Palin Poison

Sarah Palin Unfavorability Rating Reaches Record High: Poll
The Huffington Post Nick Wing
First Posted: 01/19/11 09:08 AM Updated: 01/19/11 09:12 AM

Former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin reached a new milestone Wednesday, and it wasn't a good one. Her unfavorability ratings have reached record highs, according to a recently-released CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll.

According to the survey, Palin's unfavorability rating stands at 56 percent, its highest ever, and up seven percentage points from a similar poll taken before the midterm election. Her favorability rating, on the other hand, currently stands at 36 percent, the survey finds, down two points since October.

Another recent poll brings similar bad news for Palin. Here's CNN's report on the USA Today/Gallup survey released earlier this week, which also broke new ground for the former vice presidential candidate in terms of poor numbers:

According to the new USA TODAY/Gallup survey, Palin's favorability rating has dipped to 38 percent while her unfavorable now stands at 53 percent. Gallup reports the 38 percent is a new low when it comes to the percentage of Americans who give the former Alaska governor a thumbs up. The 53 percent who dislike Palin is also a new high in Gallup polling.
These numbers all come following the tragic shooting in Arizona earlier this month, which turned the eyes of some critics toward Palin's brand of politics, reproached by many as vitriolic and overly provocative. Palin responded to these claims with a lengthy address that was largely seen as overly defensive, personal and borderline offensive, especially given its use of the highly-charged phrase "blood libel." The former Alaska governor received low marks for her handling of the situation.

The latest CNN/Opinion Research Corporation poll surveyed 1,032 adults by telephone has a margin of error of 4 percentage points.