OBAMA LOSES TO ANYONE BUT REAL LIVE PEOPLE – AT 8:35 A.M. ET:  Huh?  What, you ask, does that headline mean? 

It turns out that Fox News has a new poll pitting President Obama in a hypothetical matchup against...well, here it is:

A new Fox News poll has President Obama losing in 2012 to a generic Republican candidate -- but mostly stomping a few big-name Republicans. Which leads one to wonder -- who is this generic Republican who could beat him?

According to the poll, Obama beats Mitt Romney, 47 percent to 35 percent, defeats Sarah Palin, 55 percent to 31 percent, and makes a quick business of Newt Gingrich, 53 percent to 29 percent. What, no Santorum?

Generically, Obama loses to an unnamed Republican, 43 percent to 47 percent.

Translated:  The Republican Party may need a fresh face because the worn ones aren't playing very well.  Romney does best, but Romney was a weak primary candidate and even he loses by 12 to Obama, although keeping Obama under 50%.

The fact is that the president retains a great deal of good will.  He has a strong minority base, and a number of other Americans – I hear it all the time – don't want the first black president to fail. 

Still, his electoral strength is eroding:

Moreover, the number saying they would "definitely" vote to re-elect Obama has declined -- going from 37 percent in April to 26 percent in October to 23 percent in the new poll.

It's very early, but the Republicans must start to present new faces.  They will begin that process after the State of the Union message next week, when the GOP reply will be delivered by newly sworn Governor Bob McDonnell of Virginia.  Good choice.

January 22, 2010