Rove Says Palin Excitement Will Pass; Polls Agree

Excitement over Sarah Palin won’t last, Karl Rove told the AP last night. The Republican strategist said Palin was picked for “political” reasons, and acknowledged she was not the most qualified VP candidate available, although he feels she is ready for the job. Opinion polls support Rove on the Palin bounce: approval ratings for John McCain’s running mate have fallen in the past week.

Daily Kos poll data showed Palin had a 52% positive approval rating, with 35% negative, on Sept. 11, two weeks after her debut. But the Alaska governor’s ratings have sunk to 42% positive, and 46% negative today. (More approval ratings stories.)