WHERE OBAMA STANDS – AT 10:58 A.M. ET:  We have several indications that the president is slipping again in the polls.  Gallup reported slippage earlier in the week.  Now Rasmussen's daily tracker is picking up the trend:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Sunday shows that 24% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president. Forty-two percent (42%) Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -18.

Consider this:

Overall, 45% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the president's performance. Fifty-four percent (54%) disapprove.

That's a nine percent gap, fairly close to Obama's worst past showing in the Rasmussen survey.  The 42% "strong disapproval" rating is especially significant because it registers passion – in this case negative passion – and passion plays an enormous role in who comes out to vote and who they choose. 

We stress again that polls are snapshots in time, and numbers float around.  But the White House cannot be happy with these results.  The president can be rescued by 1) an improvement in the economy, especially the jobs picture, and/or 2) a Republican suicide mission, which would certainly reflect a proud Republican tradition, starting with legendary loser Thomas E. Dewey in 1948.

Fascinating election year coming up.

March 13, 2011