CNN Poll Shows Country's View Of Tea Party Movement

One third of Americans have a favorable view of the Tea Party movement, but a plurality have no opinion at all, according to a new national poll.

A CNN/Opinion Research Corporation survey indicates that 26 percent of the public has an unfavorable view of the Tea Party movement and that four in ten have never heard of the movement or don't know enough to form an opinion. The poll's Friday morning release comes as what's being billed as the first national Tea Party convention begins its first full day of meetings Nashville, Tennessee.

Full results (pdf)

"The Tea Party movement is a blank slate to many Americans, which is not surprising for a political movement that is only about a year old," says CNN Polling Director Keating Holland. "Not surprisingly, opinion breaks along partisan and ideological lines."

According to the survey, Democrats by a two-to-one margin have an unfavorable view of the Tea Party movement; Republicans like it by a three-to-one margin. Among Independents, 35 percent of Independents holding a positive view and 24 percent a negative view.

On Saturday, Sarah Palin will serve as the convention's keynote speaker. The poll indicates that Americans are split on the former Alaska governor and 2008 GOP vice presidential nominee, with 43 percent seeing her in a positive light and 46 percent holding an unfavorable view...