While not disagreeing with much of what you said, I'm not sure that the "polls are phony". Leaving the CNN poll aside, I've seen several Rasmussen polls the last several months that reflect an unease with Palin, not just amongst the general electorate, but within Republican ranks as well. Last month, Rasmussen - whom I'd describe as an accurate polling group - released a poll that placed Palin a distant third to Huckster and Romney.
It's equally clear that the wider perception of Palin amongst Republicans and conservatives is that she reflects their general principles, it's not clear why Palin isn't enjoying commensurate support when measured against other possible Republican Presidential aspirants. Perhaps there's some unease amongst Republicans about Palin's ability to win, perhaps it's something else altogether. Palin has an opportunity in this press tour to stop the bleeding and perhaps even change some minds. We will see how she fairs.
Dick Armey was on ABC news with George Stephnopolous last week. Armey said if anyone wants to run for President, forget about personal approval ratings. The most important poll is, “Do voters think you’re qualified for the job?” According to Gallup and CNN, half of GOP primary voters are unsure about Palin. The same polls show that Huckabee gains the most confidence of GOP voters and that is why Rasmussen, CNN, and Gallup show him to be the front runner for now.