ABC Poll: Palin & Biden
EmailFrom ABC News Polling Director Gary Langer: Skepticism about Sarah Palin has soared since she entered the national political stage, with six in 10 Americans now doubting her qualifications for office and fewer than half convinced of her grasp of complex issues. In advance of her debate against Joe Biden tonight, Palin now looks more like a drag than a boost to the GOP ticket: Thirty-two percent of registered voters say her selection makes them less likely to support John McCain for president, up from 19 percent last month. Her basic ratings are weaker still. Just 35 percent say Palin has the experience it takes to serve effectively as president, down a dozen points since early September; 60 percent think not, up 15. And just 46 percent think Palin "understands complex issues," while 49 percent think she doesn’t – a poor assessment on this most basic qualification. Biden’s ratings starkly contrast Palin’s: Seventy-five percent say he understands complex issues, 70 percent say he has suitable experience to take over as president if necessary and just 13 percent say his selection makes them less apt to support Barack Obama. Palin does have one better rating, for her common touch: Fifty-eight percent of registered voters think she understands the problems of people like them. But as many, 57 percent, say the same of Biden. Click here to read the full analysis.
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My only hope is that they turn her loose tonight. I think that she has been over schooled and struggling to get the right answers out. Who cares if she makes a mistake, she’s human. I know the media will blow anything she does wrong out of proportion, but, so what, that’s what they do. Let Sarah be Sarah!
Posted by: samhiguchi | October 2, 2008, 9:13 am 9:13 am
this is all because
SHE IS THE WORST CALCULATED MANIPULATION WE HAVE EVER SEEN FROM A PRESIDENTIAL CANDIDATE IN OUR HISTORY.
that alone should make people angry at Mccain.
and the worst VP nominee we have ever seen in our history
and Mccain Palin is sincerely. now …the worst ticket we have ever seen in our history as a nation.
Posted by: dl | October 2, 2008, 9:15 am 9:15 am
I just dont get it when people are saying to let Sarah be Sarah. This is the real Sarah clueless. Someone who can’t even answer a simple question like. What type of magazine do you read? How many briefing does Sarah need to answer a question like that. The woman is brainless.
Posted by: change | October 2, 2008, 9:26 am 9:26 am
People who are arguing for her
whatever 30 second soundbites she pulls out of her butt tonight… doesn’t make her bologne so far go away.
she couldn’t name CASES of the supreme court.
she couldn’t name papers she read.
she tried to cover (along with the rest of the McCain Bush and Cheney administration and team) her lack of knowledge of what the Bush Doctrine was.
She has questions about science as gfact over her own religious beliefs.
Her husband who belonged for 9 years to a party calling to secede from the united States…the same man she “cc’d” an extraodinary amount of her gubernatorial emails to.
She has a limited grasp of the policies and stances of her running mate.
She has no grasp of the issues we face.
She has lied…literally.
She has filled the air with nonsensical blather to try and cover for an overwhelmingly scary and at best embarrassing lack of knowledge of facts …laws …people…countries…foreign policy.
In a position that we ask our Presidential nominees to pick the most qualified and equipped person to take care of opur nation if be the 1 in 3 chance that they will not complete their term…
John Mccain thought so little of our safety …that he put his own election and career over the welfare of this nation by picking a woman so ill-equipped …(who was lucky that she was elected to governor of an oil economy dependent state during a time when oil companies revenues were sky rocketing on the backs of the rst of us…that she got to spend a budget that was a 60% increase in their state)….
as a political stunt
throw these bums out.
Posted by: dl | October 2, 2008, 9:27 am 9:27 am
I will be watching the debate, mainly because there have not been too many opportunities to learn about Palin. With Biden, he offers candid talks everywhere, and looking past his gaffe here and there, I see someone who has great knowledge on national and international issues. With Palin, she appears to have fooled her way into state politics. From what I have read from the Alaska Daily, the folks in Alaska are beginning to see the real Palin and not too happy with that. She lacks incredible amounts of solid information…and to make that more of a concern>>she makes decisions hastily “without blinking”, and the whole deal about “we should never second guess Israel”. Yes, I will be watching the debate tonight!
Posted by: CaliforniaVoter | October 2, 2008, 9:31 am 9:31 am
Why is FEC Keeping Lid on OBAMA SCANDAL?
