Palin's Favorability Numbers Improve

Maybe it's her book tour, or the fact that recent polls have shown majorities saying the press has treated her unfairly, but Sarah Palin's favorability numbers improved in the latest poll by CNN/Opinion Research, with those that see her in a positive or negative light matched evenly at 46 percent each, according to a CNN/Opinion Research poll conducted Dec. 2-3. Ten percent had no opinion and 6 percent say they never heard of her (!!!!!!).

In October, Palin was seen unfavorably by 52 percent of Americans and favorably by 42 percent. Last July, that negative ratio was 48 percent to 39 percent.

Former Vice President Dick Cheney is seen unfavorably by 53 percent and favorably by 39 percent, with 2 percent expressing no opinion and 5 percent saying they did not know him. The high point in terms of those who saw Cheney unfavorably was 61 percent in August 2008.

Former Democratic senator and presidential candidate John Edwards predictably suffered a huge turn to the negative after he admitted an extramarital affair and faced accusations that he tried to cover it up. In July, 2008, he was seen favorably by 59 percent and unfavorably by 25 percent with the balance expressing no opinion. Now, he is regarded unfavorably by 47 percent and favorably by 30 percent.

Connecticut Sen. Joe Lieberman, an independent aligned with the Democrats, is seen favorably by 40 percent and unfavorably by 28 percent, with the balance either not having heard of him or having no opinion.

Vice President Joseph Biden is seen favorably by 47 percent and unfavorably by 36 percent with the rest having no opinion or not having heard of him. Former Vice President Al Gore has a 52 percent to 42 percent favorable-to-unfavorable ratio with the balance expressing no opinion.