Poll: Majority of Republicans don't think Palin's qualified for prez
[cnn-photo-caption image= http://i2.cdn.turner.com/cnn/2009/images/07/06/art.palinclap0706.gi.jpg caption="According to a new poll, 33 percent of Republicans believe Sarah Palin has the ability to serve effectively as president."](CNN) - A majority of Americans think Sarah Palin is stepping down as Alaska's governor for political reasons, according to a new national poll, with a majority of Republicans now saying that they do not believe that Palin would be an effective president.
Only 33 percent of Republicans questioned in a CBS News survey released Monday night say that Palin would have the ability to serve effectively as president. Last fall, 71 percent of registered Republicans felt that way.
"It's unclear whether the change in Republicans' view of Palin is the result of her decision to step down as governor, or whether the GOP rank-and-file felt they had to defend their party's vice-presidential nominee during the campaign but don't feel the same tug of party loyalty today," said CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Either way, this is bad news for Palin, whose first task in 2012, if she runs for the White House, will be to convince Republican primary voters to support her."
Fifty-two percent of all respondents in the CBS survey said that Palin is resigning because she thinks its better for her political career, with one in four agreeing with Palin's comments that her resignation would benefit Alaska. Most Democrats and independents feel Palin's resignation is politically motivated, while Republicans appear divided, with 36 percent indicating the move is to advance her political career and 31 percent agreeing with Palin's explanation.
"That's another indication that Palin may face a skeptical GOP primary audience if she chooses to run for president," Holland says.
Americans appear divided on whether Palin will run for the White House in 2012, with 43 percent feeling Palin will make a bid for the presidency, 39 percent indicating she will not run, and 18 percent unsure.
Palin has been critical of her coverage in the national media. Nearly half of those questioned, 46 percent, say the media's been harder on Palin compared to other political figures, with only seven percent saying the media's been easier on her than other politicians. Forty-four percent say her treatment's been about the same.
The CBS News poll was conducted July 9-12, with 944 adult Americans questioned by telephone. The survey's sampling error is plus or minus three percentage points.
CNN Deputy Political Director Paul Steinhauser contributed to this report
From CNN Politics
- Tight race for Virginia governor enters final week with national implications on the line October 26, 2021 11:38 am
- They defended the 2020 election against Trump's lies. Now they are running for higher office October 26, 2021 11:34 am
- Trump endorsed Herschel Walker, Max Miller and Sean Parnell. Now they're facing scrutiny over their pasts October 26, 2021 11:13 am
- Facebook revelations add new momentum to efforts to rein in Big Tech October 26, 2021 11:01 am
- How the phone call is disappearing from our lives and polling October 26, 2021 10:04 am
- Supreme Court justices may have met a vaccine mandate some of them don't like October 26, 2021 09:10 am
The 33% of the Republicans who think this brain-dead twit would make an effective President are probably the same idiots who approved of George W. Bush's performance and can't spell their own names without cue cards.
This is news?
First thing I have heard that makes sense from the Republicans, this just might start giving them the nudge they need.......people might start to see that the party does have some sense after all
Yes, and some people actually like fruitcake.
Michelle Obama is more qualified than Sarah Palin.
duh! that republican base of bible thumpers and PTA moms with no clue is NOT very big, and they are the only ones that would votefor her.
Sarah Palin does not have the intellectual capability to run a ranch. She should most definitely not be given the opportunity to run our country. We had a moron in the WH for eight years, and we all know where that go us. I don't think we can afford another one.
For once, I agree with the majority of Republicans concerning one of these polls.
Will wonders ever cease??
There is a 75% chance that Sarah Palin will be President in January 2013, there is a 100% chance that Barrak Obama will not be Presdent in January 2013. Help is on the way, only three and half years to go
Wonderful news, like Christmas in July. Finally, a post about Palin I can live with.
Wa wa wa.
If the electorate were stupid enough to elect this empty suit as President – she would just quit like she's doing her current job.
All the mean people won't shut up – they just keep spouting off the truth and it hurts poor Sarahs feelings. Wa wa wa...
i agree with oceanside, calif; let's just keep goofy sarah out of the headlines and hope she goes away; media attention is exactly what she wants; forget about her and her ne'er-do-well family
Shocking! (just kidding)
What a revelation, at last, the truth leaks
There is more to this that meets the eye....she clearly couldn't handled the vice presidential debates, she airs too much of her dirty laundry. This is someone who really needs prayers.
Not so fast! So what if she's not qualified? Everything bad is still all her fault. Well, it's either her fault or the teleprompter's fault.
I thought, CNN was good news media but now I know it is not. And I know for sure that such media has limited life.
I agree w/ Brendose of Oceanside. Let's let Palin stay in Alaska. She is NOT READY for prime time and just makes us Republicans crazy. (The indepenant thinks I guess) We were all real impressed until she actaully had to represent herself.
Not ready for prime time. I like her but she needs some more experience on teh national stage w/ national and Int'l issues.
That's about the same amount of people who approved of Bush's job as president, so it makes sense. Palin has no chance of every becoming president, but let's not forget how popular she is with the base. I'm curious to see what kind of support she brings to the GOP candidate, and also how much damage she does to that candidate.
Not Qualified. YOU THINK!!!!!
Clearly the democrats would like nothing more than for Palin to head the ticket for the GOP in 2012. She is a cut-and-run, attention deficit disorder scatter brain.
flp – get a life – your x president Bush is the reason the economy is so bad....putting money in a country that doesn't care about America or the other countries of the world...Thankfully there is not someone with a brain and intelligence at the helm again!