It looks as if Senator Obama may have received MORE THAN $200 MILLION in illegal donations including millions overseas campaign donations. Four times during the last three months an FEC Auditor has asked his bosses to start an investigation into Senator Obama’s illegal campaign donations such as this one
Similarly, a donor identified as “Pro, Doodad,” from “Nando, NY,” gave $19,500 in 786 separate donations, most of them for $25. For most of these donations, Mr. Doodad Pro listed his employer as “Loving” and his profession as “You,” etc.
Posted by: HP Boston | October 2, 2008, 9:40 am 9:40 am
Now this is moving into the realm of comical…Anyone who has taking Social Studies or US History in High School or College knows Supreme Court Cases…I named 3 off the top of my head while she was struggling. Who can be comfortable with Palin one heartbeat away from being our leader…I know people like cute. But that should only be in the case of puppies, women shoes, babies, or a girlfriend…Not the Vice Presidential Position.
Posted by: VA 4 Obama | October 2, 2008, 9:45 am 9:45 am
To people like change:
You obviously have your mind all made up. And so do I. It’s funny that many of the “short-comings” you claim that Palin has, are the same ones that Obama owns as well. At least with Palin what you see is what you get. With Obama, the what I don’t know about this man is the scary part. He’s a habitual liar, and he does is out of necessity so Americans will not see all the things he needs to hide. The ties to terrorists and felons, his radical views on abortion, and his sweeping tax increases are enough to keep many of us clinging to our guns and religion.
I am all for having a VP without prior Washington experience. In my eyes, she’s not jaded and she hasn’t been ruined by the life of Washington fat cats. My views in life are simple and fair, I am a single parent and I get up each morning to go to work, get my kid to school, and scrape out a living to make our lives great. I go to church and believe that God will provide for me. I don’t need Barack Obama giving me anything. I see Sarah Palin the same way, although she has a much larger family and a husband. She is someone I could go and have a girls night out with, she’s real, unlike Obama. I don’t know who he is, and the mainstream media wants to keep it that way.
Posted by: Jessica | October 2, 2008, 9:52 am 9:52 am
The Governor will debait just as fast as any man. ………..
Posted by: Ohg Rea Tone | October 2, 2008, 9:54 am 9:54 am
WAIT: People, none of these candidates qualify to lead the most powerful nation. None of them in a competitive interview for a CEO job for even a small corporation, would have the experience to run it nor would they be hired. They are politicians..Good Grief….
Posted by: oilpatch | October 2, 2008, 9:55 am 9:55 am
Jessica
“Obama is a hypocritical liar”
“the “short-comings” you claim that Palin has, are the same ones that Obama owns as well”
etc.etc
are you for real?
it’s called knowledge and grasp of the issues that face us as a nation…
and it is the one trait
YOU HAVE TO HAVE to do the job.
she is a stunt and sayd more about the self centered man that Mccain has become in his past 27 years as a politician…
than it does as to how on a scale of VP history…how literally stupid and memorized/scripted she actually may be….
Posted by: dl | October 2, 2008, 9:57 am 9:57 am
oilpatch
not sure what you are saying but you obviously have not been in a room with Obama Biden Mccain Clinton
etc etc
they all have a vast amount of grasp and knowledge of the issues and the ideas and ways to address them.
and Obama…had he gone into corporations…yeah
has the brains to be a CEO or any other position…
if you saw him answer questions you would see the logic and brains he uses.
so yeah …this time we are voting for the smart guy.
Posted by: dl | October 2, 2008, 10:00 am 10:00 am
How could she possibly be worse than what the expectations are? My guess is she’ll be fine.
Her problem, if you look at her previous debates, is that although she knows Alaska she doesn’t seem to know the rest of the US and foreign affairs. She has a penchant to BS her way through tough questions like a high schooler does when they forgot about the big test.
I can’t imagine how anything she says tonight will make me think anything better of her (enough that she should be VP).
Posted by: MIguy | October 2, 2008, 10:09 am 10:09 am
None of them have the experience to run a small to midsize corporation. Just because they can spin a tale on some issues does not mean they understand the complex issues. Yes, I agree that they are smart, just not experienced enough to run this country.
Posted by: oilpatch | October 2, 2008, 10:10 am 10:10 am
Jessica – Where do you possibly come up with this stuff. The reason you do not hear about most of the stuff you mention is because it is BS and the real meadia understands that. It is the small minded easily lead that swallow this stuff up off the radio and eat it up. There is a reason these guys are on the radio.
Posted by: happydad | October 2, 2008, 10:10 am 10:10 am
The thought of Palin as President scares me to death. I used to be a McCain supporter but this was absolutely the final nail in my respect for him.
He’s putting us all at risk to further his own ambition.
