It’s Palin Hunting Season
First Mike Huckabee came out against Sarah Palin’s ridiculous attack on Michelle Obama and now the Wall Street Journal throws a barb or two Palin’s way. The Hill details the criticism Palin has been receiving as some in the GOP may be realizing that Palin does not have a snow ball’s chance in Hell in winning the general election against Obama. This was all before Public Policy Polling released their numbers that show high numbers of unpopularity for Palin in Alaska. As 538 said yesterday:
Meanwhile, Mr. Obama continues to enjoy a very large advantage — about 14 points, on average — over Sarah Palin. However likely Ms. Palin is to win the Republican nomination — and I can’t help but think that, if her numbers remain this poor, it will eventually become less likely — this essentially represents pure upside for Mr. Obama: what poker players would term a freeroll.
So if an election were held tomorrow, Mr. Obama would be a clear favorite against Ms. Palin, and probably about even money (although perhaps a very slight favorite) against a less divisive Republican nominee.
Tags: GOP, Numbers, Sarah Palin
it is important to note that Palin doesn’t lack popularity numbers due to people not knowing her (as was the state for Obama in 2007). we know her and don’t like her. That is very hard to reverse.
I would think that COD didn’t help Palin any, showing some Republicans the risk of putting looks over substance.
Palin still has a pretty clear path to the nomination – she wins Iowa, then South Carolina. I’m not sure who can compete for her voters – Huckabee (insufficient conservatism), Gingrich?, perhaps Pence (low name recognition). We shall see, I guess. I feel pretty certain that Palin is in a protective bubble so no doubt she thinks people love her.
She would have a strong, fanatical base that might be enough to get her the nomination. However, that “base” will be all the support she can muster, though it might invite a strong 3rd party candidate (Bloomberg) with centrist claims who could make waves in the election. Glad to see these numbers though – a Palin America would make us miss Bush America.