Opinion of Sarah Palin; Claim of 'Deceptive' Credit Card Acts
BLITZER: To our viewers, you're in THE SITUATION ROOM. Happening now: Are football players paying for all those hard hits? Some say yes, citing dementia and memory problems. Kate Bolduan reports on this troubling situation. Stand by. We just showed you some of the Brian Todd's reporting about how to keep a ship safe from modern-day pirates. We have much more coming up, as Brian goes to sea to check out the latest defenses. I'm Wolf Blitzer. You're in THE SITUATION ROOM. If Sarah Palin decides to run for president, she will have a lot of work to do convincing a lot of people. We're seeing potentially worrisome results for her in a fresh CNN poll from CNN and Opinion Research Corporation. Though it shows that many of you think Sarah Palin cares about people and is a good role model for women, it also shows that 71 percent of you do not think she's qualified to be president of the United States. Let's bring in our senior political correspondent, Candy Crowley. She's taken a closer look at these polls. I guess a little good news for Sarah Palin, but a lot of bad news, if -- and it's still a huge if -- if she decides to seek the Republican presidential nomination.</s>CANDY CROWLEY, CNN SENIOR POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: Exactly. And -- and what seems to be happening here is that, when it comes to those personal attributes that you're talking about, Sarah Palin actually does very well. When you say to people, "Do you think that she's a typical politician?" Sixty-five percent say, no, she is not a typical politician. A good role model for women? Sixty-four percent say she is. Cares about people? Fifty-six percent agree with that. Is she honest and trustworthy? Fifty-five percent of Americans say yes, she is. And this is not just Republicans. This is across the board. So, the sticking point, as you mentioned, Wolf, comes when you ask, is Palin qualified to be president? And here's the answer. Only 29 percent of Americans think that Sarah Palin is qualified. Astonishingly, 71 percent say she is not qualified to be vice president -- sorry, to be president, which is a pretty high number for a woman who just about a year ago was running to be vice president. What's going on it seems, Wolf, when you look at these numbers, is that people make a differentiation between personal traits -- honest and trustworthy, she cares about people -- and presidential traits, because when you say, well, is she a strong leader, does she share your values? Under 50 percent, that's when she goes below the 50 percent mark. However, don't tell that to Republicans, because we also asked just Republicans in this poll, who would you prefer? Who do you see as a presidential candidate coming up? Sarah Palin number, two behind Mike Huckabee and just in front of Mitt Romney. The bad news here for Palin here in this poll is that when you ask people the approval and disapproval rating, her disapproval rating is at 51 percent, which is higher than any of the people you see on that screen.</s>BLITZER: She'll have some work to do.</s>CROWLEY: Lots of work, if she wants it, which I think a lot of us really doubt she does. And by the way, another number that she's going to like right now, as of this moment, the last time we looked, number two on Amazon list of bestsellers, that book that's coming out next month.</s>BLITZER: She wants to be number one though.</s>CROWLEY: Well, you know, it's not out there yet.</s>BLITZER: A couple weeks. All right. Thanks very much, Candy. In a fight between everyday people versus their massive credit card companies, score one for the little guy right now. CNN recently told you what happened to a couple ahead of a key deadline intended to stop so-called credit card company abuses. Well, it appears the company was in fact watching CNN. Our national political correspondent, Jessica Yellin, is here with more on this story. They were watching you, Jessica, and they have now responded.</s>JESSICA YELLIN, CNN NATIONAL POLITICAL CORRESPONDENT: That's right, Wolf. As you know, we've been reporting on how credit card companies have been jacking up payments, increasing rates, adding new fees before these new consumer protection rules go into effect. Well, it seems there is now good news for the one couple we profiled. They tell us because of our story, the bank is helping them out.</s>YELLIN (voice-over): Remember we told you about Chuck and Jean Lane, a couple that's played by the rules? But their credit card company, like so many others, jacked up their payments before new regulations go into effect next year.</s>CHUCK LANE, CREDIT CARD CUSTOMER: I'm calling to find out why my payment jumped from $370 to $911 this month.</s>YELLIN: Now Chuck tells CNN his bank offered to slash his payments to $270 a month, less than before. The bank won't confirm the offer, citing privacy issues, but his congresswoman, Betty Sutton's office, has been in touch with his bank.</s>REP. BETTY SUTTON (D), OHIO: It wasn't until after CNN aired his story and he came to our office for help, and our intervention, that they did take appropriate action to reduce the payment. But, you know, it's unfortunate that it has to go to that extent.</s>YELLIN: It's great news for the Lanes, but what about millions of others who are seeing their credit card payments skyrocket? A new study by the Pew Charitable Trust finds across the board, credit card companies are using what Pew calls "... unfair or deceptive practices..." and increasing rates on average 20 percent.</s>NICK BOURKE, PEW SAFE CREDIT CARDS PROJECT: The bottom line is the credit card companies are doing whatever practices that are most profitable for them as long as they can, and until the law takes effect, that's going to continue.</s>YELLIN (on camera): And Congress can step in and stop it now?</s>BOURKE: Congress can step in and stop it now.</s>YELLIN (voice-over): Some members are trying. Representative Sutton is introducing a bill that would prevent unfair new fees. Representative Betsy Markey also saw our piece and is introducing a bill that would halt rate increases. But so far, neither has become law.</s>LANE: I know I'm not the only one, and I'm sure there's a lot of other people out there that can't afford an increase of two and a half times what they have put into their budget for a credit card bill.</s>YELLIN: Now, Wolf, the lobby that represents credit card companies gave us a statement about this new study by Pew. They say, "Interest rates on credit cards are rising due to increased risk for borrowers and the economy." They say credit card lending is the riskiest type of lending, and they say there's a direct relationship between interest rates and the state of the economy. So, Wolf, the final point, bottom line right now, is up to the Federal Reserve and Congress. They have the power to change credit card practices immediately, and the most effective way for our viewers to take action is to write a letter to their member of Congress and, of course, write and tell us their story -- Wolf.</s>BLITZER: The second maybe even more impressive. Good work, Jessica, in changing the situation and improving the lives of some folks out there thanks to you. We're very proud of you. Thanks very much. It was quick and very expensive. Was the launch of the world's largest new rocket worth it? Stand by for a live report from the Kennedy Space Center. And imagine a 5,000-pound beam crashing down on part of a busy bridge. It did happen, and the first reports are coming out online about it. Coming up, also, I'll ask the Senate minority leader, the top Republican in the Senate, Mitch McConnell, about a scolding he received today -- a little mild scolding, I should say -- from a 90- year-old former Republican member of the Senate.