CNN Poll: Most Americans say Palin not qualified to serve as president (CNN pushes Romney, Huckster)

CNN - Political Ticker ^ | 2009-11-16

[rabscuttle385]

WASHINGTON (CNN) – Fewer than three in 10 Americans think Sarah Palin's qualified to be president, according to a new national poll - the least of any of the five potential candidates included in the survey.

But another woman tops that list in the CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey released Monday: two-thirds of the public thinks that Secretary of State HIllary Clinton's qualified for the Oval Office. That's more than Vice President Joe Biden, who's currently next in line for the presidency.

According to the poll, 28 percent of Americans say Palin is qualified to run the White House, with seven in 10 saying the former Alaska governor and 2008 Republican vice presidential nominee is not qualified.

The survey indicates that a majority of Republicans, 54 percent, feel Palin is qualified, with 44 percent indicating she isn't. But only 29 percent of independent voters questioned feel she is qualified to serve as president, with 68 percent disagreeing. According to the poll, nine in 10 Democrats feel Palin is not qualified.

The poll's release comes one day before the release of Palin's book, "Going Rogue: An American Life."

[org.whodat]

When I look at a poll I look at where independents are aligned - and at 29% they are aligned almost identically with the electorate at large (28%). She has a big problem.

Understatement, I would say it is a problem of tidal wave proportions. And that's with out the 44% of republicans also non supporters.

[Norman Bates]

I already said I don't count mayor of a small town as major elective office just like I don't count Illinois state senator as major elective office. But if you want to count total time in office Obama has been in office continuously since 1997. Palin has been on and off although she pre-dated him in entry. Who cares? No one is counting back that far and for offices that minor. What counts is that Obama is now the president. If the public perceives in 2012 that he has done even an "ok" job in office (read: 45-50% approval) that's going to count for quite a bit. But what hurts Sarah Palin is that she has only 2-1/2 years of executive experience and then she suddenly (read mediaspeak: erratically) resigned. She won't have any more than that. So at the very least the argument that she has more executive experience won't work in 2012. Unless 2012 shapes up to be a tidal year she will find it very difficult to unseat him even if he's in the 42-47% approval range. And probably impossible if he's above that.

[rbmillerjr]

“Unless 2012 shapes up to be a tidal year she will find it very difficult to unseat him even if he’s in the 42-47% approval range. And probably impossible if he’s above that.”

LOL. You remind me of the BushSr. people saying Reagan’s negatives were too high to beat Bush and of course the Democrats crowing Dukakis.

In other words, these polls don’t mean jack at this point.

[VastRWCon]

I am sick to death of Romney and the love feast the MSM has with him. That alone is enough to disqualify him from the Republican Party.

include Hannity in that, big fan here of talk radio, but hanity needs to stop his love affair with Mit.

[Maceman]

Well, considering that MOST PEOPLE Obama was qualified, I guess the opinion of MOST PEOPLE isn’t worth a bowl of warm snot.

[Norman Bates]

Yep. As I said in subsequent posts, a “tidal wave” is what she would need to win. If 2012 turns out to be a nailbiter (like say 2004) with Obama hovering in the 45-50% approve range I think there is no way she wins. Obama’s approval has to be way down for her to win (I’d wager at least under 40%).

Personally I’m not comfortable having criticized Senator Obama for a dearth of experience and then nominate one who hasn’t much if any more (and having resigned too). Consistency matters.

[Norman Bates]

“these polls don’t mean jack at this point.”

Normally I’d be inclined to agree, but we aren’t talking about middle of the road numbers like 40 or 45%. We are talking about the electorate at large under 30% We are talking about independents under 30%.

[rbmillerjr]

Personally I’m not comfortable having criticized Senator Obama for a dearth of experience and then nominate one who hasn’t much if any more (and having resigned too). Consistency matters.

Well you should know that “experience” isn’t that important. Afterall, you did run the McCain List “common sense conservatism” from the moment he announced. So experience can be beaten. You should know more than most.

[OBXWanderer]

Personally I like the McDonnell/Palin scenario...8 years as VP ought to take care of “executive experience”, and “erratically resigned”,,,let Sarah post her W-2s as governor, and what she will make in the next few years....me, I’ll take the occupation of “quitter” any day, if I could match her numbers.....you can have her governor’s salary...

[Norman Bates]

“And that’s with out the 44% of republicans also non supporters.”

Romney and especially Huckabee (with a whopping 10 years as governor) will play the quitter/inexperienced card on her. Her biggest problem will be Huckabee with whom she is essentially competing for the same voters.

[pollywog]

I have REAL NEWS for you CNN!!! She not only is MORE qualified that Zero, she is MORE QUALIFIED than MOST REPUBLICAN candidates!!!!

Go for a swim!

[Norman Bates]

No one will ever pick Palin for VP again. Nor would she accept. Take both those items to the bank.

But you hit on something for sure. The top contenders for VP in 2012 will be Jindal, McDonnell, and Kasich (in that order).

[org.whodat]

True!!!

[Norman Bates]

Obama had conventional wisdom against him as well but won in a tidal year. And I would also add ran, non-politically speaking, an excellent campaign (though I disagree with it).

Of course experience isn’t everything or else McCain would have won. McCain was winning until the stock market went South. But that’s neither here nor there. Her problem is less experience than 1) she resigned and 2) drama. Number 2 used to be her “big” problem but got eclipsed in a big way in July 2009.

[Norman Bates]

I would replace the phrase “excellent campaign” with “exceptional campaign.” If it allowed me.

[rbmillerjr]

“Her problem is less experience than 1) she resigned and 2) drama”

The above just confirms that you dislike Palin. You follow politics so you know the rationale for her resigning as Governor. I won’t insult your intelligence by covering that again.

Nothing personal, but your McCain credentials from the beginning show 1)you have no perspective on what it takes to win 2)you are a liberal or possibly a moderate Republican.

Your credibility is zero when it comes to Palin, because you’ve shown your fondness for RINOs. Again, your supporting McCain from the beginning of the Primary to your organizing of the McCain List from the beginning puts you square with the RINO Republicans.

That is fine, but your credibility in evaluating conservative candidates and consistently posting negative Palin posts is what it is.

[pollywog]

Love it!

[pollywog]

Love it!

[Shamrock-DW]

I can make the ignorant smart......

BUT I CAN’T CURE STUPID!

[Norman Bates]

First, I don’t dislike Sarah Palin so you are just flat-out wrong on that point. In fact I just pre-ordered her book today for a Christmas present.

The rest of your post is a well disguised and “polite” ad hominem.

I have no fondness for RINOs - if by RINO you mean Snowe, Collins, Schwarzenegger, Graham, the former Arlen Specter, Bloomberg, and the likes. McCain would be the exception (although you call him a RINO, I don’t). I supported him with notable reservations. What I found most compelling however was his American story, not his specific politics (which I both agreed and disagreed with). Incidentally I am pretty much indifferent to McCain’s senate re-election bid.

But if by RINO you mean Huckabee and Romney then I don’t agree. While I am somewhat skeptical of them both, I have a favorable opinion of them overall and would be open to supporting their respective bids if certain criteria were met. Right now I have no official horse in the race. I don’t dislike Palin but she doesn’t even make the qualifying bar.