Why America has 'Palin fatigue'

Even among Republicans, &quot;Sarah Palin is seen as toxic in an presidential race,&quot; says Gloria Borger at CNN.

(Image credit: Getty)

last updated 8 January 2015

"Okay, you've got Palin fatigue," says Gloria Borger at CNN. "Not to worry. So does much of the country." In fact, the latest CNN poll found that a record 56 percent of Americans now have an unfavorable opinion of the the former Alaska governor. Palin's fall from grace is not merely backlash against her "tone-deaf response" to those who claimed she was "somehow responsible" for the Tucson shootings. It's because she has morphed from hockey mom to "multi-media extravaganza," knocking on our doors daily to "sell something, without any invitation." In the process, she has "completely overstayed her welcome." Here, an excerpt:

When Sarah Palin was air-dropped onto the national scene, she was just what the GOP ordered. Republicans were looking for something new to cheer about. In Palin, they found it... Now, something is changing. Her staunch supporters are still there, to be sure, but Republicans are getting antsy, even nervous. In GOP circles, she's beginning to be seen as toxic in any presidential race...

Voters actually like positive leaders who inspire them. Relentless negativity can work, to be sure. Yet in the end, Americans gravitate to those who make us feel good about who we are capable of becoming. Successful candidacies and presidencies are not just about the foibles of the opposition. They're about our own ability — as John McCain was fond of saying — to become a part of something greater than ourselves. Palin, alas, is still stuck on the "me" part.