OBAMA'S POLL DANCE – AT 8:31 A.M. ET:  A new poll shows confidence in President Obama has sunk to its lowest level.  From WaPo:

Public confidence in President Obama has hit a new low, according to the latest Washington Post-ABC News poll. Four months before midterm elections that will define the second half of his term, nearly six in 10 voters say they lack faith in the president to make the right decisions for the country, and a clear majority once again disapproves of how he is dealing with the economy.

Regard for Obama is still higher than it is for members of Congress, but the gap has narrowed. About seven in 10 registered voters say they lack confidence in Democratic lawmakers and a similar proportion say so of Republican lawmakers.

Overall, more than a third of voters polled -- 36 percent -- say they have no confidence or only some confidence in the president, congressional Democrats and congressional Republicans. Among independents, this disillusionment is higher still. About two-thirds of all voters say they are dissatisfied with or angry about the way the federal government is working.

And...

Those most likely to vote in the midterms prefer the GOP over continued Democratic rule by a sizable margin of 56 percent to 41 percent.

COMMENT:  We can see little ahead to change the basic political equation.  Democratic governors are already warning the White House that the Justice Department's suit against Arizona is political poison, but the Obamans still forge ahead with the suit. 

However, the unexpected could still happen between now and November to rescue Mr. Obama.  The unexpected happened in 2008 – the financial meltdown.  So the election is anything but in the bag.  Right now, trends are going our way.

July 13, 2010