Are we underestimating Palin?

[Lunar]

looks like we were overestimating her

[Mr. Morden]

looks like we were Lunar was overestimating her

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=86100.0

[Lunar]

hah, to be fair, I've been a critic of her campaigning in this thread and many others since I made that old one you linked to.

[Mr. Morden]

Oh, I know.  And it's not as bad as this thread ("Only Romney and Huckabee have a chance at the nomination at this point"), made just a few weeks before the 2008 primaries:

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=66629

From that thread:

Having said that, I'd like to know what MODU is smoking when he says that Giuliani still has the best shot.

Only the same thing that the people saying McCain and Paul are still in it.   

[War on Want]

looks like we were overestimating her

I wasn't.

[Erc]

Oh, I know.  And it's not as bad as this thread ("Only Romney and Huckabee have a chance at the nomination at this point"), made just a few weeks before the 2008 primaries:

https://uselectionatlas.org/FORUM/index.php?topic=66629

From that thread:

Having said that, I'd like to know what MODU is smoking when he says that Giuliani still has the best shot.

Only the same thing that the people saying McCain and Paul are still in it.   

My own prediction from the time is vague enough so that every sentence in it is correct.

It's unlikely that it'll be anyone else...but I wouldn't completely rule out McCain.  And Giuliani still has some time to recover, if he doesn't absolutely bomb in IA/NH & starts working on MI.  Thompson is now TN's favorite son candidate, nothing more.

But remember how much this race has changed over the last week, let alone the last month.  I know it's Christmas week now, so things might get a bit static...but don't count out IA or NH giving us a couple of surprises.

[Scam of God]

Sarah Palin is a whiny, self righteous, passive aggressive, obnoxious blow hard who has a dangerous lack of political knowledge and political savvy, making the possibility of her becoming a political force on a national level frightening, not just to people on the left of the political spectrum, but on the right as well. The only people who take her serious are the uneducated masses and people on the right who know better than to take her seriously, but think that her talent for whipping up a hateful frenzy in the uneducated masses will help them to manipulate people's fears and gain control from the Democrats once again. Remember when Obama was "paling around with terrorists?"

When she's not manipulating neocon voters who have no grasp of reality and appealing to them with her "gee, golly gosh, I'm just a regular ol' hockey mom in Carhart's, you betcha'!" routine, she's being paraded around for her sex, as though she's the only female politician in the United States, even though there are plenty on the left and the right and everywhere in between with much more experience, education and egos that they can keep in check. But the second someone wants to point out what a dumbsh**t Palin can be, she cries sexism, takes her ball and runs home crying about the big bully media.

There's more wrong with Sarah Palin as a politician than her obvious lack of experience and even basic knowledge. Her paper thin skin when it comes to the media and critics, her babyish attitude, her gigantic ego, her see through "small town girl who just doesn't get those Washington elitists" (*wink at the camera like you're in a goddamned beauty pageant*), and her polarizing presence, all contribute to why Sarah Palin is widely hated in this country. No amount of polishing in a few short years is going to undo that reality, and stepping down as governor right now, especially without a clear reason why, is only going to make her look even less competent, and on top of that, unpredictable. If she runs in 2012, I severely doubt she'll get very far, and that's something we should all be grateful for.

Sarah Palin, in short, is Christofascist scum, and her mindless droning supporters ought to be branded as such. I am tired of populism masquerading as fiscal sensibility.

[Silent Hunter]

Consider that McCain got 46% with her as his running mate. Clearly there's some innate popularity there.

[paul718]

I've heard more than a few commentators label Palin as "the most charismatic person in the Republican Party" over the last couple of days.  What are they basing this on?  Does she draw big crowds?  I don't get it.

[BM]

Yes she is and yes she does, whether you like it or not.

Mittens and all the other candidates exude the drama of watching paint dry.

[Stranger in a strange land]

Yes she is and yes she does, whether you like it or not.

Mittens and all the other candidates exude the drama of watching paint dry.

She's arguably the best public speaker among prominent Republicans, but that alone doesn't make her charismatic. She does have an ability to lead and inspire, but only for a portion of the Republican base.

[paul718]

Yes she is and yes she does, whether you like it or not.

Mittens and all the other candidates exude the drama of watching paint dry.

She's arguably the best public speaker among prominent Republicans, but that alone doesn't make her charismatic. She does have an ability to lead and inspire, but only for a portion of the Republican base.

I don't think she's a good public speaker, at all.  As for inspiration and leadership, I guess that's too intangible for me to have noticed. 

[I spent the winter writing songs about getting better]

Consider that McCain got 46% with her as his running mate. Clearly there's some innate popularity there.

Did more people vote for that ticket because of her or in spite of her?