NEW POLL STUNNER - AT 9:40 A.M. ET:  With daily tracking polls now starting to show reaction to Obama's Copenhagen flop, and the Senate's imminent passage of Obamacare, the news keeps getting worse for the president.  Rasmussen has just published his Tuesday report:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Tuesday shows that 25% of the nation's voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-six percent (46%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -21 That’s the lowest Approval Index rating yet recorded for this President.

The internals are even worse. 

Fifty-three percent (53%) of men Strongly Disapprove along with 39% of women. Most African-American voters (58%) Strongly Approve while most white voters (53%) Strongly Disapprove.

The racial divide, while understandable, is very troubling for a "post-racial" president.

And overall approval?

Overall, 44% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance. Fifty-six percent (56%) now disapprove. 

I believe that gap is also the greatest recorded in the Rasmussen poll.  Again, the internals:

Seventy-seven percent (77%) of Democrats approve while 88% of Republicans and 62% of unaffiliated voters disapprove.

That unaffiliated (independent) number, 62%, is staggering.

We always stress that other polls may show a better position for the president, but Rasmussen polls likely voters, which is the best way to do it.  Some polls question registered voters, or even all adults.  In Chicago they poll those alive, or not.

December 22, 2009