MAY JUST BE TEMPORARY – AT 9:43 A.M. ET:  Scott Rasmussen reports on the continuing gains President Obama is making as a result of the State of the Union message.  Once again we're reminded that the president is a more-than-formidable political presence, not to be sold short:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Monday shows that 35% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. That’s the highest level of strong approval for the President in more than seven months and reflects a significant bounce following the State-of-the-Union address. Before the speech, just 27% voiced strong approval.

Thirty-nine percent (39%) now Strongly Disapprove down from 42% before the speech. Putting it all together gives Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -4. That’s the President’s best Approval Index rating in months. In fact, he’s earned a better rating on only two days in the past six months...

...Overall, 49% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance. Fifty percent (50%) disapprove.

COMMENT:  We'll look for these numbers to return to pre-speech levels in the next few weeks.  It was only days ago that the spread between approval and disapproval was seven points, not the one point we see today.  If the numbers do return, fine.  If they don't, our side has a problem. 

Obama can turn it on.  It worked in November, 2008.  It probably cannot work that effectively in influencing voters during a midterm election year.  But that will depend, in part, in how effective Republicans will be in recruiting Scott Brown-level candidates and delivering their message.

February 1, 2010