The Palin Plunge: Voters Sour On McCain VP Pick

[ProSense]

Thomas B. Edsall

The Palin Plunge: Voters Sour On McCain VP Pick

The more voters learn about Sarah Palin, the more wary they become. Once the focus of post-convention Republican euphoria, the Alaska Governor is now viewed as a serious liability to the McCain campaign.

As it stands, Palin's polling numbers are daunting: with the unfolding economic crisis, her favorable to unfavorable ratings have switched from a positive 40-30, according to a September 12-16 New York Times survey, to a negative 32-41 in an October 10-13 survey.

Palin is, additionally, costing McCain newspaper endorsements. Editor and Publisher calculated that as of Oct 18, Barack Obama led McCain 58-16 in the competition for the backing of newspapers. Many of the endorsements cited Palin as a factor in their rejection of McCain. The Salt Lake Tribune, which supported George W. Bush in 2004, commented that "out of nowhere, and without proper vetting, the impetuous McCain picked Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin as his running mate. She quickly proved grievously under-equipped to step into the presidency should McCain, at 72 and with a history of health problems, die in office. More than any single factor, McCain's bad judgment in choosing the inarticulate, insular and ethically challenged Palin disqualifies him for the presidency." The Kansas City Star, in turn, described Palin as "unqualified."

<...>

"Within weeks, she became a liability, primarily as a highly visible indicator of McCain's impulsiveness and recklessness in picking someone who is patently unqualified to serve as president and commander-in-chief. McCain's only chance of making this election competitive was to contrast his readiness to serve with Obama's inexperience and naiveté. The Palin choice was the first clear sign (others followed) that McCain could not win that comparison."

<...>

Vice presidential picks have been considered by political scientists as irrelevant to the outcome. This year, however, there is a contribution Palin may make: If McCain loses Florida by a close margin, Palin will likely deserve responsibility because of the animosity she has generated among a key constituency the GOP was depending on to abandon its traditional support for Democrats: older Jewish voters.

<...>

That luster has, however, come off and -- despite Democrats privately cheering her on -- Palin's future as a national politician now appears likely to be damaged.

In what read more like an obituary than a commentary, Peggy Noonan wrote in the Wall Street Journal: "In the end the Palin candidacy is a symptom and expression of a new vulgarization in American politics. It's no good, not for conservatism and not for the country. And yes, it is a mark against John McCain, against his judgment and idealism."

[babylonsister]

1. O NOES, they lost Peggy, too! Heh heh. nt

[doc03]

2. While at the book store yesterday I noticed not

one single magazine had her mug on the cover, it appears her 15 minutes are about finished.:party:

[ProSense]

17. This should end her political career. n/t

[kwolf68]

3. T-Hee

Palin is basically political spam.

[mucifer]

4. snl tonight will give her some positive press.

hopefully people will realize that she's only on tv when she can officially be a joke.

[No Elephants]

5. McCain cannot run a campaign. Should he run the world's only superpower?

[Karenina]

7. Should SHE be anywhere NEAR taking that position over?

:freak:

[Cha]

6. "Democrats privately cheering her on"?!! WTF..

I want her to drop Like A Rock.


One wonders what newspaper endorsements like the dmn think about the chance of palin taking over when they endorse mccain?

[LynnTheDem]

10. Likely because just about anyone on the planet could beat her.

Not much of a challenge, the plungy maverick.

[Cha]

13. I know but she's such a dangerous

scourge on the Planet. At least mccain did Alaska a favor by outting their Governor.

[LynnTheDem]

14. Republicans don't like losers...

She may not have a job when she gets back to Alaska.

:)

[Nedsdag]

8. Hmmmmm.......

So THAT'S why she's going on Saturday Night Live tonight!

[LynnTheDem]

9. She`s a plungy maverick.

A team of plungy mavericks maverickly plunging.

You betcha.

[grantcart]

11. Canvassing today the Republicans just cringed when I brought up her name

and the Democratic and Independent wouldn't stop talking about her. I had exactly one guy say she was intelligent

[madmax]

12. Wow, POW!

Isn't that just Mavericky. :bounce: :drink: :bounce: :kick:

[FrenchieCat]

15. That's what happens to fads and gimmicks.....

One day you're in, and the next day....you're out!

[WillyT]

16. Big K & R !!!

:kick: