TBO.com - TBO is Tampa Bay Online

Initial Palin Sparkle Loses Some Luster

ADVERTISEMENT

The Associated Press

Published: September 30, 2008

WASHINGTON - Has Sarah Palin become a liability for John McCain? Since joining his ticket, the overnight political celebrity has seen the shine come off her poll standings and doubts surface among some conservatives once excited about her candidacy.

The Alaska governor still draws huge crowds and energizes McCain's drive for the White House. Yet a whirlwind month after he made her his running mate, Palin is starting to seem very, very vulnerable.

A stumbling interview with CBS' Katie Couric last week in which Palin again equated her state's proximity to Russia with foreign policy experience may have been her defining moment so far. Now, attention is shifting to her debate Thursday with the Democratic vice presidential candidate, Sen. Joe Biden.

So far, Palin's been a huge hit with conservative and Republican voters, and McCain's frequent campaign-trail companion; but also a candidate largely sheltered from reporters whose few interviews have prompted some Republicans to react defensively and at times with frustration.

A CBS News-New York Times poll last week showed Palin's unfavorable views rising among women, a group McCain was hoping she'd attract. Underscoring her appeal to lower-earning whites, white women without college degrees view her favorably, 39 percent to 23 percent, but white female college graduates have a negative view, 45 percent to 35 percent.

Fed by her halting answers in interviews, Palin has become a television comedy staple. CBS' "Late Show with David Letterman" featured an Alaska resident saying Palin tried learning about foreign policy by going to the International House of Pancakes. NBC's "Saturday Night Live" has also taken aim: In Saturday's opening segment, Tina Fey portrayed Palin in a mock interview with Katie Couric and described her family's recent trip to New York, including "that goofy evolution museum."

Potshots have also started coming from Republicans across the country. Former GOP congressman Joe Scarborough, now a host on MSNBC television, said Palin "just seems to be out of her league" on national issues.

Rich Lowry, editor of the conservative National Review magazine, called her performance "dreadful," warning that without improvement, "she risks damaging her political brand forevermore."

Conservative columnist Kathleen Parker said Palin should drop out to save "McCain, her party and the country she loves."

Share this:

Loading Comments...

Email Print

ADVERTISEMENT