Public Policy has a new poll out on Sarah Palin:
Public Policy Polling released a study on Thursday revealing that, one year after bursting onto the national scene, Palin still has not made inroads among a variety of key demographic groups. Most significantly, among women the Alaska Republican has only a 37 percent favorable rating compared to a 51 percent unfavorable.
Most significantly among women. Significant, but hardly surprising… after all, women have seen her game played time and time again. We didn’t like it in high school and we obviously won’t support it in the voting booth. But what are women seeing in Sarah Palin that results in a 51% unfavorable rating?
Glad you asked. What I, and other women I’ve spoken with, see in Sarah is a classic game of I’m with the boys. Let me explain… An I’m with the boys women is a phony, eagerly embracing what boys like simply to garner their praise. The second part of this game involves mocking other women who don’t like all the things boys like. Basically this type of woman is a shape-shifter, adjusting her likes and dislikes to suit her intended audience. She’s insincere in motive and dishonest in practice, but once she snares her prey (in this case, the older white male) she’ll be forgiven for any and all inconsistencies.
Calling Hillary a whiner and then going on to break all whining records. No problem, the boys have her back. Quitting being Governor? Well… while they might not have been thrilled with the move, they understand. Unable to offer substance, let alone a properly constructed sentence, during a VP debate? Nothing that can’t be resolved with a wink.
The winking incident is a huge factor with women… unless someone thinks those winks were directed at women. This was the ultimate eye-rolling moment. And while certain men got all hot and bothered, women said, “Oh no she didn’t!”
Women aren’t buying into her persona. We simply don’t believe she is who she says she is, and we sense, given a chance, she’ll gleefully throw us under the bus. There’s just not enough room in the spotlight for any woman but Sarah, and I’d lay money that her recent Michelle Bachman gushing begins cooling.
Because it’s a guy thing.
And speaking of guys… Conservative men aren’t helping her cause by constantly dismissing concerns by women with the “you’re jealous because she’s hot” line. In fact, they’re only reinforcing what women already sense – that Sarah Palin is playing an age old sexual game and that some older men will forever be willing to play the fool for a pretty face. It’s this reinforcing of sexual stereotypes that result in a 51% unfavorability rating. It isn’t about her looks. It’s about how she uses those looks. It isn’t about her bombing interview questions. It’s about the pass given to the little lady, because, I guess, there are boy questions and girl questions. And… it’s the reaction of certain men to antics they should have outgrown years ago that have women rolling their eyes and turning away from Palin.