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Opinion: Americans to Sarah Palin: We think you’re OK, but ...

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Turns out that a good portion of Americans kind of like Sarah Palin, the ex-Alaska governor who favors late-term abortions only for elected officials. (Get it? The partial-term governor? Har, har.) Most of us, however, don’t think she should be president:
More than seven in 10 Americans think Palin is not qualified to be president, according to a new national poll.

Seventy-one percent of those questioned in a CNN/Opinion Research Corp. survey released Wednesday believe the former Alaska governor and 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee is not qualified to be president, with 29% saying she does have the credentials to serve in the White House. Republicans appear split, with 52% saying she’s qualified and 47 % disagreeing with that view.

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Read the whole story from CNN here.

Truth be told, I believe the obsession over whether a wannabe president is qualified is a bit misplaced. From a historical perspective, the public’s perception of qualification seems to be an unreliable indicator of a commander in chief’s future job performance, as some of the most highly qualified presidents-to-be proceeded to bring the countryto the brink once in office. And in Palin’s case specifically, it’s hard for ‘Do you think Sarah Palin’s qualified for the presidency?’ to not come across as code for ‘Do you think Sarah Palin’s smart enough to be president?’

Anyhow, this is the part that got me:
Nearly two-thirds of those questioned say Palin’s not a typical politician, and feel she’s a good role model for women. Fifty-six percent add that Palin cares about people, and a similar amount think she’s honest and trustworthy. ...

‘Sarah Palin has one advantage that many past Republican candidates have not shared -- Americans think she cares about people like them,’ says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland.

To which I say: Paging Levi Johnston.

-- Paul Thornton

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