by Art Kelly
 
1.  The Associated Press reported that the mood of the recent meeting of the Democratic National Committee was “despondent,” but Speaker Nancy Pelosi and President Obama remained optimistic.
 
In an interview with CQ-Roll Call, Pelosi was confident her party would “definitely” retain control of the House of Representatives.
 

And National Review Online quotes commentator Charles Krauthammer, remarked:
 
“I think the president is at sea. He has just had his entire agenda of Year One rejected, and I think he has talked himself into believing that it's because of process and not substance…(B)ut it was the substance. The dogs don't like the dog food.  He thinks it's the bowl or the advertising, or perhaps he didn't speak slowly enough in dog-ese in explaining it. But it's the substance — [an idea] which he won't accept.”
 
A surreal moment came as two back-to-back snowstorms engulfed the Atlantic Coast, paralyzing Washington, D.C. In the midst of these historic blizzards, the Washington Times reported that President Obama proposed to create a new federal office on Global Warming.
 
The President may be paying a price for such liberal extremism.
 
The latest tracking report from Rasmussen Reports found that only 25% of Americans strongly approve of Obama’s performance in office, while 39% strongly disapproved, resulting in a rating of minus 14 points. 
 
When those persons who do not have strong opinions either way are factored in, 46% approve of the President’s performance, 52% disapprove, and 2% have no opinion.
 
A different Rasmussen poll indicates that if the Congressional elections were held today, Republicans would win 44% to 36% with 20% undecided.  If the undecideds did not vote in this non-presidential election, which is likely, that would produce a 55%-45% GOP victory.
 
Even more ominous for the Democrats (and some Republicans) is a Rasmussen survey that showed that 63% of likely voters believe it would be better for the country if most incumbents in Congress were defeated this November.
 
 
2.  The economy is the most important issue facing the nation, according to Rasmussen Reports. 
 
And a different Rasmussen poll found that voters trust Republicans on the economy more than they do Democrats 46% to 42%. 
 
The GOP was also preferred on national security, Iraq, health care, education, immigration, Social Security, taxes, and abortion.  Democrats were trusted slightly more on government ethics.
 
 
3.  The latest state polls from Rasmussen Reports point to possible outcomes:
 
Missouri Senate
Roy Blunt (R)  49%
Robin Carnahan (D) 42%
Other candidates 3%
Undecided 6%
 
New Hampshire Senate
Kelly Ayotte (R) 46%
Paul Hodes (D) 39%
Other candidates 3%
Undecided 13%
 
Michigan Governor
Peter Hoekstra (R) 43%
Denise Ilitch (D) 31%
Other candidates 6%
Undecided 19%
 
Pennsylvania Senate
Pat Toomey (R) 47%
Sen. Arlen Specter (D) 38%
Other candidates 5%
Undecided 10%
 
Ohio Governor
John Kasich (R) 47%
Gov. Ted Strickland (D) 41%
Other candidates 5%
Undecided 8%
 
Ohio Senator
Rob Portman (R) 43%
Lee Fisher (D) 39%
Other candidates 5%
Undecided 13%
 
Colorado Governor
John Hickenlooper (D) 49%
Scott McInnis (R) 45%
Other candidates 1%
Undecided 6%
 
Nevada Senate
Danny Tarkanian (R) 47%
Sen. Harry Reid (D) 39%
Other candidates 8%
Undecided 6%
 
Nevada Governor
Rory Reid (D) 44%
Gov. Jim Gibbons (R) 35%
Other candidates 13%
Undecided 8%
 
The Nevada primaries are June 8.  If Brian Sandoval, a former federal judge and state attorney general, defeats Gibbons in the GOP Primary, the general election match-up would produce dramatically different results:
 
Brain Sandoval (R) 45%
Rory Reid (D) 33%
Other candidates 11%
Undecided 12%
 
Wisconsin Senate
Tommy Thompson (R) 47%
Sen. Russ Feingold (D) 43%
Other candidates 6%
Undecided 4%