Poll - Americans increasingly skeptical of Palin's experience

[Sasquatch]

Poll finds growing skepticism of Palin experience

Thu Oct 2, 6:57 AM ET

A growing proportion of U.S. voters question Republican vice presidential nominee Sarah Palin's readiness for the job, according to a national opinion poll reported by The Washington Post on Thursday.

The poll results came as the Alaska governor prepared to face Democrat Joe Biden in the only vice presidential debate before the November 4 election.

About half of all voters surveyed said they were uncomfortable with the idea of Republican presidential nominee John McCain taking office at age 72, and 85 percent of those voters said Palin does not have the experience needed to be president, according to The Washington Post/ABC News poll.

Sixty percent said Palin did not have the experience to be president, up from 45 percent in a similar survey a month ago, the Post said.

About four in 10 conservatives and white evangelical Protestants, three in 10 Republicans and a quarter of Republican women said Palin does not have the necessary experience, the Post said.

A month ago, before she appeared in a series of television interviews, voters rated Palin as highly as they did McCain or Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama, the newspaper said.

The biggest shift on Palin has come among independents, a crucial voting group.

In early September, independents were divided on Palin's experience; now they take the negative view by about 2 to 1, the Post reported.

A third of independent voters now indicate they are less likely to support McCain because of Palin, compared with 20 percent who said so in an ABC poll a month ago, the Post said.

Overall, 51 percent of voters view Palin favorably; for Biden, that ratio is 57 percent.

On the understanding of complex issues, Palin runs far behind Biden, a six-term senator and chairman of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee. About three-quarters of those surveyed said he understands complex issues, compared with 46 percent who said so of her, the poll found.

The telephone poll of 1,070 registered voters was conducted Thursday through Saturday and has a margin of sampling error of plus or minus 3 percentage points.

(Reporting by JoAnne Allen; editing by Mohammad Zargham)
YahooNews (http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20081002/pl_nm/us_usa_politics_palin_poll_3&printer=1;_ylt=AkE_OaoSCHB.aKLvahuN5yMb.3QA)

[JBond]

There sure seem to be a lot of sheep out there that are easily herded by the main stream media. I wish there was as much detailed coverage of Obama in and his family and and his associations. I feel like we know every detail of Palins life and yet there are still major gaps and unanswered questions about Obama his past and current advisor's, pastor, business partners, board associations, wall street connections and on and on.

It really is amazing. If McCain attend a white supremest church for 20 years and had his children baptized there, it would be the lead story of the media. If he was friends with and served on boards with an admitted terrorist he would have been out of the running months ago. If he had got a sweetheart (possibly illegal?) deal on his home and adjoining land from a convicted felon, He would not even be a senator now. The double standard is amazing.

[Dallas]

There sure seem to be a lot of sheep out there that are easily herded by the main stream media. I wish there was as much detailed coverage of Obama in and his family and and his associations. I feel like we know every detail of Palins life and yet there are still major gaps and unanswered questions about Obama his past and current advisor's, pastor, business partners, board associations, wall street connections and on and on.

It really is amazing. If McCain attend a white supremest church for 20 years and had his children baptized there, it would be the lead story of the media. If he was friends with and served on boards with an admitted terrorist he would have been out of the running months ago. If he had got a sweetheart (possibly illegal?) deal on his home and adjoining land from a convicted felon, He would not even be a senator now. The double standard is amazing.


And now we see just how powerful the press can be. I do agree with many of your points. Good post.

[Sasquatch]

If McCain attend a white supremest church for 20 years and had his children baptized there, it would be the lead story of the media. If he was friends with and served on boards with an admitted terrorist he would have been out of the running months ago. If he had got a sweetheart (possibly illegal?) deal on his home and adjoining land from a convicted felon, He would not even be a senator now. The double standard is amazing.

I guess you weren't around during the democratic primary. It's old news now.

[Wheat]

I find her increasingly hot. Like a teacher I found hot in 10th grade.

Oh, this Main Stream Media Conspiracy is nonsense. She was unprepared for the interview. That simple.

She'll do fine tonight. This is her arena.

[JBond]

Why should it be "old" news. It shows who Obama really is right now. He is a guy that won a an election to state senate running unopposed. While there he he voted "present" a record amount of times. Before that he was a "community organizer" trained by socialist radicals. After his weak body of work in the state senate, he made it to the US Senate. 143 days later he announces his run for the President.

What else and I am supposed to judge the man on besides his close friends, associates and pastor? His work as senator at any level? I can't find anything substantial there. He wonderful work as a community organizer? I know what he did there. Do you? That leaves the people he made a conscientious decision to surround himself with.

