Comments on: CBS News Poll: Fewer than 1 in Four View Palin Favorably

By: Leebot

Leebot — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 23:59:21 +0000

"Palin needs to expand her constituency among her true believers and partisan fans if she wants to be more than a political celebrity."

But I don't think she DOES want more than that.

In my past life I worked on the staff of elected officials and also interacted with all kinds of other elected and appointed officials -- including a female mayor and female city commissioners -- and the way truly dedicated public servants behave is . . . .well, DIFFERENT than what Palin offers. They tend to have distinguished themselves academically and continue to read, read, read -- absorbing a wide variety of information like sponges to stay mentally sharp and well-informed. They work hard professionally, putting in their dues in over time -- working long hours and sitting through interminably long and sometimes boringly wonkish policy meetings. The really good ones develop communication skills and learn to listen with compassion and empathy. They open their minds to diverse points of view.

Indeed she has a lot of work to do, but I see no inclination on her part to undertake the kind of self-reflection and Extreme Makeover that would require.

By: DLS

DLS — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 17:14:42 +0000

Ron Beasley, you're being as overly simplistic as — it's actually humorous — Superdestroyer (“Super D”).

http://www-personal.umich.edu/~mejn/election/20…

[California]

http://img43.imageshack.us/img43/3248/statewide…

By: DLS

DLS — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 16:40:00 +0000

What's more interesting is the level of hype and dislike and disease among the detractors, and why. It's they, not she, who is creating this ongoing story (less and less about her).

By: shannonlee

shannonlee — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 08:35:40 +0000

The 1 of 4 that like her....really really really like her.

They also put their money where their mouth is. She has no chance at the nomination, but she is a force in the Rep party.

By: Ron Beasley

Ron Beasley — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:27:52 +0000

Palin and Huckabee's support comes from an America that was once a majority but is now a minority, rural America. Their followers may mistrust the people on the coasts but the reality is that's where most the voters are.

By: Ethos

Ethos — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 05:09:23 +0000

Efforts to equate compromise with weakness have come to bite the Right in the back end. The base of the Republican party is effectively cut off from expanding itself beyond a core of True Believers whose ideological platform is Our Way or the Highway - times ten.

That may be fine in local races where demographics don't move around much, but on the national stage it's going to be impossible to win without a candidate who can appeal to people outside of the NO COMPROMISE! talk show brand.

It's a lesson McCain learned in 2000 and then applied in 2008... unfortunately he learned the right lesson, but obtained the wrong conclusion. No one I've seen so far is in a position to buck the trend for the GOP in 2012. Still plenty of time though.

Ethos

By: Demonthenese

Demonthenese — Tue, 17 Nov 2009 04:58:55 +0000

I feel as though sometimes this country drifts into a fog every now and then. If everything goes according to plan, things seem normal. For example, Sarah Palin announces she will run as vice president with John Mccain. Conservatives seemed to like her, the middle seemed a little indifferent and the left somewhat against her. The fact that she was almost the vice-president of The United States Of America should be much more shocking than has been recently. She is someone who thought Africa was a country. If politicians run for higher political offices we seem to think everything is going according to plan, but NO. There is no way, and i'm siding with pragmatism, that she should EVER hold office in any capacity that puts the well being of citizens on the line. I mean my god, she represents the greater symptom of American politics and cultural attitude toward our leaders. Thank god we didn't elect her as vice-president, but it shouldn't have even gone that far. Come on America, youre better than that.