STUNNING - AT 9:46 A.M. ET:  More poll numbers, just in.  We always stress that polls are snapshots in time, and only trends will tell the story.  But we must point out that President Obama has suffered a sharp drop in approval this week in the Rasmussen poll, which tracks daily:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Friday shows that 34% of the nation's voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-four percent (34%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of 0. That’s the highest level of strong disapproval and the lowest overall rating yet recorded.

And why?

The President’s ratings have slipped since General Motors filed for bankruptcy to initiate a new government bailout and takeover. Just 26% of Americans believe the GM bailout was a good idea and nearly as many support a boycott of GM products. It remains to be seen whether the dip in the President’s numbers is a temporary reaction to recent news or something more substantive.

COMMENT:  Rasmussen also reports that the gap between the president's overall approval and disapproval is down to eight points, 54-46%.  We'll be curious to see whether Mr. Obama's current foreign tour will help or hurt him, or prove to be a wash.  Stand by.  There's a midterm election next year, and this is getting interesting.

June 5, 2009