Posted by: memyself | October 2, 2008, 10:34 am 10:34 am
The race seems to be more focused on Obama vs Palin, rather than Obama vs. McCain. Maybe it’s me, but if experience is the top issue why is it that Obama isn’t criticized as much as Palin for lack of experience and he is running on the top of the Dem ticket?
Fact is she actually has more executive experience that Obama,Biden and McCain. Even though Alaska might not be considered a big state, she did have to make actual decisions from day one of taking office rather than just voting Yea, Ney or PRESENT!
One would hope that whoever is elected will surround themselves with a competent and experienced cadre that will help the President or V.P. to make the right decisions. One major fault of President Bush was that he took the advice of poor advisors and a limp intelligence network which led to many of the problems we are facing today.
To me JUDGEMENT and CHARACTER play a major role in selecting our next President and V.P. Obama’s past associations with a radical church, shady associations with a host of corrupt Chicage political organizations and a association with a unrepented domestic terrorist only shows that he has very poor judgement. Way to much for me to put trust in his decisions. If he gets in which right now looks pretty good for him I only hope that I will be proved wrong for the sake of our country and our children’s future.
Posted by: Pee Vee, Long Island | October 2, 2008, 10:37 am 10:37 am
Okay, HP – You get your information on Fox and Rush about the FEC not investigating Obama’s donations? Right, the FEC is “in the tank” for Obama, now? All the mainstream media, ABC, NBC, MSNBC, CNN, PBS, Hollywood, liberals, FEC, everybody is “in the tank” for Obama. Wow, he sure has a lot of people fooled, according to you. Maybe it’s just that your “information” is untrue and not worthy of investigating. If you got something real, then you should report it to the FBI, or CIA, or NSA, or Homeland Security. If he is such a nefarious threat to America’s security, you have a duty to report him. I suggest you go ahead and do so. Then when nothing proves to be true, you can say “the FBI, CIA, NSA, Homeland Security” are also all in the tank for Obama.
Posted by: geecee | October 2, 2008, 10:38 am 10:38 am
You can only let the people know and they will decide.
Posted by: Mike | October 2, 2008, 10:48 am 10:48 am
PeeVee-
You want to dredge up the past?
As you casually toss aside McCain’s nefarious connections. Keating 5 ring a bell?? Ever heard of Deregulation? McCain and his buddy Gramm pushed these through. Oh, BTW Gramm’s wife was an exec at Enron. Gramm now works at UBS, which is under investigation for hiding millions of dollars of the US wealthy overseas. You think McCain’s not in on it? Gramm was McCain’s economic advisor until he call us all whiners. McCain intends to put him in as Sec. of Treasury should he be elected. So much for more oversight and regulation.
Posted by: chelle | October 2, 2008, 10:49 am 10:49 am
She was swiftboated by Charlie Gibson’s lies and twists of her edited interviews.
Enters low rating Couric to finish it off.
Sarah Palin has what no other candidate has freshness/honesty/and good judgment. She is not weighted down with the good ole boy Washington crowd like Biden and Obama.
She has a few lessons to learn; however, I still put my vote with Sarah Palin and John McCain for REAL reform and an honest approach.
Obama is one of the most corrupt politicians that will ever hit Washington. I see the American people as gullible and easily manipulated.
Folks go ahead and elect the most corrupt politician in our lifetime, and you will enjoy the fruits of your mistake.
Posted by: jlp | October 2, 2008, 10:52 am 10:52 am
I have watched video after video of Obama uh uh uh hmmmm uh uh – if that isn’t Dan Quayle – who is/
But, the MSM have done their job of fooling American – and you have officially been fooled.
Congratulations you have been manipulated by the very media you say you hate.
Amazing the level of intelligence in this country today
Posted by: jlp | October 2, 2008, 10:56 am 10:56 am
Once again peevee…
Do you even do any kind of research at all? Voting present on a bill means there is something in the bill that you either don’t agree with, want to discuss more, or may potentially be unconstitutional. It makes the statement “I’m not going to vote NO, because there may be merit to the bill.” It could also mean that the state they represent is divided on the bill. Or, that they haven’t had a chance to explore other options. Rarely does it mean they don’t care or don’t have a position.
As we have seen with the bailout bill. Some bills just have to go back to the drawing board.
Posted by: chelle | October 2, 2008, 10:59 am 10:59 am
jlp
You seriously don’t think McCain is corrupt? HELLO! Keating 5. Some of his best buddies went to prison for it.
McCain is two-faced. Has always voted for deregulation and suddenly he is opposed for it.
