Andrew Sullivan, a former Republican-sympathizer who is now an independent, notes:
That’s a hell of a swing – from minus 21 to even in two months. And, remember, Obama does better against the actual Republican candidates.
It’s not, in my view, because Obama is performing well as a communicator. It’s because the GOP is revealing itself as unfit for governing responsibility. Once again, Obama’s opponents self-destruct. Of course there’s a long, long way to go, and Romney could beat Obama next year if he is the candidate and the economy dives after Europe swoons. But still: this is a pretty damning indictment of an opposition party when a president has a 9 percent unemployment rate and paltry growth. The last two months, as the GOP has put its candidates on display and as its congressional obstructionism has deepened, have been dreadful for the Republicans. Maybe they’ll learn after Tuesday’s votes. But maybe they can’t.
I don’t understand why the 9% unemployment is ‘owned’ by the president. Especially in these times when the corporate world seems to be doing quite well and the banks are sitting on tons and tons of money, and the GOP is working toward Obama’s failure. Why does the president own the 9%?