Bad Poll news for Palin

The respected polling outfit, Public Policy Polling, has polled Sarah Palin's favorability in ten states over the past few months, and the results are not pretty for the former Alaskan governor.

One of the worst approval ratings she gets is in her own home state of Alaska! Only 33% of voters there have a positive opinion of her, compared to 58% with a negative one. That's pretty brutal. These polls confirm that Palin is a remarkably unpopular potitical figure. According to PPP:

"....voters in every single state we have polled so far on the 2012 race has an unfavorable opinion of her. And her average favorability in the Bush/Obama states of Florida, Ohio, North Carolina, and Virginia that are most likely essential to Republican chances of retaking the White House is 36/56. Democrats can only hope..".

Perhaps this explains why the Republican establishment seems increasingly intent on undermining Palin? They probably suspect that, if she is nominated in 2012, she's a sure loser to President Obama.

In my opinion, she's a likely loser, but not a sure loser. Keep in mind, Palin has considerable political strengths. Remember the "Death Panels" meme that was single-handedly invented by her, and helped turn the public against Obama's health care plan? She has certain skills, and she knows how to use them.

First, she must actually get the GOP nomination. That won't be easy either, with the establishment out to get her, and the fact that many average Republican voters, although they like her, also view her as not ready for prime-time.

But what she definitely has going for her is that those conservatives that do like her, really love her. And that's the problem with some polls - they do not necessarily measure voter motivation. Palin's fans adore her, and would likely walk over hot coals just to vote for her.

That's got to send chills down the collective spines of Mitt Romney and Mike Huckabee - as well as all the major GOP power players.

More and more leading Republicans are criticizing the Mama Grizzly

I am noticing a pattern here. This cannot be a simple coincidence.

More and more GOP elders are making subtle attacks against Sarah Palin. Why? It can't be that they dislike the policies that she advocates. Her politics are not much different from other leading Republicans. What is it about Sarah Palin that represents such a threat to the Republican establishment?

Does anyone doubt this? If so, here are some examples to chew on:

Republican political strategist and former Bush aide Karl Rove has said that Palin lacks “gravitas”, and has been critical of Palin's reality show.

Rove told London's Daily Telegragh: “With all due candor, appearing on your own reality show on the Discovery Channel, I am not certain how that fits in the American calculus of 'that helps me see you in the Oval Office...".

Barbara Bush: "I think she's very happy in Alaska — and I hope she'll stay there."

U.S. Congressman Jack Kingston (R-Georgia) has stated that Sarah Palin refrain from getting involved in local elections.

Potential Palin rival Mike Huckabee has sided with Michelle Obama against Palin concerning the First Lady's dietary recommendations.

Conservative columnist Charles Krauthammer, who is popular and influential among Republicans, said on Fox News: "....I would have hoped she'd spend the next years getting really deep into policy and becoming an expert the way a lot of other candidates have done as they mature and approach the presidency.  She hasn't".

Admittedly, these are not exactly blistering attacks. But I'm suspicious. Republicans rarely criticize other Republicans. This strikes me as a coordinated effort to undermine Sarah Palin, and prevent her from being nominated in 2012.

If Palin remains popular with the Republican base next year, look out for more, and increasingly negative, attacks against her from the GOP establishment.

It would be ironic if it turns out that Sarah Palin's biggest enemies are not Democrats, or the media elite, but, rather, her fellow Republicans.