 AM on 07/25/2009

BYEEEE!

[LemonMeringue]

02:35 AM on 07/25/2009

Quitting sure didn't help.

[belyeu]

03:00 AM on 07/25/2009

It helped keep an unqualified half wit from being elected by other half wits.

[truesteam]

07:24 AM on 07/25/2009

Amen.

[godsense2]

09:18 AM on 07/25/2009

Poll had 50% more Dems, 25% more Dem leaners. Translates to 47 Fav 46 UnFav

[godsense2]

01:51 AM on 07/25/2009

Washington Post-ABC News Poll

901. Generally speaking, do you usually think of yourself as (a Democrat), (a Republican), an independent or what? IF NOT DEMOCRAT OR REPUBLICAN: Do you lean more towards the (Democratic Party) or (Republican Party)?

Democrat Republican Independent
7/18/09 33 22 41

33% more Dems in the survey. Clearly biased. Even it up and Palin's 47 Fav 46 UnFav

Not so bad considering resigning and major attacks from MSM and ethics probes

[godsense2]

01:53 AM on 07/25/2009

Check that: 50% more Dems

[TruthJusticeForAll]

03:46 AM on 07/25/2009

Not if you use "fuzzy math".

[Gatorray11]

07:34 PM on 07/25/2009

Your right wing new math makes no sense. Only 21 percent of the country consider themselves as Republicans. Even at the time of resignation, Tricky Dickey I had 24 percent rating. Sarah Barracuda is only 16 percent higher. My point is you can play all kinds of games with numbers.

However, the major consideration is when John S. McCain made the mistake of nominating a woman with the only qualification to foreign policy that she can see Russia from Alaska to be a running mate for a man over 70 she had a 58 percent favorability rating.

Now after being a year in the spotlight that rating has dropped by 18 percent and is down essentially to the base of the Republican Party. The more people see of this phony incompetent the less they like her. And now she is an opportunist quitter and career gold digger.

[ewadswor]

08:40 PM on 07/25/2009

According to Gallup:

Dem or Dem Leaning to GOP to GOP Leaning: 52-39 (1st Q 2009)
Dem or Dem Leaning to GOP to GOP Leaning: 49-40 (2nd Q 2009)

[ewadswor]

08:41 PM on 07/25/2009

S/B

According to Gallup:

Dem/Dem Leaning to GOP/GOP Leaning: 52-39 (1st Q 2009)
Dem/Dem Leaning to GOP/GOP Leaning: 49-40 (2nd Q 2009)

[thegreatstu]

01:35 AM on 07/25/2009

Isn’t this just great, you all are here bashing Sarah Palin about her favorability ratings dropping as the approval ratings for Obama drop below 50%. Pathetic little trolls you all are. Oh by the way, your savior is only 9 points ahead of Sarah Palin, and she actually resigned from her job; wow, something all of you can be proud of. The Healthcare Rationing Bill and the Cap and Trade Bill are both going down in flames, and you people have nothing better to do with you miserable little lives than to bash Sarah Palin. What I love seeing is all the people abandoning Obama, and you people sit here and think that you are helping him by making feeble efforts at destroying Sarah Palin. When you realize what is really happening, it will be too late for you and your liberal agenda. Oh, and keep your focus on Sarah Palin, that is just where we want you.

[TruthJusticeForAll]

03:47 AM on 07/25/2009

Come on now. Sarah has done more to destroy herself than any 10 others possibly could.

[kellabeck]

06:49 AM on 07/25/2009

Yeah. The Cons have the country right where they want it.

[deadcustodian]

01:26 AM on 07/25/2009

Iam a student. Iam from india. I am a Hindu. I am quite happy with my religion and respect all other religons. But your Sarah Palini m onster? I don’t understand. .
i want to know the foolowing things?
What or Who is this Sarah P alini m onster?
What is this m onster up to? what does she want?
How did she contact you?
Does she Talk?
Is this m onster a good m onster or is she spreading evil?

God bless you
Ram
Goa
India

[Buddy McCue]

01:35 PM on 07/25/2009

You said earlier that your religion was that of the Flying Spaghetti Monster. Now you say you are a Hindu.

Which is it?

[ThermoChemist]

10:32 PM on 07/25/2009

The Sarah Palin Monster..???
=========================

The Daily Show already explained here...

Sarah Palin: From Maverick To Rogue To Sci Fi Monster
http://www.thedailyshow.com/watch/wed-october-29-2008/goin--rogue

"Goin' Rogue
They found Sarah Palin in the wild, taught her everything, and set her loose, but they forgot one thing: she couldn't be contained."

[Oregondemo]

01:36 PM on 07/27/2009

Or trained.

[urweatherman]

12:43 AM on 07/25/2009

Please post these results along side of the same rating of Pelosi.........Palin whoops her in favorability more than 2 to 1.

[LibraLady]

01:23 AM on 07/25/2009

In your wet dreams.

[Truelee]

02:21 AM on 07/25/2009

Only in the reality of a schizophrenic like you. What other images do you see?

[thegreatstu]

12:26 AM on 07/25/2009

Isn’t this just great, you all are here bashing Sarah Palin about her favorability ratings dropping as the approval ratings for Obama drop below 50%. Pathetic little trolls you all are. Oh by the way, your savior is only 9 points ahead of Sarah Palin, and she actually resigned from her job; wow, something all of you can be proud of. The Healthcare Rationing Bill and the Cap and Trade Bill are both going down in flames, and you people have nothing better to do with you miserable little lives than to bash Sarah Palin. What I love seeing is all the people abandoning Obama, and you people sit here and think that you are helping him by making feeble efforts at destroying Sarah Palin. When you realize what is really happening, it will be too late for you and your liberal agenda. Oh, and keep your focus on Sarah Palin, that is just where we want you.

Conservatism…America’s only real hope.

[MrBurlesk]

08:10 AM on 07/25/2009

Thanks for the tips. We'll be sure to bury Sarah Palin for good on the 26th and focus our liberal energies on the Conservi-Dems in Congress who consistently cave in to pressure from big insurance and the pharmaceutical industry.

Neocons Like Palin Are The New Nazis. Believe It.

[Oregondemo]

01:39 PM on 07/27/2009

I believe it. She's dangerous, not just stupid.

[Back2Life]

08:48 AM on 07/25/2009

Let's see, Obama has a job with massive responsibilities, and is considered a brilliant, strong, leader. Palin is just a quitter. You can't compare this simpleton in polls or otherwise to our President. On the bright side, this gives Palin more free time to hang out with Tito the barber, Fred the fisherman, Harry the Hunter, etc. What a dimwit!