Sorry, Rush, Sean, Glenn, Tea Party movement members and sympathizers: a new CBS Poll finds that the brand you’ve been praising and pushing (fby some towards the White House) is not becoming notably popular with the American people. The bottom line is that it’s increasingly clear that former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin is a politically acquired taste — and a big chunk of America is not acquiring it.
And, the poll shows, the vast majority of Republicans aren’t exactly blown away by her, either:
Sarah Palin is viewed unfavorably by nearly 50 percent of Americans, a new CBS News poll finds, a significant challenge for her to overcome should she enter the 2012 presidential race.
Palin is viewed favorably by just 22 percent of Americans, according to the poll – including less than half (44 percent) of Republicans. Twenty-one percent of independents and 6 percent of Democrats view her favorably.
Forty-eight percent of Americans have an unfavorable view of Palin. That includes 73 percent of Democrats, 44 percent of independents and 22 percent of Republicans.
Twenty-nine percent said they are undecided or not sure how they feel about Palin, including about one in three Republicans and independents.
And can you guess where the vast majority of her GOP support is? If you answered “The Tea Party movement!” then you betchya!
Palin’s numbers are far better among Americans who have a favorable view of the Tea Party movement. Sixty-one percent of that group views her favorably, while just 14 percent view her unfavorably. One in four aren’t sure.
This underscores again how Palin may have legions who adore her, who chuckle at her writing notes on her hand while she (and they) keep talking about Barack Obama and teleprompters, welcome her Facebook and Twitters as if they are new stone tablets brought down from Mount Sinai — but many other Americans either a)don’t understand her, b)don’t like her or c)just don’t “get it” (choose the one that fits your political bias).
It also suggests that there will be an ongoing internal battle in the GOP for some years to come.
Numbers like these will clearly embolden Republicans who would challenge her if she decides to make a bid for the White House. They will also encourage some GOPers to make sure they don’t sound like her or come across the same as she does.
Yet, at the same time, there are now several Republican candidates who are using the Palin model both in the way they speak and their approach to the press (i.e. mostly go on Fox and forget about talking to real reporters who won’t throw softball partisan questions like Sean Hannity).
But Palin can’t be underestimated.
Even with these kinds of numbers, it’s easy to project a scenario where if she runs her voters come out in droves during the primary, or she gets some big wins because the Palin vote among Tea Party members and sympathizers solidifies behind her while other candidates split the votes. Which raises the question: if numbers like this persist will there be a behind the scenes effort by some Republican establishment figures to stop Palin if she runs?
After all, Sarah Palin is the one who has endorsed so many of the candidates who ran against Republican establishment-blessed politicos and created a host of upsets that has rocked the Republican party — and, some believe, the entire American scene.
Joe Gandelman is a former fulltime journalist who freelanced in India, Spain, Bangladesh and Cypress writing for publications such as the Christian Science Monitor and Newsweek. He also did radio reports from Madrid for NPR’s All Things Considered. He has worked on two U.S. newspapers and quit the news biz in 1990 to go into entertainment. He also has written for The Week and several online publications, did a column for Cagle Cartoons Syndicate and has appeared on CNN.