POLL STUNNER - AT 10:25 A.M. ET:  Rasmussen this morning reports the lowest rating ever recorded for President Obama in Ras's presidential approval index.  That measures the gap between those who strongly approve of the president's performance and those who strongly disapprove:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Saturday shows that 25% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-one percent (41%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -16. That’s the lowest Approval Index rating yet recorded for this President.

The 25% who Strongly Approve matches the lowest level of enthusiasm yet recorded. That’s partly the result of declining enthusiasm among Democrats. While Democrats continue to offer their approval, just 43% Strongly Approve.

COMMENT:  The decline in Democratic support has to be looked at closely, since it's come after the West Point speech.  Part of this polling was also done after the president's centrist speech accepting the Nobel Peace Prize.  Are some Democrats jumping ship because they think the president is drifting toward the center?  That may or may not be true. 

But it would still be good strategy for Mr. Obama to move toward the middle.  That's where the real bulk of the votes is.  The hard left may be able to elect a multicultural studies director in San Francisco, but that's about it.

It's well known that the White House has a meeting every Wednesday to go over poll numbers.  This Wednesday's meeting should be marked by indigestion.  But don't sell these guys short.  Politically, they're sharp.  They'll come up with a strategy.  They were damned good in 2008.

December 12, 2009