WHERE OBAMA STANDS – AT 7:23 P.M. ET:  Very rarely do we see polls aligned like this.  Three major, recent polls show President Obama's approval at 48%.

Where the polls differ is on disapproval.  CBS has disapproval at 41%, Gallup at 44% and Rasmussen, the only poll of the three showing higher disapproval than approval, has the negative number at 51%.

This shows some improvement for the president over recent months.  While he's still under 50%, he's not way under.  His numbers are far from disastrous.  If they hold, it demonstrates what a tough time the GOP will have in beating him.  It is going to take a first-class candidate running a first-class campaign, and I don't think Ronald Reagan is available. 

The presumed frontrunner at the moment is Mitt Romney, whose name does not excite the country.  There is little "wanting" of Romney, who could very well be a fine president.  Trouble is, you've got to get elected first, and it's a bothersome step.

The Republican Party moves slowly.  It took Reagan three tries to get the nomination, and three almost turned out not to be the charm.  There was plenty of opposition to him in 1980 from the staid Republican establishment.  A slow-moving party will not win in 2012.

We may need a dark horse, and not Donald Trump, whose hairpiece is a better candidate than he is.

February 15, 2011