PRESIDENT NOT GAINING IN RASMUSSEN POLL - AT 11:23 A.M. ET:  I'd expected Obama to get a bit of a bounce as a result of all his diplomatic activity, and there was some hint of that earlier in the week.  But the numbers seem to be settling down.  Rasmussen this morning puts the president's overall approval at 50%, and disapproval at 49%.   Not a great showing after Obama's unprecedented "See me everywhere" campaign.

Ras's presidential approval index, which measures the gap between those who strongly approve and those who strongly disapprove, shows Obama at minus nine, 30% to 39%.  Again, these are not numbers you show to the mother-in-law.

I don't think the "strongly approve" will drop much below 30%.  That's the liberal base of the Democratic Party, and takes account of the president's almost unanimous support among African-Americans.  But "strongly disapprove" can rise.

Also, don't be shocked if the president does get a brief bounce from his confrontation with Iran.  People tend to rally 'round the chief at times of international tension.  But he'll have to show results to maintain any gain.

September 26, 2009