Ex-Alaska Governor Sarah Palin (Official)

[sepia5]

Originally Posted by muffler dragon

Okay.

Are there any figures as to how Obama and McCain were rating prior to running? Let me know if that's a hassle as I imagine it wouldn't be easy to find.

Found this from 2005:

SurveyUSA - 100 US Senators 0805 Sorted by Net Approval Score

Obama's approval rating at the time was 71% (3rd highest in the Senate); McCain's was 69% (tied for 4th highest in the Senate). I'm sure there's more data out there, but this is about what I'd expected, and I doubt you'll find much change. This is all tangential to my original post that spurred this discussion, though.

[muffler dragon]

Thanks sepia.

[Flocka]

Originally Posted by sepia5

If these findings suggest Obama is "ultra-liberal," does that mean John McCain was "ultra-absent?"

I wasn't aware absent was on the politcal spectrum.

[Ratboy18]

I searched the thread, used the search function and still didn't see reason #1 for voting for them:

Describing the process that led to her selection, Palin told reporters she'd received word that she was McCain's choice on Thursday and had met privately with him that day to discuss it. She spoke briefly as the two running mates surprised shoppers at the Buckeye Corner in Columbus, Ohio, where they purchased Ohio State University sports memorabilia. McCain and Palin started a bus tour across Ohio and to Pittsburgh, where they will hold a campaign rally Saturday. Ohio and Pennsylvania are two states that figure prominently in who wins the election this fall.

Courtesy of the AOL front page story

[BUCKYLE]

I know who I'm voting for.

[Flocka]

Originally Posted by BUCKYLE

I know who I'm voting for.

Barney Gumble got enough signatures?

[BuckTwenty]

Originally Posted by Best Buckeye

I love this choice, no wonder the dems are mad about it. How dare the republicans nominate a woman.

While She does render the experience question somewhat moot one has to remember that she is only the Veep, while Obama would be the Pres.

The dems can say that the experience question is now moot, but like Muck points out, Obama has NO experience being an executive, unlike Sarah Palin.

Although I'd have really liked to see Rudi or Romney on the ticket, I think she's the type of reformer that this country needs right now. More than anything, I think this helps re-engergize the republicans a little bit. Might help make for an interesting couple of months...

[Muck]

Originally Posted by bigballin2987

I wasn't aware absent was on the politcal spectrum.

BTW the cutoff was for missing 50% or more of the votes.

Sen Obama cleared that hurdle, he only missed 45.5% (Sen McCain missed 63%). Sen Biden was 5th at 30.3% (right behind Sen Clinton).

All missed under 10% of the votes the previous year (ie they had 90%+ or better attendance).

[BUCKYLE]

Originally Posted by bigballin2987

Barney Gumble got enough signatures?

No. Ralph Nader...or Ross Perot.

[tibor75]

Palin..another creationist stooge

The executive argument is stupid, because McCain also doesn't have executive experience. So by that logic, Palin is the most experienced of the 4.

A more important question is: does this idiot have any idea about the Middle East? Does she know where Pakistan is? doubtful.

the problem is that given the wacko-abortion politics of the right, McCain didn't have any good option (as that eliminated Ridge):
pawlenty?
Romney?
Huck?
Portman? Who?
Ebay CEO? uh, are you kidding?

[BuckeyeMike80]

Tibs is against her in this case, I'm inclined to support her

[Muck]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeMike80

Tibs is against her in this case, I'm inclined to support her

Notice his real concern is if she can find the cave he grew up in.

[BuckeyeMike80]

Originally Posted by Muck

Notice his real concern is if she can find the cave he grew up in.

I think you're giving him too much credit as it is

[sepia5]

Originally Posted by Muck

Yep, modern women are all about leading from beside their husbands.

Way to completely and offensively mischaracterize my statements. I guess you still subscribe to the theory that a wife should stand behind her husband? I can play your little spin game too. Michelle Obama is a graduate of Princeton and Harvard Law (she made it to both places on her merits, by the way). She worked for a large law firm in the private sector, on the staff of Chicago Mayor Richard Daley, for various non-profits, as an advisor for the University of Chicago Hospital, and was a board member for a decent-sized corporation. I could certainly see her acting as an advisor (perhaps along with Hillary Clinton) on health care reform. And if she does act in such a capacity, it will be because she is qualified, competent, and not merely defined by her husband's success, which can also be said for Hillary Clinton.

Originally Posted by Muck

They had a rating of 84% in early 02. Prior to 9/11 it was in the 50's.

It's currently 9%.

Pretty much always the case I guess.

The strange phenomenon of low Congressional approval ratings paired with high approval ratings for individual Congressmen and women is nothing new and well accepted. It's understandable. People don't understand how Congress works, they see constant gridlock (which occurs naturally, as always intended, as a safeguard against populist, spur-of-the-moment decision-making influenced by constantly fluctuating general opinion), and, in modern America, Congress, in its fractured form, has been dominated by a strong Executive. Meanwhile, they see their home Reps and Senators as fighting for their specific interests and like-minded because they generally come from the same place ("He's one of us!").

By the way, when Rasmussen released the 9% approval rating result, they also released another poll that showed the American populace is still likely to increase the majority the Dems currently hold in Congress.

Rasmussen Reports?: The most comprehensive public opinion coverage ever provided for a presidential election.

[tibor75]

Originally Posted by BuckeyeMike80

Probably the most important thing is that this announcement has completely swung the coverage from the DNCC to McCain's campaign....

True, but that is overrated. With Labor Day weekend, Gustav, and the Republican convention coming up, Obama's speech was going by the boards anyway. 38 million people watched Obama last night and he by most accounts hit the ball out of hte park...that was all he needed to do.