- 11/19/10 08:27 AM ET
President Obama can beat former Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin if she's the Republican nominee for president in 2012, Vice President Biden said Friday.
Biden sought to refute Palin's assertion earlier this week that the president is beatable when he runs for re-election in 2012, if she's the candidate.
"I don't think she could beat President Obama," the vice president said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" this morning, "but she's always underestimated, so I don't think I should say any more."
Biden's words aren't without grounding -- at this point. A CNN poll released shortly after the election earlier in November found that Obama would best Palin in a hypothetical 2012 matchup. In that election, 52 percent of registered voters would re-elect Obama, while 44 percent would support Palin.
The former Alaska governor and 2008 vice presidential nominee has been more candid in the last week about her possible pursuit of the presidency in 2012. She sent a shot across the White House bow earlier this week by declaring that she could beat Obama.
"I believe so," Palin told ABC when asked if she could beat Obama for a special airing in December.
If Palin does run in 2012, it's no sure thing that she would face off against Obama in the end. The Republican primary field is crowded and without any clear frontrunner, and it's very possible she might not win the nomination.
Some of those Republican candidates' cases against Palin will involve electability, especially since that same post-election CNN poll showed some GOP figures faring better against Obama. For instance, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) led Obama 52-44 percent in the poll, while former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) had a 50-45 percent advantage over Obama.
Biden sought to refute Palin's assertion earlier this week that the president is beatable when he runs for re-election in 2012, if she's the candidate.
"I don't think she could beat President Obama," the vice president said on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" this morning, "but she's always underestimated, so I don't think I should say any more."
Biden's words aren't without grounding -- at this point. A CNN poll released shortly after the election earlier in November found that Obama would best Palin in a hypothetical 2012 matchup. In that election, 52 percent of registered voters would re-elect Obama, while 44 percent would support Palin.
The former Alaska governor and 2008 vice presidential nominee has been more candid in the last week about her possible pursuit of the presidency in 2012. She sent a shot across the White House bow earlier this week by declaring that she could beat Obama.
"I believe so," Palin told ABC when asked if she could beat Obama for a special airing in December.
If Palin does run in 2012, it's no sure thing that she would face off against Obama in the end. The Republican primary field is crowded and without any clear frontrunner, and it's very possible she might not win the nomination.
Some of those Republican candidates' cases against Palin will involve electability, especially since that same post-election CNN poll showed some GOP figures faring better against Obama. For instance, former Arkansas Gov. Mike Huckabee (R) led Obama 52-44 percent in the poll, while former Massachusetts Gov. Mitt Romney (R) had a 50-45 percent advantage over Obama.
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