THE CONTINUING SLIDE - AT 9:50 A.M. ET:  Rasmussen is today reporting Obama's worst ever showing in Ras's presidential approval index, the gap between likely voters who strongly approve and those who strongly disapprove of the president's performance.  Today that gap stands at minus 11, with 40% strongly disapproving, and 29% strongly approving.   As recently as the end of May it was plus 10.  It was plus 28 on the day after inauguration.

Today's result reflects reaction to the president's comments about the Cambridge, Massachusetts, case at his press conference earlier in the week.   Certainly didn't help him.

The White House has to be concerned, not about one day's results, but about the incessant downward slide in recent weeks, starting with the president's indifferent handling of the opposition mini-revolt in Iran.

July 26, 2009