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President Obama has not been doing so well in the polls lately. Last week, his approval rating dipped below 40 percent, and just 26 percent of voters approve of how he's handling the economy. But that doesn't mean Americans want to replace Obama with just anybody. A new Rasmussen poll shows Obama beating Sarah Palin 50 percent to 33 percent in a 2012 contest -- better than his performance against any other Republican. Among women, Obama is crushing Palin 56 percent to 29 percent.

The result is interesting given analysis by The New York Times' Nate Silver that Rasmussen polls tend to predict Republicans will perform better than they actually do on election night. Palin will be in Iowa for a Tea Party rally September 3, an appearance she teased with a campaign ad-esque YouTube and which some have said might be the moment she announces a presidential candidacy.

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