WHEN WILL THE BAD NEWS FOR OBAMA END? – AT 5:05 P.M. ET:  Or, when will the White House start shooting the pollsters?  A new poll shows how extensive the disillusionment with The One has become.  From the Washington Times:

Only 43 percent of Americans would vote to re-elect President Obama, fully 10 percent lower than the percentage that put him into office just more than a year ago.

Fifty percent think it's time for someone new to be president, according to the latest poll conducted by Zogby International from Jan. 19 to 21, when the president completed his first term in office.

Among independent voters, only 30 percent would vote to re-elect Mr. Obama, and 60 percent say it is time for someone new.

COMMENT:  Obviously, this is very, very preliminary.  The president isn't up until 2012, and we haven't even had the 2010 elections.  But the figure among independents has got to worry the White House immensely.   Mr. Obama rode to power largely because of his strength among independents.  That strength is now gone, at least for now.

January 25, 2010