Half-term Governor Palin may want to re-think going on Hannity this evening. A substantial plurality of people disapprove of her response to the tragedy in Tucson. Perhaps releasing a self-pitying video attacking people for "Blood Libel," on the same day that everyone else is focused on the actual victims of the crime, wasn't the best way to handle criticism of her awful rhetoric.
Linky goodness:
Americans divide on the risks posed by the tone of the country's political discourse but approve overwhelmingly of President Obama's attempt to redirect it. Most also hold some hopes of political conciliation in the aftermath of the Tucson shootings.
Seventy-eight percent in a new ABC News-Washington Post poll approve of the way Obama has responded to the shootings, which he addressed in a speech in Tucson last week; that includes 71 percent of Republicans and conservatives alike. Far fewer, 30 percent overall, approve of the response by his political rival, Sarah Palin.
President Obama's approval reaches nearly every demographic; excepting the usual dead-ender's who are probably still researching how to tie his speech to some Marxist takeover by the government, or some such nonsense.
There are some other interesting tidbits in the poll, including the fact that while there is no support in stronger gun-control legislation on a major scale, there is seems to be a general consensus that magazines such as the ones that were used in the attack should be banned or restricted. Additionally, respondents think that the GOP shares more of the blame for over-the-top political rhetoric by a 45-39 clip.
Sarah Palin, in her response, was already panned by most in the media. The public's verdict on her response is not any kinder:
Far fewer Americans but still more than half, 53 percent, approve of the way the news media have responded to the Tucson shootings. Trailing these, 30 percent approve of the way Palin has responded, with 14 percent "strongly" approving. Forty-six percent instead disapprove of Palin's response, in which she rejected as "blood libel" suggestions that the tone of political discourse may have contributed to the attack. A substantial 24 percent have no opinion.
Also of note, is that only 48% of Republican's approve of her response. While that is still pathetically high, it certainly does not bode well for her, should she have future ambitions politically.
Link to cross-tabs (pdf).
Update: Sounds like Palin will get a Hannity-sized assist in continuing to dig a hole for herself:
Sean Hannity went on Fox & Friends this morning to talk about his interview tonight with Sarah Palin. Gretchen Carlson asked Hannity if it was a mistake for Palin to post a video response on Facebook about the criticism she’d been getting following the Tucson massacre. Said Hannity, "If you’re being accused of being an accessory to murder, don’t you think you’re going to want to respond?"