MR. POPULARITY ISN'T – AT 8:37 A.M. ET:  We want all American presidents to succeed – country fierst – but I don't think I've ever seen a faster fall from grace than that suffered by Mr. Obama.  Andrew Malcolm of the L.A. Times's Top of the Ticket blog, has details on a new, and stunning survey:

Nearly half the people who once considered themselves supporters of President Barack Obama don't anymore...

...A new poll released today by Bloomberg News finds all that hopey-changey stuff is rapidly turning to disappointment and disenchantment. While 47% of all voters approve of Obama's job now, ominously for 2012 only 36% of onetime Obama supporters now approve. Feeling jilted?

Someone named Hillary Clinton is now viewed favorably by fully 64% of Americans, even more than like Obama's wife.

Of course, Obama is on no ballot three weeks from today. But Republicans appear to ...

... be succeeding in making the Democrat's first midterm election -- a time of traditional defeat anyway for the party of the White House occupant -- into a referendum on the Illinois guy.

Something about a stubborn national unemployment rate of 9.6% despite $700+ billion in non-stimulating stimulus spending and promises to keep the jobless rate below 8%.

Something about consecutive federal deficits of $1,291,000,000,000 and $1,416,000,000,000 despite that campaign promise to go through the budget line by line. Something about a controversial healthcare bill that a near-majority of Americans would like repealed.

COMMENT:  Yeah, spot on.  In 1994, after the smashing Republican midterm victory, the leftist anchorman, Peter Jennings, announced that Americans had experienced a temper tantrum.  When Dems lose, according to the Jennings camp, it's always a result of some character flaw or temporary emotional defect in the American people.

It wasn't a temper tantrum, it was a judgment.  That judgment is being made again.  As Andrew Malcolm points out, there are rational reasons for it, not illusions.  The president has ignored the people, and even showed contempt for them, their views, and their culture.  The people are responding, with ballots.  No teleprompters.

October 12, 2010