[Sasquatch]

Why should it be "old" news. It shows who Obama really is right now. He is a guy that won a an election to state senate running unopposed. While there he he voted "present" a record amount of times. Before that he was a "community organizer" trained by socialist radicals. After his weak body of work in the state senate, he made it to the US Senate. 143 days later he announces his run for the President.

What else and I am supposed to judge the man on besides his close friends, associates and pastor? His work as senator at any level? I can't find anything substantial there. He wonderful work as a community organizer? I know what he did there. Do you? That leaves the people he made a conscientious decision to surround himself with.

Palin hasn't come close to enduring the type of scrutiny that Obama was subjected to during the Wright controversy. Unlike her, he didn't hide from the media but faced the same questions day after day and took it on the chin. Same goes for his Rezko dealings. It made him a better candidate in the long run. The McCain camp might learn a thing or two from his experiences with controversy.

[ABQCOWBOY]

Palin hasn't come close to enduring the type of scrutiny that Obama was subjected to during the Wright controversy. Unlike her, he didn't hide from the media but faced the same questions day after day and took it on the chin. Same goes for his Rezko dealings. It made him a better candidate in the long run. The McCain camp might learn a thing or two from his experiences with controversy.

Surely, you can see the difference here. While what you say may be true, the real comparison should be Palin and Biden. For all of those who would burn Palin at the stake for her latest interviews, how can you turn the other way on Biden?

If I had the choice between death by strangulation and voting for Biden, I'd probably vote for Biden but I'd make certain that I had a good nose ready, just in case that options started to look better in 6 months or so.

:laugh2:

[Sasquatch]

Surely, you can see the difference here. While what you say may be true, the real comparison should be Palin and Biden. For all of those who would burn Palin at the stake for her latest interviews, how can you turn the other way on Biden?

If I had the choice between death by strangulation and voting for Biden, I'd probably vote for Biden but I'd make certain that I had a good nose ready, just in case that options started to look better in 6 months or so.

:laugh2:

Surely, you can see the difference between someone who has been in the national spotlight for over 20 years and a newcomer who was introduced to the nation only weeks ago. Palin is new and unknown, which is why people want to know more about her and why some pundits thought she was a risky pick. Biden, on the other hand, has been around for ages, and everything to be said about him has already been said.

[JBond]

Palin hasn't come close to enduring the type of scrutiny that Obama was subjected to during the Wright controversy. Unlike her, he didn't hide from the media but faced the same questions day after day and took it on the chin. Same goes for his Rezko dealings. It made him a better candidate in the long run. The McCain camp might learn a thing or two from his experiences with controversy.

I notice you do not dispute the basic facts of Obama's associations and how they reflect on him as a man. I am curious why you support him? Is it his message of change? What is it specifically that Obama is going to do to make America a greater country? How is going to improve individual freedom? How is going to strengthen families? Will he promote stronger education system through choice? How is going to be good for America?

[ABQCOWBOY]

Surely, you can see the difference between someone who has been in the national spotlight for over 20 years and a newcomer who was introduced to the nation only weeks ago. Palin is new and unknown, which is why people want to know more about her and why some pundits thought she was a risky pick. Biden, on the other hand, has been around for ages, and everything to be said about him has already been said.

If this question were realated to the interest the public may have in Palin, I could completely understand. However, that doesn't answer the question possed. Why should it be considered as "Old News" and not worthy of consideration when evaluating the two Vice Presidential candidates? Difficult to find the sense in that.

[Sasquatch]

I notice you do not dispute the basic facts of Obama's associations and how they reflect on him as a man. I am curious why you support him? Is it his message of change? What is it specifically that Obama is going to do to make America a greater country? How is going to improve individual freedom? How is going to strengthen families? Will he promote stronger education system through choice? How is going to be good for America?

I'm not voting for Obama but I do think he's preferable to McCain who has amassed plenty of his own questionable associations during his distinguished career. Afterall, I'm for socialized medicine and education, slashing the defense budget by at least 25%, massive public works projects, strict separation of church and state and the eradication of religion from our society altogether, same sex marriage (or, rather, replacing marriage with civil unions for everyone) and a whole host of issues that place me on the far left of the political spectrum.

As for your questions, I would consult Obama's website, since he's sure to provide more thorough responses than I can.

[ABQCOWBOY]

I'm not voting for Obama but I do think he's preferable to McCain who has amassed plenty of his own questionable associations during his distinguished career. Afterall, I'm for socialized medicine, and education, slashing the defense budget by at least 25%, massive public works projects, strict separation of church and state and the eradication of religion in our society altogether, same sex marriage (or, rather, replacing marriage with civil unions for everyone) and a whole host of issues that place me on the far left of the political spectrum.

As for your questions, I would consult Obama's website, since he's sure to provide more thorough responses than I can.


Maybe next year.

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