The Candidates
Drudge is posting the following headline with no link yet available. While I an an enthused Palin supporter, I don’t know if this is a good thing or a bad thing when you veep is more popular than the top of the ticket. Thoughts?
RASMUSSEN: Palin More Popular Than Obama or McCain… Developing…
A week ago, most Americans had never heard of Alaska Governor Sarah Palin. Now, following a Vice Presidential acceptance speech viewed live by more than 40 million people, Palin is viewed favorably by 58% of American voters. The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 37% hold an unfavorable view of the self-described hockey mom.The figures include 40% with a Very Favorable opinion of Palin and 18% with a Very Unfavorable view (full demographic crosstabs are available for Premium Members). Before her acceptance speech, Palin was viewed favorably by 52%. A week ago, 67% had never heard of her.
The new data also shows significant increases in the number who say McCain made the right choice and the number who say Palin is ready to be President. Generally, John McCain’s choice of Palin earns slightly better reviews than Barack Obama’s choice of Joe Biden.Perhaps most stunning is the fact that Palin’s favorable ratings are now a point higher than either man at the top of the Presidential tickets this year. As of Friday morning, Obama and McCain are each viewed favorably by 57% of voters. Biden is viewed favorably by 48%.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:18 am
“Premium Members Only: First Palin Poll Results After Speech”
Some one with membership needs to get the skinny on this.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:18 am
It can’t be bad to have her be popular, right?
Our ticket makes sense, experience/future as opposed to future/experience. The more popular both of them are, the better off we are.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:19 am
it’s one of those good problems
September 5th, 2008 at 9:19 am
#2 is correct. If Palin brings out republican voters that were “cold” to McCain, then great!!!!!
September 5th, 2008 at 9:20 am
It can only be a good thing to have a polular person on your ticket. It’s ironic that the media made her into a superstar.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:23 am
anything that keeps the focus off of Obama is great and better yet when it keeps them on the defense… As Republicans, we are not used to this offensive stuff - too often our folks in DC cower under any word of criticism. It’s refreshing to see a little spine… finally.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:23 am
I’ve been mulling this question myself and I suspect that when McCain sends her off on her own to campaign, they’re going to have to do some crowd control. The press will be asking alot of “why does no one like McCain?’ questions if Palin is drawing twice his crowds. I actually think this is the Democrats’ best line of attack. Praise Palin, call her a remarkable woman, but openly wonder why folks don’t feel the same way about John McCain.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:23 am
one can’t do without the other. for all the excitement over palin, i doubt she can truly carry the load on foreign affairs, while mccain could carry it on his pinky finger. honestly, mccain is the one you want in the situation room. and people know that. let the excitement roll, its good for both of them.
fact is, if not for john mccain, would the rest of the country know sarah palin. the dynamics of the partnership and the shared benefit of them really shine, far more then barry and his insider lol.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:25 am
You can shrink McCain, by comparing him negatively to Palin, just as you can shrink Obama by comparing him (at all) to Palin.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:28 am
From what I am hearing, a few women out there who were either on the fence or just slightly leaning in our direction are now on board with both feet in. She also solidified the base (then again, there are many women in the base to begin with.)
September 5th, 2008 at 9:29 am
#8 matt, fine. Let Palin work on energy, education and other domestic issues. McCain can fight Bin Laden.
That sounds excellent to me.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:30 am
ME Miller nails it exactly. be careful what you wish for, folks. i guess this is the reason they aren’t letting her do one-on-one interviews.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:33 am
FWIW, Rasmussen daily tracking has it 46-45 Obama; 48-46 with “leaners”. It seems like other folks are better at making the daily Rasmussen post pretty.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:33 am
check out the intrades: obama 55, mccain 46!!!
September 5th, 2008 at 9:33 am
46-45 Obama on Rasmussen.
No doubt McCain was ahead in yesterday’s polling.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:35 am
palin needs mccain to pass a commander in chief test. can you imagine her in 2012 talking about her experiences learning from one of the most honorable soldiers and tested CiC we have had? in 4 years mccain’s experience becomes her experience, with all her added bonuses. an obama loss could set up a 12 year run.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:35 am
mccain will be ahead in ras by sunday
September 5th, 2008 at 9:36 am
Rass. Daily Tracking according to RealClearPolitics.
