"Drill, baby, drill'' -- the mantra for off-shore oil drilling voiced at the Republican National Convention, where Sarah Palin explained the difference between a pit-bull and a hockey mom: "Lipstick.'' In Lebanon, Ohio, a supporter hoisted a sign as Palin and John McCain prepared to speak. (Photo by J.D. Pooley/Getty Images)
by Mark Silva
It may be just as well for John McCain that Sarah Palin is going away to Alaska for a few days, because all of those chants of "Sarah, Sarah, Sarah'' at the joint appearances of the Republican Party's presidential ticket are starting to overshadow the top of the ticket.
But he may want her back soon.
A survey of voters has found, with an open-ended question, that 50 perecent found Palin's acceptance speech the highlight of the Republican National Convention - while just 17 percent offered up McCain's speech as the convention highlight. And people rated it far higher than McCain's
Overall, Palin has been good for McCain:
A Sept. 5-8 survey run by the Pew Research Center in its weekly news index survey found that 35 percent said their opinion of McCain had become more favorable in recent days, while 24 percent said their opinion of the Republican nominee had become less so.
"Palin appears to have helped boost McCain's image, and her convention speech drew a highly favorable response,'' Pew reports, noting still that "only a narrow majority (52 percent) view Palin as qualified to serve as president should she need to step in and 39 percent see her as unqualified.
McCain's image has improved primarily among Republicans, 65 percent reporting an uptick in their impression of him in recent days. And "McCain's image also improved among women,'' Pew notes. Nearly four-in-ten (37 percent) say their opinion of McCain has become more favorable in recent days.
Obama's image was largely unchanged in the past week - most people, 59 percent, report no change. Immediately after his Democratic convention, 29 percent said he had improved his image.
Among those who could rate McCain's convention speech, 19 percent called it excellent, 43 percent good - that's a positive rating of just over 50 percent. But 38 percent judged it only fair or poor.
Obama's convention speech was better received: Among those who could rate it, 48 percent called it excellent, 35 percent good - a positive rating of over 80 percent. Just 17 percent called ir only fair or poor.
Palin's speech: 45 percent excellent, 31 percent good.
A narrow majority of Americans (52 percent) say Sarah Palin is qualified to serve as president if it becomes necessary; 39 percent say she is not qualified. "Substantially more people say Democratic vice presidential nominee Joe Biden is qualified to serve as president than say the same about Palin (66 percent vs. 52 percent),'' Pew notes.
"Twenty years ago, voters were evenly divided over whether GOP vice presidential nominee Dan Quayle was qualified to step in as president. Shortly after George H.W. Bush announced that Quayle would be his running mate, just 41 percent of the public thought Quayle was qualified to serve as president, just as many (40 percent) said he was not qualified. Quayle was judged even more harshly in the weeks following his nomination. Quayle's rival, Democratic vice presidential nominee Lloyd Bentsen, was widely viewed as qualified to serve as president.''
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Comments
Drill Now! The speculators haven't made enough money yet!
http://www.forbes.com/afxnewslimited/feeds/afx/2008/09/10/afx5408724.html
Posted by: Mel | September 10, 2008 4:44 PM
Ah yes,,,, Frau Goebbels,,,, very popular,,,, interesting.
Posted by: TheReamer | September 10, 2008 7:37 PM
Story on NPR...there is oil in them there hills and they can't get it refined to get to market. Producers are sitting on loads of crude from old wells:
http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=93981110
no infrastructure to get it to refining. Could this help America?????
Posted by: lochnessmonster | September 10, 2008 7:57 PM
She reads a speech (written by someone else) better than McCain does...and the wing nutz swoon.
Posted by: Quippy | September 10, 2008 7:57 PM
Reamer,
You can put lipstick on a right wing ideologue, but she's still a fascist.
Posted by: C. Morris | September 10, 2008 9:08 PM
Looks like everyone should just learn to read a speech good and boom....you are qualified to become the VP...ONLY IN AMERICA....Too bad she does not have class and knowledge like Condelisa Rice..If she did the Repubs might have something then...NO McCAIN, NO PALIN,..We need more than make believe mavericks to run our Country. BRING OUR SOLDIERS HOME.....
Posted by: kaye c. | September 10, 2008 9:23 PM
Apparently, she has copyrighted the word lipstick along the way....
Posted by: athena | September 10, 2008 10:30 PM
For all the previous comments regarding Sarah Palin' speech. Here is what Hillary Clinton said about another speech:
March 2008. "I know Sen. McCain has a lifetime of experience that he will bring to the White House. And Sen. Obama has a speech he gave in 2002."
Posted by: Ryan | September 10, 2008 10:40 PM
Hey, sorry lefties, but...only in America can an empty suit like, Barack "Hussein" Obama make it so far.
And now, a women with lip-stick has him in shambles!
NEXT... ( 2012) ... Hillary?
HA,ha,ha!
Paulo
Posted by: Paulo | September 11, 2008 1:03 AM
Obama's great oratory skills made me look at him seriously, it's what draws you in, but without ideas I agree with (like his racist church teachings) I then gave McCain another look, the thing that was hidden from McCain's message early on, or if it was said it was given in a dry manner, is his record on not taking earmarks (it really does pay to look at each one regardless of speaking abilities). Once I looked into his 'no earmarks' claims, and heard him say that he would turn them down if they try and send them thru and let the American people know NAMES of who was trying to put them thru, I was sold. Then I listened to more and I was quite impressed.
Palin, was new, and her speach did just like Obama's, it draws you in, and once you dig into it and find some of the areas she has cut waste, you are blown away. This gal is the real deal. I was pretty much hooked when I heard she got land taxes dropped down by 40%.
Substance really does help. I am not sure what Obama's plans are, haven't really heard anything that didn't equate into higher taxes and wealth redistribution. Like I said earlier, that kookie racist church was beyond what I could do, and I'm pretty open minded.
Posted by: IT'S SO MUCH MORE THAN ORATORY SKILLS | September 11, 2008 6:45 AM
Mark the 39 percent are liberal Democrats, the 52 percent are Republicans and independents.
Obama started going down in March 08 and he lost 7 primaries to Hillary barely taking her out. He is not relevant to the mainstream too many bad judgements no class, paper thin resume, he's lost his MOJO and it isn't coming back. Too many strikes against him Chicago machine ties, smarmy associates and he is just an empty suit who can only read a teleprompter the rest of time he stutters that a , er ahh etc.Jerry White, Springfield, ILP.S He has never ran against a formidable opponent before like Governor Palin.
Posted by: Jerry White | September 11, 2008 9:54 AM