DEMS IN DISTRESS - AT 8:22 A.M. ET:  A Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll reveals the Titanic condition of the Democratic Party.  It's hit the iceberg, it's sinking, and the only question is the number of survivors:

WASHINGTON -- Less than a year after Inauguration Day, support for the Democratic Party continues to slump, amid a difficult economy and a wave of public discontent, according to a new Wall Street Journal/NBC News poll.

The findings underscored how dramatically the political landscape has changed during the Obama administration's first year. In January, despite the recession and financial crisis, voters expressed optimism about the future, the new president enjoyed soaring approval ratings, and congressional leaders promised to swiftly pass his ambitious agenda.

In December's survey, for the first time, less than half of Americans approved of the job President Barack Obama was doing, marking a steeper first-year fall for this president than his recent predecessors.

And...

The survey suggests that public discontent with Mr. Obama and his party is being driven by an unusually grim view of the country's status and future prospects.

It is up to presidents to lead and inspire.  Mr. Obama hasn't painted a portrait of a shining city on a hill, but of a slum teeming with injustice and regret.

The biggest worry for Democrats is that the findings could set the stage for gains by Republican candidates in next year's elections. Support from independents for the president and his party continues to dwindle. In addition, voters intending to back Republicans expressed far more interest in the 2010 races than those planning to vote for Democrats...

The enthusiasm gap - a key factor in the 2008 presidential election.

But public displeasure with Democrats wasn't translating directly into warmth for Republicans. Twenty-eight percent of voters expressed positive feelings about the GOP...

Exceedingly important.  This is not a time to gloat.  Saying "no" to virtually everything Obama does is not a policy, it's an attitude.  The GOP must acknowledge the nation's problems and develop creative solutions that work.

Just 35% of voters said they felt positively about the Democratic Party, a 14-point slide since February. Ten percent felt "very positive."

I don't wish to be a political party pooper, but please notice that, despite the slide, the Dems are still seven points ahead of the GOP in the "positive" column. 

Democrats' troubles can be attributed in part to changing feelings among some core supporters. A third of voters 34 and under, a group that turned out heavily for Democrats last year, feel negative toward the Democratic Party. And just 38% of Hispanics feel positive, down sharply from 60% in February.

We'd have to look at the internals of those findings.  Why do younger voters and Hispanic voters feel less favorable toward the Democrats.  That's the key.  Don't assume they'll vote Republican.  They may just stay home, or even vote for third-party candidates.

December 17, 2009