November 16, 2009 6:30 PM

Poll: Less Than 1 in 4 Have Favorable View of Palin

By
Brian Montopoli
Topics
Polling
(CBS)
She may be among the biggest names in politics at the moment, but former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin is not exactly America's sweetheart.

Just 23 percent of those surveyed in a new CBS News poll have a favorable view of the former Alaska governor. That matches her favorable rating in July, when Palin announced she was resigning from her job as governor.

Thirty-eight percent, meanwhile, have an unfavorable view of Palin -- also roughly matching her July rating. Another 37 percent say they are undecided or haven't heard enough, despite the spotlight on Palin in recent days tied to the imminent publication of her memoir, "Going Rogue."

(AP Photo/Jeff Topping)
Unsurprisingly, Palin is far more popular with Republicans than Democrats. Fifty-two percent of Republicans have a favorable view of her, while 16 percent have an unfavorable view. By contrast, just four percent of Democrats view Palin favorably, while 57 percent say their opinion is not favorable.

Among independents, Palin has a net negative rating, with 21 percent viewing her favorably and 36 percent viewing her unfavorably.

?VIEWS OF SARAH PALIN - BY POLITICAL PARTY
Rep Dem Ind
Favorable 52% 4% 21%
Not favorable 16% 57% 36%
Undecided/Haven't Heard Enough 32% 37% 40%


Most Americans do not want to see Palin run for president in 2012. Two in three say they don't want to see a Palin run, while 24 percent say they would like to see her jump into the race.

Republicans are divided: Forty-four percent want Palin to run, but even more -- 48 percent -- do not. Democrats, independents and even conservatives oppose a Palin run, while white evangelicals favor it by a slim margin, 48 percent to 42 percent.

?WOULD YOU LIKE SARAH PALIN TO RUN FOR PRESIDENT IN 2012?
All Rep Dem Ind Conservatives White evangelicals
Yes 24% 44% 9% 26% 41% 48%
No 66% 48% 83% 62% 50% 42%


Forty-three percent of Republicans think Palin would be an effective president, an improvement of ten points from the summer. But thirty-nine percent say she would not be.

Just 11 percent of Democrats and 29 percent of independents believe Palin could be an effective president. Overall, 26 percent of Americans say she could be effective in the job.

?WOULD PALIN HAVE THE ABILITY TO BE AN EFFECTIVE PRESIDENT?
All Rep Dem Ind Conservatives White evangelicals
Yes 26% 43% 11% 29% 46% 50%
No 62% 39% 84% 58% 43% 37%


Read the Complete Poll

More Coverage of Sarah Palin's Book:

Exclusive: Palin Accounts Disputed by McCain Aides
Palin Contradicts Her Own Version Of Events With Oprah
Democrats Give Mixed Reactions to Sarah Palin Buzz
Sarah Palin: I Was "Annoyed" by Katie Couric's Newspaper Question
Bob Schieffer on Palin: No Future in Politics
Palin Book Roils Former McCain Aides
Palin "Vindictiveness" in Her New Book?
Palin Publicity Blitz Full Speed Ahead

This poll was conducted among a random sample of 873 adults nationwide, interviewed by telephone November 13-15, 2009. Phone numbers were dialed from random digit dial samples of both standard land-line and cell phones. The error due to sampling for results based on the entire sample could be plus or minus three percentage points. The error for subgroups is higher.

This poll release conforms to the Standards of Disclosure of the National Council on Public Polls.

Add a Comment See all 192 Comments
by jennysaslut July 22, 2010 10:41 PM EDT
Most Americans love Palin, but I think that more are more trustworthy of Newt and will elect him as President. He will fix the country, like he did when he was speaker of the house during the Clinton administration.
Reply to this comment
by cadaverine November 23, 2009 9:30 PM EST
Polls like this fail to capture the complexities of the electorate. I was on a message board the other day where there were a dozen people who wanted Palin to run for president simply because they thought it'd be funny and/or harmful to the Republication party. Would the poll consider them "favorable" toward Palin?
Reply to this comment
by 23bigdon1 November 21, 2009 9:47 PM EST
Sarah Palin is a joke best told behind closed doors. She is simply a malfunctioning Barbie Doll. Her supporters are wild about her, but every Republican politician in the country is running away from her because she sucks the air out of every room she enters because of her polarizing personality. Pretty? Maybe. Intelligent, who knows. Competent? No way.
Reply to this comment
by pecandrive November 21, 2009 12:58 AM EST
CBS, you really should poll a larger sample than just your editoral staff.
Reply to this comment
by rharrisonscott November 20, 2009 11:20 AM EST
CBS certainly isn't polling the people who live in the community I live in.
Reply to this comment
by dennisgreen5 November 19, 2009 9:39 PM EST
The world today needs dynamic leadership for all the nations on earth. Nuclear weapons, global warming (polar icecaps melting threatening humans and animals), healthcare, world economy, wars and terrorism, the criminal justice system, infrastructure (bridges and roads and dams), social security, airline safety, education programs for after school, public transportation (railroads and bus'es), illegal immigrants, drug addiction (these are social problems that should be dealt with medically, not by our prison systems), mental health care, compassionate care for the aged, reevaluating our military commitments around the world, Veterans benefits, and a host of other problems. If Palin quits the job as governor of Alaska she would last about 15 minutes as President of the United States of America!
Reply to this comment
by sarrab-2009 November 18, 2009 11:29 PM EST
poll taken by CBS, forget it I don,t watch CBS and 95% don't watch CBS, the only people that watch CBS are liberals and they all smoke POT.
Reply to this comment
by 23bigdon1 November 21, 2009 9:49 PM EST
What weird stuff are you smoking, you wiseass Republipuke? Go back to your Faux News and imbibe the koolaid.
by toomuchtruth November 18, 2009 3:13 PM EST
Mrs. Palin is exemplary of the modern media star; no apparent
talents or abilities, but the object of much attention.
Reply to this comment
by FailinPalin November 18, 2009 10:41 AM EST
I wonder what Levi has on Sarah Palin. She sure has done an about-face when talking about him since he told her to back off or he would disclose all her dirty secrets. GO LEVI!!! I would rather vote him into office then that mess, Sarah. Oh yeah, Sarah's daughter got knocked up by a known drug dealer's son. Mrs. Johnston and Rush Limbough (the hypocrite) should hook up and pop oxi-cotton together.
Reply to this comment
by abro915 November 18, 2009 8:59 AM EST
It's a sad statement about our nation when this woman has that much following. But it does explain the state we're in. I would like to see a comparative poll of people under 30. That might give us a good idea of where we're headed.
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