Blowing in the wind.
Posted by: chelle | October 2, 2008, 11:02 am 11:02 am
First the republicans complained about how unfair Palin’s interview were, now they are preparing for another excuse when Palin bombs tonight by setting the stage with Gwen Ifill. Ifill is a professional, she has been in the business for years, and she knows how to separate opinion from facts. Just because someone writes about an individual doesn’t mean he or she takes his or her side. It is also nonsense that Ifill will use the debate to sell more copies of her book. She certainly hasn’t do this in the past. If the republicans want to complain about biased news, they should first talk about FOX NEWS. However, most important, the republicans are only making a big deal of this so they can fall back on it if Palin bombs. This tells us how little faith they really have with her.
Posted by: The Unshrub | October 2, 2008, 11:02 am 11:02 am
Oilpatch,
Real media? Give me a break. It’s nice to see that liberals have to stoop to calling people names and insulting their intelligence just to get a point across. Luckily, most people are smart enough not to pay attention to your hate. Liberals don’t like Sarah Palin, that’s cool and I can live with that, but please do not tell me that I have my head up my rear end because I do not agree with you about her. I have knowledge, and I probably find the knowledge that I seek from a diffent place than Obama supporters, that too is my choice. I listen to all sides of the story then draw my own conclusions. I was very undecided until I did start listening objectively. Now that I have done so, I have made my own choice. I feel like Obama has been less than forth coming with his REAL life story. He has many skeletons to hide and the mainstream media has been more than helpful at keeping his true identity hidden. I do not feel like I can support a candidate who believes in the vile poison that is spewed by Rev. Wright, or someone who is cozy with Bill Ayers and convicted felon Tony Rezco. Obama never had any personal problems with these people being in his life until it was in his best interest politically to do so. I personally will not support a candidate who won’t stand behind the decisions he’s made in his life, and the fact that he had to denounce so many people in his life is cause for alarm in my book.
MCCAIN/PALIN 08.
Posted by: Jessica | October 2, 2008, 11:03 am 11:03 am
The thought of someone who has all of these shady characters in his life really opens my eyes. If a candidate takes ‘contributions’ from people and companies that are not on the up-and-up, then I call that criminal. When a candidate learns about an improper contribution, then he/she should return it. That didn’t happen with Obama.
AND, Yes actually – the FBI is investigating the Fannie Mae and Freddie Mac fiasco. Guess who has his fingers in the pie???????
AND, Yes actually, there are newspeople
who are investigating all of this.
“You can fool all of the people some of the time; you can fool some of the people all of the time; but you can’t fool all of the people all of the time.”
Posted by: kb | October 2, 2008, 11:05 am 11:05 am
HP Boston
Once again your ignorance of the facts exceed only our lack of common sense. Think about this. You are saying that almost 1/2 of Obama’s collections are illegal. That doesn’t make a bit of sense.
Posted by: The Unshrub | October 2, 2008, 11:06 am 11:06 am
Ohg Rea Tone
You say that Palin can debait as fast as any man. But the question is can she debate as fast as any man?
Posted by: The Unshrub | October 2, 2008, 11:09 am 11:09 am
Not all of Obama’s contributions were
illegal. However, some were. That is fact, not a ‘play on words’; not an
opinion. Again, Obama was #2 on who took
the most contributions from Fannie and Freddie. (maybe if he works harder, he can be #l on that list).
Obama can always claim: I forgot;
I didn’t know; I was absent that day.
That’s how he rolls.
That’s his story, and he’s sticking
with it.
What a world –
Posted by: kb | October 2, 2008, 1:42 pm 1:42 pm
Re: The Keating Five
Three DEMOCRATIC Senators were found
GUILTY –
John Glenn (Democrat) and John McCain
were found INNOCENT.
So, as you see, the only thing those three felons have with McCain is the
fact that they are senators.
McCain and Glenn – two men of good
character. They did what was right
even when they thought nobody was looking.
Posted by: kb | October 2, 2008, 1:50 pm 1:50 pm
I think Palin did a good job addressing the average soccer moms out there. However, Biden addressed everyone!
Wonder how many write in votes we’ll get this election for Hillary?
Something to think about Huh?
Posted by: VondaP | October 2, 2008, 11:56 pm 11:56 pm
Four things about Sarah Palin: 1)She is one of us and understands. 2)You could see her passion to support our military and stand behind the leadership 3)Unlike SNL portrays her casual informal talk is not some screen to hide behind but a clear indication that she is who she is and unlike Biden she isn’t trying to be someone else just so that she can get elected 4)She will stand with Israel. (NTM from Western PA.)
