The New NBC/WSJ poll is out and it has bad news for the GOP. Not only is Obama at 50% approval but he beats all comers including Romney: Obama 50% and Romney 44% and just as important Americans prefer Democrats over Republicans by 5% in the generic Congressional ballot.
http://firstread.msnbc.msn.com/...
The epic 2008 battle between Obama and Clinton improved the Democrats chances in 2008. Not only did Obama and Clinton improve as candidates as the primary continued but they got more popular with the American public and Democratic voters got more energized & organized. The GOP primary, on the other hand, is really hurting the Republicans. It has turned off voters particularly Independents, sucked out enthusiasm, dried out money, and cratered the favorable ratings for not only Romney but Republicans in general.
This fact is seen in the latest NBC/WSJ poll.
The GOP primary is damaging:
How damaging has the primary season – with all of its debates, attack ads and scrutiny -- been for the Republican Party?
Forty percent of all adults say the GOP contest so far has made them feel less favorable about the party, while 12 percent say they now have a more favorable impression. Forty-seven percent say it’s had no impact.
Even among Republicans, 23 percent maintain the primary season has given them a less favorable opinion of the party, versus 16 percent who say it’s been positive.
It is damaging to Romney:
And it’s been damaging for Romney, too. In January’s NBC/WSJ poll, Romney’s favorable/unfavorable rating stood at 31 percent to 36 percent among all respondents (and 22/42 percent among independents).
But in this latest survey, it’s now 28 percent favorable and 39 percent unfavorable (and 22/38 percent among independents).
In fact, Romney’s image right now is worse than almost all other recent candidates who went on to win their party’s presidential nomination: Obama’s favorable/unfavorable ratio was 51/28 percent and John McCain’s was 47/27, in the March 2008 NBC/WSJ poll; John Kerry was at 42/30 at this point in 2004; George W. Bush was 43/32 in 2000; and Bob Dole was 35/39 in March 1996.
In contrast Obama's standing has improved:
When it comes to President Obama, the poll contains mostly good news. Fifty percent approve of his job – his highest mark in the NBC/WSJ survey since Osama bin Laden’s death – and 45 percent disapprove.
In a hypothetical general-election contest, he leads Romney by six points, 50 to 44 percent, winning independents (46-39 percent), women (55-37 percent) and those in the Midwest (52-42 percent).
Obama enjoys bigger leads over Paul (50 to 42 percent), Santorum (53 to 39 percent) and Gingrich (54 to 37 percent).
The actual NBC/WSJ poll also has the Democrats over the Republicans in a generic matchup for Congress by 5 points.
As we all know this is just a snapshot and a week is a lifetime in politics. However, I am sure that the Obama team is more confident today in Obama's re-election chances than they have been in awhile. Obama has the right message for re-election which is fighting for the middle class.