Yesterday
Obama 50 (leaners)
McCain 45 (leaners)
Today
Obama 48 (leaners)
McCain 46 (leaners)
The change reflects people who saw Palin’s speech. That’s a lot of movement in the tracking poll overnight.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:37 am
#18, and if I understand the 3-day rolling average Rasmussen employs, the results we are seeing today doesn’t even take Palin (or JMac’s) speech fully into account yet.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:38 am
I would love if Obama employs that strategy. I think it is ultimately a losing one.
Just like McCain baited Obama into justifying his experience as compared to Palin’s, which has totally backfired, I hope that they are able to bait Obama into putting the focus on McCain/Palin and letting them tell America why they should be President.
Obama needs to keep the focus on himself in order to win because there is no way to you can sell McCain as dangerous or bad for America. He has too long of a history that flies in the face of that claim for moderate voters to believe it. Obama has to sell himself if he wants to win.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:39 am
#19, it only takes one full night after Palin’s speech in the three day average. But most calls were made before McCain even gave his speech.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:39 am
terry,
By “today” do you actually mean “yesterday” and by “yesterday” do you mean “two days ago”? Because I don’t think Rasmussen’s polling for today has been factored in this tracking poll.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:40 am
matt:
Yeah, I honestly didn’t think we had a shot in 2012 with the liklihood of a Warner candidacy, but Palin might well prove popular enough to take over in 4 years by a landslide (assuming McCain doesn’t run again, which I’m fairly confident of).
September 5th, 2008 at 9:42 am
22, Yesterday and Today refer to the release of the polls.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:45 am
40% of people have a “Very Favorable” opinion of Palin. And the big O only has a 4% advantage on the “experience” question.
September 5th, 2008 at 9:46 am
It’s out!
58% view favorably
37% view unfavorably
September 5th, 2008 at 9:47 am
It is official, it is Palin mania! It is much better than Mrs. Thatcher!
September 5th, 2008 at 9:49 am
It’s hilarious that voters are evenly divided on whether Obama or Palin has more experience. Bad news for Obama. Even independents are divided on that question!
September 5th, 2008 at 9:58 am
Rass: “Voters are evenly divided as to whether Palin or Obama has the better experience to be President.”
The questioning of her experience is a great double edged sword. The more the Dems say she isn’t qualified for VP, the more it casts doubt on Obama’s qualifications for POTUS. That makes the experience gap between the two POTUS candidates appear even bigger (so much for the MSM’s conventional wisdom that experience is off the table for McCain). If McCain’s camp contemplated this when they picked Palin, bravo.
September 5th, 2008 at 10:00 am
I believe there was someone who used to post on this site that recently claimed she wouldn’t help the ticket. Where is he now?
September 5th, 2008 at 10:05 am
McCain TV Ratings Beat Obama in Preliminary Numbers-
http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/09/mccain_tv_ratings_beat_obama_i.php
September 5th, 2008 at 10:07 am
Even though at times he looked about to give us the weekend weather outlook, and he didn’t have greek columns and 80,000 moonies moving with every word he utters, McCain just might have edged out Obama’s viewership. Hahahaha
McCain TV Ratings Beat Obama in Preliminary Numbers
http://www.tvweek.com/news/2008/09/mccain_tv_ratings_beat_obama_i.php
September 5th, 2008 at 10:08 am
The people who said that either underestimated her or don’t understand the base of the Republican Party and the American electorate in general. Most American voters are conservative, so Republicans have a natural advantage. It takes a major scandal or something unusual for the Democrats to win. I know the Democrats outnumber the Republicans, but a lot of those Democrats are conservative Democrats who vote Republican. Very few Republicans vote Democratic. Kerry only won 6% of Republicans in 2004.
September 5th, 2008 at 10:09 am
Considering how popular Palin is, I would suggest that her picture be displayed on the left rail of this web site, right below John McCain.
September 5th, 2008 at 10:10 am
what time do daily tracking polls come out?
September 5th, 2008 at 10:11 am
I just want to say that I was vindicated when I predicted this weekend that everyone would feel foolish for thinking she was the wrong choice. It’s amazing how fickle people are. Three days ago it was, “Oh… shit. He picked Palin.” Now it’s like, “Oh shit! He picked Palin! Hallelujah!”