Posted by: Nathan Morton | October 2, 2008, 11:58 pm 11:58 pm
Sarah Palin was great and came out the winner. Yet, of course, George gave the expected spin I’ve come to expect from him. George who is supposed to be an unbiased journalist now, came out with his party line. When we could hear Sarah Palin unedited, she obviously is not the caricature the press has so desperately tried to make her. Sorry Charlie. You tried your best to disparage and make a fool of her, but she triumphed tonight.
Posted by: ctjomez | October 3, 2008, 12:01 am 12:01 am
WAKE UP AMERICA – WHAT DO YOU THINK THE DEFINITION OF A POLITICIAN IS ?
TO BE CROOKED!
Posted by: VondaP | October 3, 2008, 12:05 am 12:05 am
Sarah Palin won the debate!!!!!!!!!!
Posted by: Cynthia | October 3, 2008, 12:19 am 12:19 am
We don’t need experience we need good old fashioned common sense. Look where all that experience in government has got us at this very moment. We need real people who will stand up for what the people really what. We need Sarah and a bunch more of her to fill the House and Senate.
Posted by: CynthiaL | October 3, 2008, 12:23 am 12:23 am
George and Charlie are two of the most bias reporters around. ABC you need to get some fresh reporters that will try not to be so biased. I use to love ABC, but now you have became so bias that I just turn you off. I hope you will change your position and become fair and balanced.
Posted by: CynthiaL | October 3, 2008, 12:28 am 12:28 am
She was definitely off base & did not understand the qustions or chose to stick to debate camp script-felt like she was told what to talk about & what not to get involved in!!! Again she came across as a folksy bimbo joke!
Joe totally OUT Classed her as a VP Candidate.
It gave me cold chills to listen to her speak in her folksy way-if she was representing my Country globally I would have to cringe all of the time—NO SOPHISTICATION-NO CLASS doggone it & heck– very ingenious -MADE ME THANKFUL FOR CONDY RICE—A true class REAL WOMAN TO BE PROUD & AS TO HER CREDIBILITY FOR OUR COUNTRY..
GAFFS-MALAKI & THE TALIBANI REFERENCED TOGETHER
CALLING JOE –OBIDEN
KEPT GOING AROUND QUESTIONS LIKE SCRIPTED ON WHAT SHE WAS ONLY TO TALK ABOUT.See see fear in her face & body language.
NOT TRUTHFUL ABOUT A LOT OF THE RECORDS IN THE SENATE MISREPRESENTATION OF MC CAIN NOT KNOWING THE DEFINITION OF A MAVERICK IN THE DICTIONARY-UNBRANDED ANIMAL-HE IS TOTALLY BRANDED WITH BUSH
She did not tell the truth about the oil fight in Alaska AS GOVERNOR —why she fought the big guys—because she and her husband are affiliated with & Alaska company for BEAR Oil Co. even endorsing them.
Senator Biden:
Loved you temperament & Smiles I was pulling my hair out each time I waited for her truths to out and answer with genuine knowledge on any question. SHE WAS TO MUCH WORK–I AM WORN OUT BY HER PLOYS & MEMORIZED TALENTS. GEE, SHE SCARES ME! …
THANK YOU JOE! MAY I CALL YOU JOE! FOR YOUR HONESTY & HEARFELT CARE OF WE THE PEOPLE!
Posted by: Kathleen T Lake | October 3, 2008, 12:35 am 12:35 am
This was an important debate; however, Palin did show that she can hold her own sort of
Speak (after a whole lot of coaching). To me she came off acting a little bit of silly. This country needs leaders that are serious about making changes, not winking, making funny expressions, or trying to crack a joke or two just because you may want to win popularities from the people .get real we all know that if she was not coached a lot she would not had did as well as she did.
Posted by: Lisa | October 3, 2008, 12:40 am 12:40 am
She proved exactly why both sides of our traditionally Republican families will be voting for Obama this year. Her Political knowledge is virtually non-existent. Not to mention she is wreckless by wanting to loosent the interpretation of the Constituition when it comes to Vice Presidential powers. Obama’s Policies simply make more sense and help working class families like ours. McCain and Palin’s policies seem wreckless and inflamatory to International relations. If you have a disagreement with someone then you sit down and talk about it, you don’t punish the person into submission with sanctions as McCain-Palin imply, sactions should be a last resort.
Posted by: Rob | October 3, 2008, 12:59 am 12:59 am