Sarah Palin Moves into Statistical Tie for Lead in Wide-Open GOP 2012 Field

[TomCADem]

Source: Associated Press

Odd as it might seem, given that her favorability ratings are not that high, the former governor of Alaska, Sarah Palin, is now within the margin of error of the lead in many polls, indicating she very well could be the preferred 2012 presidential candidate of the Republican Party. How did that happen? How did the polarizing conservative firebrand move from a steady fourth or fifth position (depending on which polls were accessed) into second place in a recent Gallup Poll?

According to a Gallup poll released on May 17, former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney led all potential Republican presidential nominees with 20 percent of respondents saying they would prefer he be the 2012 GOP choice. Palin was only two points behind. Given the statistical margin of error for the poll (+/- 3 percent), there is a statistical possibility Palin just might be the most preferred of all the candidates.

It appears Palin had a little help from her Republican colleagues and potential competitors. On May 14 former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee, a leader in many national polls as the preferred Republican candidate, announced via his Fox News talk show that he would not be seeking the GOP nomination in 2012, saying his heart just wasn't in it. Two days later, businessman Donald Trump, who had also led or maintained a frontrunner position among potential candidates, announced that he, too, would not seek the Republican Party's nomination in August 2012.

And then, just days after declaring that he was running for president, former Speaker of the House Newt Gingrich brought down the puzzled wrath of most of the GOP by calling Rep. Paul Ryan's Medicare proposal (incorporated in the overwhelmingly Republican-supported 2012 budget passed by the House of Representatives) a "radical change" from current Medicare practices, describing it as undesirable "social engineering."


Read more: http://news.yahoo.com/s/ac/20110522/pl_ac/8517835_sarah_palin_moves_into_statistical_tie_for_lead_in_wideopen_gop_2012_field;_ylt=Auo7FfzQyesJpyzdXYhtvvkR.3QA;_ylu=X3oDMTUzZjJqYWdxBGFzc2V0A2FjLzIwMTEwNTIyLzg1MTc4MzVfc2FyYWhfcGFsaW5fbW92ZXNfaW50b19zdG

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Wow! On the one hand this is amazing that Republicans would gravitate to her, as opposed to someone who is a bit more stable. Heck, if you wanted to push a Republican woman who would not alienate vast swaths of the population, you could always go with Olympia Snowe or Susan Collins. But Palin?

However, the one thing Palin really lacks is nuance, and on DU, you can even see folks on the left who hate nuance. Absolutist positions are easy to understand.

[murielm99]

1. LOL.

I know that Tina Fey is reluctant to reprise her role as Sarah. But the country may need her now.

[customerserviceguy]

2. The country-clubbers sure don't like her

And where else do the fundies go? Their favorite, Huckabee, is out. They might have gone to Daniels, but he's out. They still have Santorum, but he'd have to catch some fire in some other way (media coverage, big $ donations, significant endorsement) to get their interest. The same is true of Bachmann.

Palin has name recognition, and in fundie eyes, she's a modern day Joan of the Arctic for having suffered the slings and arrows of ourrageous media. Yes, she faded back behind the pack for awhile, but she was the frontrunner from 2009 to just about six months ago. It seems natural that she'd have enough residual support to pull double-digits in GOP polling.

[FarLeftFist]

3. YAAAAY!

Now we can focus on getting more D senators and congressmen elected!

[etherealtruth]

4. i can't even laugh

I felt George Bush (jr) was an inarticulate, not very bright frat boy .... with no chance of actually winning any federal office .... look what happened.

She makes Bush (jr) look brilliant and sophisticated ... this scares me more than anything.

[struggle4progress]

10. Bush II had his father's whole political apparatus behind him, and they had to steal the election

to put him in power

A 72% favorable rating for Palin among Rs can't translate to more than 20-25% of the electorate -- and back in February 70% of America was saying she wasn't qualified for the Oval Office

A lot can happen in 18 months, but right now not one of the top three cars in the Republican demolition derby has more than one good tire

[Blue_In_AK]

5. Oh, good God!

How stupid can Republicans be? Pretty damn stupid.

[Harriety]

6. Funny!

[lob1]

7. Sarah doesn't just lack nuance, she lacks knowledge.

Learning stuff is boring. The only thing she has is a bucket of slime to throw at people.

[wysingm]

8. Sarah Palin is not running

FOX would have let her go by now.

[OmahaBlueDog]

11. I believe she didn't think she was running until Daniels, Huckabee, and Trump bowed out, and ...

..and Gingrich started putting both feet in his mouth like a 6 month old.

Now, I think she at least will want to test the water one more time.

Statistically, I think she's unelectable at the national level. Palin v. Obama would have a state and EC result similar to McCain v. Obama or Dole v. Clinton.

[southernyankeebelle]

9. All anyone has to do is read Mr. Dunn's lastest book on Palin. What a nightmare of a

governors she was. Even the republicans hated her and over road some of her bills. All we need is another Nixon but worse.

[jberryhill]

12. DU this PBS Poll RIGHT NOW!

Do you think Sarah Palin is qualified to serve as Vice President of the United States?

http://www.pbs.org/now/shows/436/sarah-palin-poll.html

[Heywood J]

13. That poll is coming up on three years old.

Week of 9.5.08
Sarah Palin Poll

[Keith Bee]

14. SHE'S RUNNING! SHE'S RUNNING! I'VE BEEN SAYING FOR MONTHS:

SHE'S FUCKING RUNNING!!!!!

[catbyte]

15. ROFLMAO

[NICO9000]

16. Bring on the Obama/Palin debates for 2012!

I'm thinking that might even be worth a pay-per-view even if he keeps his gloves on like Biden did last time.

:rofl:

[Vidar]

17. Good. She'll be a a lot easier to beat than Romney.

[texshelters]

18. I 'm rooting for Palin

1. Obama will win in a landslide.

2. Palin will pull down Republican Congressional votes.

3. More humor opportunities.

Peace,
Tex Shelters

[Viking 1]

19. Me too

And for the same reasons.