September 5th, 2008 at 10:13 am
wow. palin meets obama’s viewership, mccain surpasses.
obamamania is sooooo yesterday lol
September 5th, 2008 at 10:14 am
34, I thought about that yesterday. What about it Kavon?
September 5th, 2008 at 10:15 am
you know what’s funny, we were all worried about the football game cutting into McCain’s speech, but it probably
boosted his ratings because the game ended right before the speech started, it was perfect
September 5th, 2008 at 10:16 am
I back the idea of placing a Palin picture below McCain on the site
September 5th, 2008 at 10:16 am
the question should begin being asked: will barack drop biden for hillary????
September 5th, 2008 at 10:16 am
I say put her at the top of the site. Posing with a kiss …..
September 5th, 2008 at 10:17 am
#41 - then we lock it up. The only person with higher negatives than Romney is Hillary!
September 5th, 2008 at 10:18 am
seriously, this site needs Palin pictures on it, are you trying to attract hits or not?
September 5th, 2008 at 10:22 am
It’s funny that Rush predicted earlier this week that the question will be “Should Obama drop Biden?” instead of “Should McCain drop Palin?” Looks like he was right.
September 5th, 2008 at 10:48 am
Tracking Poll results are based upon nightly telephone interviews and reported on a three-day rolling average basis. Virtually all of the interviews for today’s update were completed before McCain’s speech last night. Roughly two-thirds of the interviews were completed before Palin’s speech on Wednesday night
September 5th, 2008 at 11:34 am
From Rasmussen:
1. TreeMan 1776 exactly right - the 46-45 split is with 2/3 of the rolling average not taking into account Palin’s speech and not taking into account McCain’s at all. That has got to be frightening for Obama-Biden.
2. More telling to me was this from the site, on the electoral vote projection in the past week:
Ohio—with 20 Electoral College votes–moved from Toss-up to Leans Republican following the second straight Rasmussen Reports telephone survey that showed McCain with a modest lead over Obama.
North Carolina—with 15 Electoral College votes—moved from Leans Republican to Likely Republican.
Wisconsin—with 10 Electoral College votes—moved from Likely Democratic to Leans Democratic. That move was prompted by the latest Rasmussen Reports polling which shows McCain closing to within four percentage points of Obama.
Colorado—with 9 Electoral College votes–moved from Leans Democratic to Toss-Up, based primarily upon the latest Rasmussen Reports poll in which McCain holds a statistically insignificant two-point lead over Obama.
Oregon—with 7 Electoral College votes—moved from Likely Democratic to Leans Democratic. While the latest Rasmussen Reports polling shows Obama with a 10-point lead, the average of other polls and a national trends adjustment places the state in the leaner category.
South Dakota—with 3 Electoral College votes–shifted from Leans Republican to Likely Republican.
Connecticut from Safely Democratic to Likely Democratic
Louisiana from Likely Republican to Safely Republican
Maine from Safely Democratic to Likely Democratic
Tennessee from Likely Republican to Safely Republican.
Now McCain is still going to lose some of those states, but in the past week 10 states shifted and they all shifted in the Republicans direction. That says a lot.
The three that are in the purely tossup category are currently Colorado, Nevada and Virginia. If McCain holds serve on all the leaners and takes those three he wins. That does not look impossible. I think it is better than 50-50 he holds Virginia, and then it potentially comes down to an election based on Colorado and Nevada.
September 5th, 2008 at 2:38 pm
Do any of you idiot “men” WORK or are you idiot Mr Moms like illiterate Todd Palin?
September 5th, 2008 at 3:40 pm
Brett, why don’t you just cool it? Fow whatever reasons the Favorable/unfavorable ratings did not favor Mitt. But the vast majority of the ‘who people wanted for VP, and also the ‘more likely to vote for’ polls were overwhelmingly in favor of Romney. I’ve explained this phenomena before. Now, I wasn’t going to bring up Mitt, but don’t you think for a minute you’re going to have a free pass to bash him with some of us taking notice.
September 5th, 2008 at 10:08 pm
#48: I’m guessing that, despite your username, you personally are not a member of the GOP.