What do Republicans want from a national political leader?

What's your opinion of Sarah Palin as a likely leader for the Republican Party in 2012? According to this Rasmussen poll-based report, your answer to that will depend on whether you consider yourself a Republican, Independent or Democrat. More importantly, it says a lot about the qualities you want in a national party leader.

Sixty-nine percent (69%) of Republican voters say Alaska Governor Sarah Palin helped John McCain’s bid for the presidency, even as news reports surface that some McCain staffers think she was a liability.

Only 20% of GOP voters say Palin hurt the party’s ticket, according to a new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey. Six percent (6%) say she had no impact, and five percent (5%) are undecided.

Ninety-one percent (91%) of Republicans have a favorable view of Palin, including 65% who say their view is Very Favorable. Only eight percent (8%) have an unfavorable view of her, including three percent (3%) Very Unfavorable. [Snip]

The key for the 44-year-old Palin will be whether she can broaden her base of support. An Election Day survey found that 81% of Democrats and, more importantly, 57% of unaffiliated voters had an unfavorable view of her.

Essentially committed Republicans really like Palin while Democrats and Independents really don't. It's like the two groups are getting their information on her from completely different sources or they want something very different in a leader.