Puh Puh Puh Puh Palin

In four years, America's going to be eager for change. So which Republican is best positioned to challenge Barack in 2012?

When asked to choose among some of the GOP’s top names for their choice for the party’s 2012 presidential nominee, 64% say Palin. The next closest contenders are two former governors and unsuccessful challengers for the presidential nomination this year -- Mike Huckabee of Arkansas with 12% support and Mitt Romney of Massachusetts with 11%.

Wow. Palin leads the next most popular Republicans by 50 points! Now we know why they're out to get her.

Ninety-one percent (91%) of Republicans have a favorable view of Palin, including 65% who say their view is Very Favorable. Only eight percent (8%) have an unfavorable view of her, including three percent (3%) Very Unfavorable.

What about all that talk from liberals about how awful Palin is, and how she represents McCain's biggest mistake?

Only 20% of GOP voters say Palin hurt the party’s ticket, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Six percent (6%) say she had no impact, and five percent (5%) are undecided.

Is it possible that McCain's biggest mistake wasn't Palin, but rather, McCain?

These findings echo a survey earlier this week which found that Republicans were happier with their vice presidential candidate than with their presidential nominee. Seventy-one percent (71%) said McCain made the right choice by picking Palin as his running mate, while only 65% said the party picked the right nominee for president.

Palin's strength is that she makes the base happy. From that platform, she'll have the power to go after the rest of the country.

The key for the 44-year-old Palin will be whether she can broaden her base of support. An Election Day survey found that 81% of Democrats and, more importantly, 57% of unaffiliated voters had an unfavorable view of her.

The survey numbers are from the most accurate pollster this year - Rasmussen.