MORE BAD POLL NEWS FOR OBAMA – AT 8:33 A.M. ET:  The president may get a brief bump from the McChrystal episode, only because he showed some leadership for a change, but a major poll just released will not bring joy to the First Golfer.  From The Wall Street Journal:

Americans are more pessimistic about the state of the country and less confident in President Barack Obama's leadership than at any point since Mr. Obama entered the White House, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll...

...Amid anxiety over the nation's course, support for Mr. Obama and other incumbents is eroding. For the first time, more people disapprove of Mr. Obama's job performance than approve. And 57% of voters would prefer to elect a new person to Congress than re-elect their local representatives, the highest share in 18 years.

And...

For Democrats, the results underscore the potential for major losses in November. Both parties have been forced to contend with an anti-establishment wave this year. But Republicans, through strong fund raising and candidate recruitment, have put enough seats in play in the House and Senate to give the GOP a realistic shot at winning control of both chambers.

Support for Mr. Obama and his party is declining among centrist, independent voters. But, more ominous for the president, some in his base also are souring, with 17% of Democrats disapproving of Mr. Obama's job performance, the highest level of his presidency.

If there is good news for the president, it ironically comes from the Rasmussen poll, where Mr. Obama's approval rating has bounced back from a low and is now at 48%.

For the Republicans, the trends are generally good, but they vary from week to week, the election is four months away, and the Dems will not play dead. 

June 24, 2010