The Times still doesn't miss a chance to go after former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin. Nadia Taha's Friday post on the nytimes.com "Caucus" blog, "Palin Endorses Conservative in Divisive New York Race [1]," took a parting shot at Palin's recent low favorability ratings in a Gallup poll. But what about similar steep drops by Barack Obama and John Edwards?
Former Gov. Sarah Palin of Alaska has dipped into New York State politics by endorsing a third-party candidate in a divisive congressional race.
Mrs. Palin backed Doug Hoffman, the Conservative Party nominee, in the traditionally Republican 23rd District. The Republican nominee, Assemblywoman Dede Scozzafava, is a moderate who has broken with the G.O.P. by supporting same-sex marriage and abortion rights.
The seat was vacated by John McHugh, a Republican, when President Obama tapped him to become Army secretary, forcing a special election on Nov. 3.
The Republican Party's selection of Ms. Scozzafava has alarmed some more conservative Republicans, who feel the party is selling out its ideals to retain the seat. In selecting Ms. Scozzafava, state Republican leaders may have been mindful that Mr. Obama carried the traditionally Republican district.
Taha concluded:
The endorsement comes just a week after a Gallup poll found that Mrs. Palin's favorability had dipped to its lowest point since she became Senator John McCain's vice presidential nominee. According to the poll, her approval rating took a hit when she abruptly resigned as governor in July, and has not recovered during her relative absence from the political scene.
The Times didn't bother mentioning how the same Gallup release [2] showed disgraced liberal Democrat John Edwards' numbers had plummeted even further:
Former presidential and vice presidential candidate John Edwards, embroiled in personal scandal, is rated favorably by 21% of Americans and unfavorably by 59%....Gallup has never before found as steep a decline in consecutive measurements of a prominent figure using the favorable/unfavorable format, which it began using in 1992.
And only two days ago, Gallup issued a release [3]showing Obama's average daily approval rating slipped to 53% in the third quarter of 2009, (July 20-October 19), down nine points from his second-quarter average. A Gallup release stated that "the 9-point drop in the most recent quarter is the largest Gallup has ever measured for an elected president between the second and third quarters of his term, dating back to 1953."
A nytimes.com search indicates the Times has yet to mention it in print or online.