She may still be a good story
But Palin’s poll numbers keep going south
By Ted McLaughlin / The Rag Blog / February 12, 2010
The teabaggers, Republican right-wingers, political pundits, and media talking heads seemed determined to keep Sarah Palin relevant, and an important figure on the American political scene. For the media talking heads, she is a good story since few people are noncommittal about Palin — you either like her or hate her.
Three TV networks even carried her speech to the sham teabagger convention a few days ago (although I doubt that many Americans watched). The media seems to think that Palin actually makes politics interesting, and they don’t want her to go away because then they would be reduced to covering only boring real politicians — whom the American public really won’t take much interest in for another couple of years.
The political pundits basically have the same interest as the media talking heads. They know a column about Palin will get readers — even those who hate her will read the column. Whereas, a column about Mitt Romney or some other semi-competent politician will not get nearly the readership. Therefore, they go out of their way to try and convince readers that Palin is popular and actually has a chance to be elected to something again.
As for the teabaggers and right-wing Republicans, they are just trying to remain relevant themselves. They have to appeal to the Palin-bots, because they make up a large part of the base for both groups and without them they would wither into insignificance. The teabaggers have little connection to reality, but I think most Republicans know Palin is not a real possibility as a candidate — they just can’t say that out loud without angering a large part of their base.
But regardless of how hard the teabaggers, Republicans, pundits and media personalities try to keep Palin relevant to the national political scene, the American people aren’t buying it. With each month that goes by, fewer people have a favorable opinion of Sarah Palin. As the chart above shows, Palin’s popularity is dropping like a rock(and has been dropping since September of 2008).
According to Washington Post/ABC News polls, back in September 2008 Palin had a favorability rating of nearly 60%. At that time, she was new on the national political scene and the public knew very little about her. But as the public learned more, her favorability rating has dropped in every poll taken since then.
According to the latest Washington Post/ABC News poll, taken after her nationally televised speech, her popularity is still declining. Currently, 37% of Americans view her favorably (the lowest of any poll so far) and 55% of Americans view her unfavorably (a clear majority, even considering the 3% margin of error).
But it gets even worse for Palin. That’s because about 30% of those who view her favorably don’t think she is qualified to be president. Only 26% of Americans believe she is qualified, while a full 71% say she is not qualified. These numbers are also going in the wrong direction for Palin (back in November 2009 38% said she was qualified and 60% said she wasn’t).
The powers that be may still be touting the viability of a Palin candidacy, but the American people are simply not buying it.
[Rag Blog contributor Ted McLaughlin also posts at jobsanger.]
The more Sarah gets out there and is actually seen and heard, the more her incredible lack of depth will surely become obvious.
One of the reasons that Freedom of Speech is the first article of the Bill of Rights is that it is indispensable in separating the goats from the sheep in public discourse.
Rave on!
Gee thats funny that the blog rules say that malicious remarks will be deleted. Ted why are you using the term “teabagger”. Why don’t you show us one instance of where the tea party movement has used that term? Additionally, why don’t you post the definition. Maybe it is because you think that using crude remarks for a perverted sexual act is funny (like most middle school boys might) that it prevents you from having to actually try and argue the points the people are making? Maybe Sarah Palin isn’t a good politician, but guess what, most of what the people have elected are far worse. Lies and corruption are the status quo. I guess you feel so threatened by someone who speaks her mind that your only defense is to make crude remarks. How about commenting on the President’s drop in favoribility?
g-
Whether you want to admit it or not, the teabagger term was first started by those in the tea party movement – although I admit they probably didn’t know it’s street definition.
As for the president’s favoribility rating, it’s still over 50%.
One of the definitions of “teabagger” in the Urban Dictionary:
“a person who is unaware that they have said or done something foolish, childlike, noobish, lame, or inconvenient…”
Maybe I’m too Old School, but the sexual connotation for “teabagger” had never even occurred to me.
It’s always interesting to see people use statistics, (especially those produced by public polls), to serve their own ends. Let’s try to remember that these numbers are produced by simply calling 1000 people on the phone and asking them if they approve or disapprove of Sarah Palin. Considering the low state of the political consciousness of the American citizenry, let’s remember that the answers people give do not necessarily represent deeply considered beliefs. That’s why polls are so unreliable in what they tell us about the future. They only measure public whims, not convictions. The ‘powers that be’ have the well-demonstrated ability to manipulate events in such a way as to push these public whims in directions that serve their ends.
Let’s also try to realize that what Mr. McGlaughlin characterizes as “dropping like a rock” only looks like a gradual decline when graphed, and only represents a 7.5% swing. (The 15% difference between Palin’s high water mark and her current low mark, represents a change of only 7.5% of respondents from approval to disapproval).
Any progressive who does not take the Tea Party phenomenon, and its potential leaders, seriously is just being very foolish. It is already obvious that the ‘powers that be’ are providing Palin with financial backing. They have been greasing the way for her. They have their eyes on other possible candidates as well. (Scott Brown from MA is widely mentioned as another ‘dumb’ populist with ‘sex appeal’). They want another puppet as compliant as Bush. Palin is certainly no dumber than he was.
When we factor in the Citizen’s United decision, we should understand that there is a very real possibility that Sarah Palin, or some other country bumpkin who will make a happy puppet in the Oval office, could actually be elected in ’12.
While the ‘powers that be’ are very busy furiously organizing their forces, the Left is foolishly content to sit back smugly and ridicule their efforts. People like Ted McGlaughlin best wake up. Many German intellectuals derided Hitler as a clown, until his Brownshirts shut them up.
RZ
people used to laugh at Ronald Reagan, & say he was too extreme to ever be elected president. So don’t get complacent.
but under the circumstances, I think we should refer to her as the Tea Queen & try our very best to affirm her as the face of their movement.
It illustrates very well the special blend of hysteria, confusion, hypocrisy, and bigotry that characterizes the “populism” that only attacks the poor and aged but spares corporations and the wealthy.