Obama's poll numbers per Newsweek have jumped up dramatically.
http://bit.ly/...
The motivational factors of voters in off year elections are many: but the most important aspect of the dynamic is the dynamic. People like to vote winners and feel good doing so.
Negative campaigning may motivate a small group of obnoxious extremists, but in the end, it's the middle of this country that will decide who wins, and who loses.
Closing in to less than 20 (10! sorry!) days out, the ball is in the Democratic Party's hands. Down by 2, it may be time for that classic 3 pointer at the buzzer.
Pacing the upward dynamic is everything. Do it too early, it can fizzle out. Peak it on election day, and results can confound the Bubble heads in DC.
Normally, I don't get too excited about polls, but this is Newsweek, not The Nation: not exactly a hotbed of leftists.
"Do you approve or disapprove of the way he is handling his job as president?"
54% approve
40% don't approve
6% don't know
"Despite doom-saying about Democrats’ chances in the midterms, the latest NEWSWEEK poll (full results) shows that they remain in a close race with Republicans 12 days before Election Day, while the president’s approval ratings have climbed sharply. The poll finds that 48 percent of registered voters would be more likely to vote for Democrats, compared to 42 percent who lean Republican (those numbers are similar to those in the last NEWSWEEK poll, which found Democrats favored 48 percent to 43 percent). President Obama’s approval ratings have jumped substantially, crossing the magic halfway threshold to 54 percent, up from 48 percent in late September, while the portion of respondents who disapprove of the president dropped to 40 percent, the lowest disapproval rating in a NEWSWEEK poll since February 2010."
PDF of crosstabs here
http://nw-assets.s3.amazonaws.com/...
This is getting to be fun.