RASMUSSEN CONFIRMS - AT 5:27 P.M. ET:  The Rasmussen tracker out today confirms the polling data from other polls and the general impression that political watchers have - that President Obama's numbers are weakening.

In Ras's presidential approval index, measuring the gap between those who strongly approve of presidential performance and those who strongly disapprove, Mr. Obama has been in negative territory since June 30th.  That's a lifetime in politics, and demonstrates that the president is facing serious, hardcore disapproval.  In today's tracker, some 36% strongly disapprove of the Obama performance.  In overall approval, the president ironically has come up a notch from his low, with 53% approving, 46% disapproving. 

Other polls show Mr. Obama somewhat stronger, although the new CBS poll, which we reported in our first item this morning, has approval at 57%, within range of the Rasmussen number. 

A reasonable analysis would conclude that only some good news can reverse this trend, and it's hard to see where that good news could come from.  Even optimists are guarded about the economy, with unemployment continuing to rise.  In foreign policy, Mr. Obama's strikeouts are enough to send him back to the minors. 

So far, we detect no change in Mr. Obama's program in response to the decline, and the Dems in Congress, especially in the House, seem hell-bent on imposing their brilliant vision on the American people, no matter how great the opposition.

July 14, 2009