The latest national survey from Rasmussen -- whose numbers tracked President Obama creeping back to 50 percent approval in late February -- is getting the "shock poll" treatment from Drudge. Romney by five:
With the perception growing that he will be the GOP nominee, Romney leads President Obama by five points in a hypothetical 2012 matchup. Today's numbers show Romney at 48%, Obama at 43%. That’s Romney’s largest lead since December. If Santorum is the Republican nominee, he is up by one point over the president, 46% to 45%. This is the second time since polling began in 2011 that Santorum has had a slight lead over Obama. Romney is the only other candidate to lead the president more than one time in the polls. Overall, 44% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the president's job performance. Fifty-four percent (54%) at least somewhat disapprove.
Earlier in the week, I saw David Axelrod making the television rounds, shrugging off the notion that anybody could beat Obama, and dismissing the recent Gallup/USA Today poll as the one and only outlier. Well, add another "outlier" to the pile, I suppose. Also, don't forget that a majority of Americans say Obama's presidency is a failure, a majority doesn't think he deserves a second term, swing state voters lean Republican, GOP-aligned citizens are more enthusiastic about the election, most voters view the president's views as too liberal, and Obamacare is a lead weight around the president's neck. Gee, maybe the public isn't enthralled with Obama's war on jobs, and couldn't care less about the Democrats' manufactured "war on women" silliness.
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As I've written previously, polling at this stage of the game is useless. Presidential surveys won't really matter until September, and a lot can -- and will -- change between now and then. However, these polls serve as helpful motivators to resist the fatalism that has gripped some conservative opinionmakers. Team Obama's chest-beating is a bluff. They know they're in trouble, and they're flailing to hold on to power.
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