USA TODAY/Gallup poll gives Palin "lowest vote of confidence in a running mate" since Quayle

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Sat Aug-30-08 12:55 PM
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USA TODAY/Gallup poll gives Palin "lowest vote of confidence in a running mate" since Quayle

http://www.usatoday.com/news/politics/election2008/2008-08-30-palin-poll_N.htm

Poll: Voters uncertain on Palin

By Susan Page, USA TODAY

ST. PAUL — Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin faces a getting-to-know-you process as the Republican vice presidential candidate, a USA TODAY/Gallup Poll finds: Most Americans say they've never heard of her.
There is also wide uncertainty about whether she's qualified to be president. In the poll, taken Friday, 39% say she is ready to serve as president if needed, 33% say she isn't and 29% have no opinion.

That's the lowest vote of confidence in a running mate since the elder George Bush chose then-Indiana senator Dan Quayle to join his ticket in 1988. In comparison, Delaware Sen. Joe Biden was seen as qualified by 57%-18% after Democrat Barack Obama chose him as a running mate last week.

-snip-

Whatever their views on their qualifications, voters say neither Palin nor Biden will have much impact on their vote. Two of three registered voters, 67%, say putting Palin on the ticket won't affect their vote; 72% say that of Biden.

Of those who say the running mates will make a difference, 18% say Palin makes them more likely to vote for McCain, 11% less likely. That net-positive impact of 7 points is similar to Biden's: 14% said his pick made them more likely to vote for Obama, 7% less likely.

The telephone survey of 898 registered voters, taken Friday, has a margin of error of +/- 4 percentage points. The full sample of 1,016 adults has an error margin of +/- 3 points.

Among the findings:

• Twenty-two percent of registered voters have a favorable view of Palin and 7% an unfavorable one while 51% say they have never heard of her and 20% have no opinion.

• Forty-six percent rate McCain's choice of Palin as excellent or "pretty good," while 37% say it is "only fair" or poor. Over the past two decades, only Quayle received lower ratings after being picked for a ticket.

• Women overall have a slightly less favorable view of Palin than men, but they also are a bit more likely more likely to say her choice would prompt them to vote for McCain. Among women, 20% say her pick makes them more likely to vote for McCain, 11% less likely. That compares to 16%-12% among men.

Among Democratic women — including those who may be disappointed that New York Sen. Hillary Rodham Clinton did not win the Democratic nomination — 9% say Palin makes them more likely to support McCain, 15% less likely.

-snip-

The poll also had some good news about the reaction to Obama's acceptance speech:

The USA TODAY survey also finds that Americans give Obama's dramatic acceptance speech high marks but say the Democratic National Convention has no more impact on their vote than past conventions.

Among all those surveyed, 35% call Obama's speech at Invesco Field at Mile High Stadium Thursday night excellent, 23% good, 15% "just OK," 3% poor and 4% "terrible." Sixteen percent say they didn't see it and 14% have no opinion.

That's higher than the ratings for acceptance speeches by President Bush and Democrat John Kerry in 2004, by Bush and Democrat Al Gore in 2000 and by Republican Bob Dole in 1996.

Asked about the Democratic convention's impact, 43% say it makes them more likely to vote for Obama, 29% less likely. Nineteen percent say it won't make a difference.