Big turnaround in Obama approval on BP's oil spill

From the latest NBC/WSJ poll (analyzed in depth by DemFromCT):

In general, do you approve or disapprove of the way Barack Obama is handling the aftermath of the Gulf Coast oil spill?

June, 2010:
Approve: 42%
Disapprove: 50%

August, 2010:
Approve: 50%
Disapprove: 38%

That's a striking twenty point shift, going from an eight point deficit to a twelve point approval margin in just two months.

Particularly in light of the fact that the administration's approval rating on the economy is weaker (at 44% approval to 52% disapproval), it's a reminder that substance is more important than spin. The thing driving these numbers are facts on the ground -- not what pundits or analysts say about them, not what political operatives want people to believe about them.

Put another way: the biggest political challenge faced by Democrats and the administration has nothing to do with how they approach the campaign. It's all about putting in place policies that will lead to economic recovery. They've gone part of the way -- stopping it from free fall and getting it on stable ground. Now comes the tough part: nursing it back to health.

It might be too late for 2010, though it probably won't be a disaster for Democrats because Republicans are so unpopular, but the clock is ticking on 2012. The good news is that if the economy gets back on track, there's plenty of room for President Obama's approval ratings to grow. But there isn't any time to waste.