OBAMA FALTERING – AT 8:23 A.M. ET:  The first debate among potential GOP candidates for president will be held next week, and we'll consider that the official opening of the campaign season.  For President Obama, the current political news is less than exciting.  His numbers continue to slide:

(CNSNews.com) - President Barack Obama’s weekly approval rating remained at its all-time low for the second straight week, according to the Gallup poll.

In the week of April 11-17 and again in the week of April 18-24, 43 percent of the Americans polled by Gallup said they approved of the job Obama was doing as president.

That matched the all-time low for Obama’s weekly approval in the Gallup poll. Previously, Obama had earned a 43 percent approval rating in the back-to-back weeks of Aug. 16-22, 2010 and Aug. 23-29, 2010.

Obama’s weekly approval rating peaked at 67 percent in the week of Jan. 19-25, 2009—the week he was inaugurated.

COMMENT:  Poll numbers won't take on truly serious meaning until the Republicans have a nominee, or at least a frontrunner.  Barbour has dropped out, and it appears that Mike Huckabee, who has been among the GOP favorites, may soon follow.  Trump is there, but in the end won't be taken seriously.  The betting is that Sarah will say no.  Ron Paul, who has essentially declared, is a pro-Islamist disgrace.  Mitt Romney essentially leads the field, but with remarkably little popular support. 

We're not left with much electricity.  I see the term "dark horse" being used more and more in political commentary, reflecting the dissatisfaction with the Republican field.  True, a party nominee achieves instant status, and even one of the "dull" ones might well surprise us.  Mitch Daniels, the ultra-competent governor of Indiana, needs an emergency charisma transplant, but is immensely popular in his home state.   Remember, many Republicans thought Ronald Reagan in 1980 was an over-the-hill movie actor who had some nerve running for president. 

We'll watch the debate next week.  Give us signs of life.

April 29, 2011