QUOTE OF THE DAY - AT 10:58 A.M. ET:  David Brooks, a "conservative" op-ed columnist for The New York Times, is often just a lukewarm conservative, but today I think he gets it right:

All presidents fall from their honeymoon highs, but in the history of polling, no newly elected American president has fallen this far this fast.

Anxiety is now pervasive. Trust in government rose when Obama took office. It has fallen back to historic lows. Fifty-nine percent of Americans now think the country is headed in the wrong direction.

The public’s view of Congress, which ticked upward for a time, has plummeted. Charlie Cook, who knows as much about Congressional elections as anyone in the country, wrote recently that Democratic fortunes have “slipped completely out of control.” He and the experts he surveyed believe there is just as much chance that the Democrats could lose more than 20 House seats in the next elections as less than 20.

COMMENT:  One great and legitimate fear is that some commentators will insist on interpreting the president's fall as being racially tinged.  That could create new, unanticipated tensions in American society.  And you can be sure that some will want the race card played.

Another legitimate fear is that the president, in an attempt to reverse his slide, will start to mischaracterize results, especially in foreign policy, as great successes, when they aren't.  For example, there's a report out of the Mideast today that Iran has agreed to restart negotiations on its nuclear program.  Now, this is just procedural, and is probably a stall, but eager Obaman spinsters can start talking about a breakthrough.  Some in Obama's media amen corner will buy it.  Quick international deals, to boost popularity at home, are not unknown, and they often lead to tragedy.

September 1, 2009