A new CBS News poll finds that 71 percent of Americans say they do not want former beauty contest winner, former vice presidential candidate and former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin to run for president, while only 21 percent say they do want her to run.

Just over half (56 percent) of Republicans say they do not want her to seek the office and 30 percent do, but 88 percent of Democrats do not want her to run. Among independents, 65 percent do not want her to run and 25 percent do.

The poll found that more people view Palin negatively than positively and that her recent book tour did not improve overall views of her. However, in a testament to her role as polarizing fugure, though she is a better-known today than she was last fall, both her favorable and unfavorable ratings have increased.

Now, 26 percent of people view Palin favorably, compared with 23 percent in November and July of last year. Forty-one percent now view her unfavorably, compared with 38 percent in November and 37 percent in July (both in CBS News polls). Nineteen percent of people in the current poll are undecided about Palin.

Forty-three percent of Republicans have a favorable opinion of her. Independents are divided, with 30 percent holding favorable views and 35 percent unfavorable.

Conservatives are the only ideological group that holds net positive views of her — just under half do, while a quarter are unfavorable and a quarter of conservatives are undecided.

But while favorable toward her, most conservatives say they do not want to see Palin run in 2012 — 58 percent of conservatives say she should not run.

Why not? Let’s see, she would rip the party apart and lose the election. ‘Nuff said. She’s got her nifty TV gig now, anyway, which is a lot easier than running for president, you betcha!