Initial Take On The Palin Effect

I'm surprised, I must admit, by the initial findings about Gov. Sarah Palin contained in the two daily presidential tracking polls I've quoted repeatedly in this space.

From Editor & Publisher:

Here's a finding from Gallup: Among Democratic women -- including those who may be disappointed that Hillary Clinton did not win the Democratic nomination -- 9 percent say Palin makes them more likely to support McCain, 15 percent less likely.From Rasmussen: Some 38 percent of men said they were more likely to vote for McCain now, but only 32 percent of women. By a narrow 41 percent to 35 percent margin, men said she was not ready to be president -- but women soundly rejected her, 48 percent to 25 percent. Only 9 percent of Obama supporters said they might be more likely to vote for McCain.

Now, I must add I never expected Palin to pick up any support from Democratic women who are, for the most part, pro-choice, anti-gun, anti-hunting, and politically progressive. But I did expect Palin's selection to energize the party's religious base (which she has done) and to possibly woo some undecided, independent voters into the McCain fold. Whether she will do that is still up for grabs.

By Bonnie Erbe