Sarah Palin will appear on Oprah November 16 to promote Going Rogue, and she may need the exposure — her months out of the limelight haven't been good for her poll numbers.
According to Time's James Poniewozik, Palin's appearance follows some disagreement in Oprah's camp over whether to invite Palin on the show. But whatever arguments existed appear to have fallen by the wayside now that Palin's "not running for anything" — yet. If she does choose to run in 2012, she may have some difficult work ahead of her. Newsweek's Holly Bailey reports that since Palin resigned as governor and stopped making public appearances, her favorability rating has dipped to 40% — the lowest since McCain announced her as his running mate. And her popularity among independents has fallen to 41%, from 48% at the beginning of the campaign.
Among Republicans, the Palin picture is similarly bleak. 69% of them still like her, but only 18% think she should be their party's candidate for president in 2012. For comparison, 29% would most like to see Mike Huckabee run. And 21% say Palin is the person they'd least like to see on the ticket. On Republicans' least-wanted list, she trails only Gov. Tim Pawlenty.
Bailey writes that "stepping back from the fray a bit can help, but in the end, it's ultimately about message" and that "to have a chance in 2012, Palin needs people to take her seriously." Going on Oprah may help. Probably not as useful: the December 2 convocation she's slated to give at the College of the Ozarks, which Wonkette calls "perhaps the only (presumably?) accredited college in America that fancies going by a comically trademarked focus group slogan, 'Hard Work U.,' instead of its much more lamentable real name." Lamentable or not, the event's already sold out.
Oprah To Interview Palin [Time: Tuned In Blog]
Time Out Of The Spotlight Hasn't Helped Sarah Palin [Newsweek: Gaggle Blog]
‘Sarah Palin Convocation' Tickets At Random College Sell Out [Wonkette]