Palin in polls

Notwithstanding the fascination Sarah Palin generates, her poll numbers are not good for a prospective presidential candidate. As discussed at Politico, 71 percent in a Washington Post / ABC survey say she’s not qualified to be president, and 52 percent of self-identified Republicans say she’s not qualified to be president. Various pundits are stating that these poll figures raise a very high hurdle in the path of Palin’s presidential hopes.

- end of initial entry -

Doug H. writes:

What strikes me most about this an other similar polls is the overwhelming disapproval based on qualifications. I wonder how the same group of people would have answered the same question about Obama. Although I would not like to see Palin run as a presidential candidate, I feel she is much more qualified than Obama.

The part that turned me off Palin was her support for McCain, and her immigration position. The whole republican party is leaving me feeling like we will be in a desparate situation in our country within the next few years. Everyone is so afraid of the political correct crowd that truth gets buried, preventing the resolution of our most serious problems.

LA replies:

You make a good point. How would/did Obama rank on a similar poll? Presumably much better, as he is seen as smart, a good talker, “thoughtful,” etc., while Palin is seen as unsophisticated, un-untellectual, and so on. But can there be any doubt, at least among conservatives, that Palin, whatever her limitations, is a normal American possessed of normal common sense who cares about this country, while Obama is alienated from this country and is driven by a leftist ideology to change it into something else, and so is incapable of exercising the office of president in a reasonable and responsible way? Who then is more qualified? Obviously Palin is. But, as you point out, that would not be reflected in polls.

Posted by Lawrence Auster at February 14, 2010 06:49 PM | Send