SARAH AND BARACK - IN A WAY, TOGETHER AGAIN - AT 8:18 A.M. ET:  Andrew Malcolm, in the L.A. Times' Top of the Ticket blog, reports that Sarah Palin is closing the polling gap on Barack Obama.  This should bring smiles:

The new CNN/Opinion Research Poll shows Palin now at 46% favorable, just one point below her fellow basketball fan.

(The same poll, btw, has bad news for Dick Cheney-haters; the outspoken former VP has climbed out of the 29% basement back up to 39% now. How do you suppose he's done that without a new book? But that's another story.)

Not that either Palin or Obama will admit caring about such trivial things as disparate political polls....

...1,071 days before the 2012 election, when Republicans will have the concept of change on their side. Although Obama's camp is already using the looming Palin pall as a fundraising tool. Never let any potential threat go unmonetized.

The new numbers seem to indicate that despite oft-cited predictions about the dire impact of Palin resigning her Alaska governor's job last July, a lot of people who don't live in Alaska (and, come to think of it, most people don't live in Alaska) don't seem to care. She wasn't their governor then and she still isn't.

The comeback has begun.  And more:

Palin critics -- and, by golly, there still are some, believe it or not -- say that she's a polarizing political figure.

And they're dead-on correct: 46% like her (including 8 of 10 Republicans), 46% don't (including 7 of 10 Democrats) and only 8% are undecided (no doubt including many who've been living underground since John McCain unveiled his VP GOP running mate in Dayton some15 months ago).

But here's the fascinating, little-noticed catch:

The very same polarization now holds true for Obama, the fresh fellow from the old Chicago Democratic machine who was supposed to bring hope and change to a nation tired of divisive politics and the harsh partisan tone of Washington.

Fully 83% of Democrats approve of him, but only 14% of Republicans do.

Among independents, who provided the crucial winning boost for the Democrat ticket in November 2008, Obama's support has melted to 42% today, in large part over immense spending and deficit concerns.

COMMENT:  It is a far cry from these numbers to a successful run for the presidency, but Sarah's numbers are heading in the right direction, whereas the president's are not. 

What's that old saying about he (or she) who laughs last?

December 8,  2009