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Obama Recovery

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    Chris Stirewalt, Fred Barnes and Mark Mellman discuss President Obama's recent recovery.

  • Duration 8:27
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50%.

That is president Obama's new job approval rating in the latest Wall Street Journal NBC news both the first time the president has gotten -- halfway mark.

Since last spring.

And this is power play welcome back Internet welcome back.

To Mark -- he is a democratic strategist who has worked with other among others.

Former President Bill Clinton Harry Reid he's president of the Mellman group.

He knows how people vote and why.

He is going to provide his wind wise counsel and Fred Barnes is with us still continuing to provide is wise counsel.

OK mark I want to you look at this new Wall Street Journal poll that's out today.

And I should say that other than our new Fox News poll which I think is really awesome.

The Wall Street Journal poll done by bill -- -- -- Republican.

And Jeff -- a Democrat is really -- you know it's it's been arguably one of the gold standard polls.

In the days and this says that the Republicans.

Are killing themselves essentially the take away.

-- -- called the process corrosive.

That all these personal attacks on each other.

How confident are you though that this trend line is the truth is the trend line that's gonna hold for Democrats does this change once the Republicans conclude their.

Yes well look the reality is if any -- trying to project the president's the indefinite future.

You're making a big mistake things do change things can change but it's certainly good news for the president.

I -- -- good news the president a couple levels first.

His own approval separate apart from the Republicans he's got that 50% mark it's achieve that mark and several other polls as well somehow -- a little bit lower still.

But it's moving in the right direction as people feel a little bit better about the future of the economy.

The second thing that's happening is your problems are killing themselves they look like fools every week get a get out there and attack each other make themselves look silly.

Make each other look silly and those negative views about about Republican candidates have skyrocketed.

In the public is all that -- was hard to shake once -- opinion becomes ingrained in people's.

-- -- I want to share with you.

I I did using the power play calculator.

We calculated out what the favorability -- Four these Republican candidates are with President Obama.

And let's take a look at this favorability get.

Newt Gingrich trailed President Obama by forty points on favorability Rick Santorum -- 25 points Ron Paul by 23 points and Mitt Romney by 21 points.

Is mark Wright is -- is that there are they are they ruining himself.

It's well -- I think President Obama Democrats -- the gift that keeps on giving them twenty debates and and at least Republicans to stop having these nationally televised debates.

Which of course is -- knows they got amazingly large audience is not just Republicans.

And they were killing themselves and you see it in another number in this NBC the Wall Street Journal poll which shows that.

That new and -- Romney has twelve points underwater in other words his.

It's unfair and ability as 40% his favorability is only 28%.

Right now this comes at the same time I happen to look every day at the Gallup poll.

That as a favorability and on favorability -- -- have you looked favorably at the president's.

Job performance and it's been under water.

Four months and months and months until the last few days and it's -- -- and now he is.

He's got his head above water up -- a 40% 48% favorable 46%.

Unfavorable so.

Look I don't think the president has said exactly had a surge but he certainly had a much better position that he was either the two weeks ago.

And two augment your point Mike Carter viewer Mike -- Carter says.

Win the road win are the Republicans going to stay on message and not let the Democrats turn every good story for them into negative for example religious freedom is known attack.

And contraception it's frustrating that Santorum and now -- -- the Democrats and media to pull the focus back to social issues and away from the economy.

So Morton for the president.

He's very conscious obviously of this Republican process is because we're we we've just learned today for example that he's gonna hold his first press conference I think since the fall.

On Super Tuesday.

Which is pretty clear sign to Mitt Romney like.

You may -- you may have a great day Mitt Romney may knock yourself out but I'm still gonna -- I'm gonna -- with you just by dint of my existence and get a -- with you for the lead story on the evening news I do.

Be present at states' rights is not his mere existence yet plus it has spread out quite so yes but if you if you want to get security to college in Hawaii were me I'd get up there you're -- a press conference and you -- -- -- is that I had heard.

Exactly no look -- the reality is that the president is still the president.

But most important people do think he's doing a better job as the economy starts improving people again people are not through this economy there's no question about that as well as they are looking forward and seeing that things are gonna get better.

And so when you're at your viewer talks about.

-- your problems going to backed economic issues but that's been part of the problem Mitt Romney said.

Mitt -- become a symbol of what's wrong with our economy rather than has not seen as somebody -- can fix it he exports those jobs close down those companies.

-- pockets full of cash dozens of pictures that he's put out of himself and it's not very flattering port.

I wanna share I want to share with you the good news that was in this -- from Mitt Romney.

And these are his head to heads against his primary pursuers.

So against.

Rick Santorum this is really significant for Mitt Romney for the first time in a head to head.

-- -- of the top not Romney whether it's been Herman Cain -- Rick barrier Newt Gingrich or whomever Romney comes out ahead.

Fifty to 44 in the third to 45 in this -- that's -- their that's that's sort of a breakthrough moment for Romney.

And the other -- head to head with -- -- 63.

To 33 so that's that's kind of that's kind of not happening is there a danger -- That -- -- for the Republicans awareness of this.

There's sort of Heisenberg effect as Republicans observe this it changes their process they see as the president strengthening it makes them want to.

Bring this to a close.

If they're Smart that's out there and sure that's Saturday and -- if they're Smart they would be.

Look the reality is this is been Mitt Romney's race for some weeks now.

Ever since Michigan for sure -- I think before that instead with some -- -- -- Michigan he could win another state down the road but he's not gonna get the nomination.

Other -- to keep this process going the longer it goes on the worse off they are.

But more power to Fred Barnes no it's actually true I mean it sort of not a lot that can hurt in war.

This is only -- this has been a surge oh for the president he's improved -- and it is perceptible and it is really has gained.

On the other hand the economy is extremely fragile.

Is he gonna get he's still a million jobs under water.

For his administration in other words are a million fewer Americans.

Going to work every day and did win the he became president back in January.

2009 -- to close that gap and -- economy as it has the last couple of months -- increased deployment by a quarter of a million.

-- -- -- -- But it may not and you'll see if there's a depth.

I think some of the old same old feelings about.

President Obama not being up to handling of the economy.

We're -- wanna ask you about that in the past two years we've had.

-- probable and when President Obama was lasted 50% in this poll it was because people were feeling good about the economy.

But then what happened become -- hit the skids and we had if you recall high oil prices.

Commodity prices were up and European recession.

Was putting a damper on the global economy.

In addition and the Japanese tsunami but.

It seems like for two years the president has actually been hurt.

By having the first quarter be good because it raised expectations.

If that's cycle returns this year and we see a rough quarter two and start -- quarter three he's in trouble on election -- there's no.

Question economy just a profound influence over these elections are just no doubt about that.

The extent that people can look forward and see things getting better the president's going to be advantaged to -- they look forward receiving is getting worse or staying the same.

The presence could be disadvantaged and you're right there's a lot of factors overseas and are not in control to present at all.

What happens in Europe what happens with Iran all kinds of things can actually -- this economy the president has no control over those but he William Bennett that are being hurt by what happens and in the broad that it -- this economy.

Ladies and gentlemen.

Of the Internet I give -- Mark Mellman we thank you very much -- you kind kind council today.

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