Is the Obama Team in Election Year Panic?

Matthew Continetti  makes a good case.

While the media cluck their tongues at social conservatives and obsess over the rather boring and predictable Republican primary, can we pause for a moment to observe just how panicked President Obama seems to be about his reelection?

Obama may be leading his Republican contenders in head-to-head matchups. But the campaign will not truly begin until after the party conventions in September, which gives the GOP nominee time to recover. Obama’s approval rating is stuck below 50 percent, according to the Real Clear Politics polling average. His approval rating has been underwater in Gallup tracking since May of 2011. This is dangerous for an incumbent during the spring of a reelection year. And Obama’s approval rating in swing states is even worse. Last week’s USA Today / Gallup poll had him losing to both Romney and Santorum in the most competitive states.

Nor are the headlines likely to improve. Gas prices keep ticking up. The Iranian nuclear program continues to go forward. The Greek economy continues to go backward.

Since he lacks a significant and popular domestic achievement, the president seems to have concluded that the way to a second term is through the mobilization of key constituencies rather than a broad-based appeal to middle America. He combines these appeals with cheap gimmicks to generate publicity and deflect attention from the Republican primary. Now that his job is in trouble, the man who enthralled millions during the campaign of 2008 has been reduced to just another transactional political panderer. Keep on reading...

Rasmussen: GOP Matches Largest Ever Lead on Generic Congressional Ballot

Rasmussen has found a 12-point lead for the GOP on a Generic Congressional Ballot among likely voters. This matches the former record lead of 12-points found three weeks ago.

A new Rasmussen Reports national telephone survey finds that 48% of Likely Voters would vote for their district's Republican congressional candidate, while 36% would opt for his or her Democratic opponent. The survey data was collected on the seven days ending Sunday, September 5, 2010.

Gallop found a 10-point GOP lead among registered voters a week ago. Today, even liberal CNN has found a 7-point GOP advantage among all Americans. It is panic time for Democrats.

WH Presses Fall Election Panic Button

After months of trying to ignore the obvious reality that Democrats will likely lose control of the House this fall, the White House has decided on a new strategy. They are pressing the "panic button" and hoping to motivate their base to turn out. The RCP average has Republicans up by 2.9 points on a generic congressional ballot. Based on analysis of past elections, this will most likely translate into a 50+ House seat lose for Democrats. Democrats now hold a 255-178 edge in the House. There are two open seats. Republicans would need a 40 seat swing to guarantee control of the House switches to the GOP.

The Washington Examiner reported:

"I think I did what is maybe uncommon in this town," said White House press secretary Robert Gibbs. "I opened my mouth and stated the obvious."

Gibbs over the weekend publicly acknowledged for the first time that Republicans could win control of the House.

It was not a far-fetched conclusion. A new Gallup poll found 38 percent of Republicans very enthusiastic about the midterm elections, compared to 25 percent of Democrats.

The pollsters also found the parties statistically tied heading into November, and noted that Democrats are unlikely to gain a substantial lead in the meantime.

That means for the White House, hitting the panic button for Democratic voters is now just as important as crafting an appealing message.

Democrats Formulate Emergency Plan For Obamacare

Democrats are panicking about a Scott Brown win in the Massachusetts Senate special election. If Brown wins, they lose their filibuster proof majority in the Senate. The only way to pass the current bill would be to ram it through the House with no changes. There is little guarantee that desperate attempt would work.

AP reported via Breitbart:

A victory by Scott Brown over Democrat Martha Coakley would give Senate Republicans enough to block the bill with a filibuster.

A newly discussed fallback would require House Democrats to approve the Senate-passed bill without changes. President Barack Obama could sign it into law without another Senate vote. House leaders would urge the Senate to make changes later under a complex plan the would require only a simple majority.

Air Force One photo opportunity panics New Yorkers(video)

A jumbo jet plane being chased by a F-16 fighter panicked New Yorkers today. Mayor Bloomberg is furious. According to MSNBC.com,

NEW YORK - Mayor Michael Bloomberg said he is furious that the federal government flew a presidential Boeing 747 and a fighter jet near ground zero part of a government photo opportunity and training mission.

The incident on Monday caused a brief panic among workers, who said they were not notified in advance.

Bloomberg said the flyover so near the World Trade Center site showed "poor judgment" and was insensitive. He said he is furious that the New York Police Department and another city agency were notified last week, but did not tell him.

Here is the video(via YouTube)