http://voices.washingtonpost.com/be..._chapter_same_c.html?wprss=behind-the-numbers
Sarah Palin: new chapter, same challenges
If Sarah Palin's book tour is an opening salvo in a run for the presidency in 2012, she faces a steep uphill climb: a majority of Americans in a new Washington Post-ABC News poll say they would "definitely not vote for her."
Most - 60 percent - in the new poll say the former Alaska governor is not qualified to serve as president, and her favorability rating remains stuck well below what it was when she first emerged on the national scene at last year's Republican convention.
But she continues to have strident supporters, particularly among the Republican base, lifting her political influence. Overall, 52 percent of those polled say they see Palin in unfavorable terms, but among Republicans, her positive rating soars to 76 percent. Nearly two-thirds of all white evangelical Protestants hold favorable views of her.
Put together, a majority of Americans have "strongly" positive or negative views of her, more than enough to propel her new memoir onto the bestseller lists.
However, if the goal is the White House, public opinion is now tilted against the idea: asked if they would consider voting for Palin in 2012, 53 percent say they would not. Just 9 percent say they would definitely vote for her; another 37 percent say they would consider it. The 53 percent who say they would definitely not vote for Palin now is nearly twice the percentage who said so of her 2008 running mate John McCain in the spring of 2006 (28 percent). Back then, 42 percent said they would definitely not support Hillary Clinton for the presidency.
Women tend to be more critical of Palin than are men, with female Democrats and independents more apt than their male counterparts to view her unfavorably, see her as not qualified for the presidency and say they would not support her candidacy.
More from this new poll later today and this week in the Washington Post.
From the new poll:
Q: Changing topics, do you have a favorable or
unfavorable impression of Sarah Palin?
Do you feel that way strongly or somewhat?
------ Favorable ------ ------ Unfavorable ---- No
NET Strongly Somewhat NET Somewhat Strongly opin.
11/15/09 43 20 23 52 18 34 5
7/18/09 40 20 20 53 19 34 7
10/23/08 LV 46 28 18 51 11 40 3
9/29/08 RV 51 29 23 40 11 29 9
9/22/08 RV 52 31 21 38 10 27 11
9/7/08 RV 58 35 23 28 11 17 15
9/4/08* RV 52 34 18 37 14 23 11
* "the Republican nominee for vice president"
Q: If Palin runs for president in 2012, would you
definitely vote for her, would you consider voting for her,
or would you definitely not vote for her?
Definitely Would Definitely No
would consider would not opinion
11/15/09 9 37 53 1
Compare to Hillary Clinton/2008:
Definitely Would Definitely No
would consider would not opinion
5/15/06 19 38 42 1
Compare to John McCain/2008:
Definitely Would Definitely No
would consider would not opinion
5/15/06 9 57 28 6
Q: Regardless of whether or not you'd vote for her,
do you think Palin is or is not qualified to serve as president?
Is Is not No
qualified qualified opinion
11/15/09 38 60 3