AP WAKES UP, MILLIONS CHEER - AT 9:54 A.M. ET:  The Associated Press now apparently permits deviation from The Line, as this story shows:

WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Barack Obama offered his domestic-policy proposals as a ''break from a troubled past.'' But the economic outlook now is more troubled than it was even in January, despite Obama's bold rhetoric and commitment of more trillions of dollars.

And while his personal popularity remains high, some economists and lawmakers are beginning to question whether Obama's agenda of increased government activism is helping, or hurting, by sowing uncertainty among businesses, investors and consumers that could prolong the recession.

Although the administration likes to say it ''inherited'' the recession and trillion-dollar deficits, the economic wreckage has worsened on Obama's still-young watch.

Every day, the economy is becoming more and more an Obama economy.

More than 4 million jobs have been lost since the recession began in December 2007 -- roughly half in the past three months.

COMMENT:  The next 90 days will be critical.  If things continue to slip at the same rate, Obama can no longer claim, except maybe to a visiting Hollywood actor, that he inherited the problem.  He will be seen as having caused the problem. 

March 7, 2009