I don't think they'll care. They'll just obstruct -- it is simply their nature. Since they are limited to the worst parts of the country, their seats are safe.

Bill Schneider recently noted that these are the kinds of numbers that occur "when the public rallies around a leader after a national disaster."

Considering how much the Clinton and McCain campaigns were designed to undermine Obama rather than to win positive support for themselves, these numbers are surprising. Add to that the fact that most of the media has, at best, applied the Deborah Howell standard of giving equal praise and criticism to candidates, and, at worst, acted as a Republican propaganda machine. In any case, it's a nice start to the new year.

I live in a small city of 15,000 which is near the bottom of the economic scale. People around here should be depressed and argumentative, but most are not. Instead, its as if a yoke as been lifted. I'm not saying people are singing in the street, well maybe a few last night, but they are more optimistic. This is half the battle.

"I don't think they'll care. They'll just obstruct -- it is simply their nature."

If they take their cues from Illinois, all they have to do is sit tight and watch the democrats load six bullets in a round of Russian Roulette.
The in party has a penchant for divisiveness and self destruction. Some mighty tough issues are on the table and the democrats protect many varied and conflicting interests. We'll see just how Obama serves his vision of a "united" america. I am not confident that it is possible. Washington is completely capable of continuing the big muddled mess.

Ditto Gore/Feingold - Republicans care about Republicans, nothing else!

It's sad, but not surprising that the American people have swallowed the liberal media's lies hook, line and sinker.

But as a REAL Illinois leader once said, you can fool some of the people all of the time, and all of the people some of the time. But you can't fool all of the people all of the time.

BHO's approval ratings have nowhere to go but down.

Worst parts of the country - and St Sarah does live in the Southern part of Alaska.

Wonder if the percentage of support would have been higher, had the Obama team not named Vilsack to Ag, Salazar to Interior, the new head of the SEC and Kirk to Trade? They, all, appear to be More of Samers, in bed with Big Business, Timber, Mining, etc.

But, Hollywood is hedging their bets - Lots of new re-makes of Billie Burke, Eugene Palette, '30ish posh party movies. Just don't touch "Topper".

The repubs will obstruct at their own peril. The only mileage they can get from obstruction is if Obama screws up, and in that regard, he's no George W Bush.

What these numbers say is that Americans are optimistic about their President in a time of crisis. Reagan came to power in another time of financial crisis. He turned out to be a very mediocre President. But for the most part, the country stuck with him.

Bush the elder's high numbers are a bit different. There was no 'crisis' to speak of. There was an unnecessary war, but it was managed with the highest of competence. As a result, casualties were very low. I see his brief popularity spike as an appreciation for that.

Bush the lesser was handed a crisis, and had almost universal support. Then he set to ruining everything in sight. Despite his historic incompetence, he managed enough support long enough to get re-elected.

Unless Obama has an extended run of screw ups (which seems very unlikely) the repubs are left with sabotaging recovery and extending the country's misery. That doesn't seem like a winning hand.

Two words for Dems in the Senate---NUCLEAR OPTION.

They've more than enough firepower in the House to override anything that Boehner's Bunglers can throw at them, but "M!tch the B!tch" still has his F***ed-up Forty to kill all meaningful legislation in the Senate. If Dems could gather the sheer willpower to bring the Nuclear Option into play---not just threaten it, but actually DO it---they could get 24 months of solid, open-field running for legislation---and put the Republikanner Beast into an extinction event of its own making....

I worry about two things regarding Obama's soaring popularity: one, that he is peaking way too soon and can only disappoint. Two, if he does come through and lives up to the hype, this world will not tolerate it, a la King, Kennedy, Sadat, etc. How's that for optimism?

Men fear thought as they fear nothing else on earth -- more than ruin -- more even than death.... Thought is subversive and revolutionary, destructive and terrible, thought is merciless to privilege, established institutions, and comfortable habit. Thought looks into the pit of hell and is not afraid. Thought is great and swift and free, the light of the world, and the chief glory of man.

-Bertrand Russell

the republicans donto worry me at all. I suspect they do no worry Obama. The two groups are the Blue Dogs in the House and Senate Dems. The BLue Dogs have much less power with the larger democratic majority. So, the real issue is the Senate Dems who are much closer to the corporate interests than Dems should be and they are by and large electoral cowards. The irony will be that they yielded to Bush's high approval ratings (even when they were not all that high anymore) and they will resist Obama's high ratings. Look not at the Republicans, but at the Dems. We have met the enemy, and he is us.

eric

The Republicans won't obstruct because they'll bring their arsenal of fresh ideas (Tax cuts) and innovative solutions (Tax cuts) to help solve the economic crisis.

The 76 percent of Americans who approve of the President-Defect are all men.

Happy new year, all!

Well, you know it doesn't take too much to outshine George Bush.

I think the American People, generous by nature, are simply delighted they've got someone headed to the White House who can walk and talk and chew bubble gum all at the same time.

Presidential support goes up in a national emergency. Hmm...doesn't the state of the economy count as that? especially coming at the end of the most unpopular presidency ever? Is it really so wondrous that the nation would rally around the only hope we've got?
This had better work, is what a whole lot of people are thinking - and support the president to get it working!

By most respects, that happens to describe Bush's presidency.

THIS IS A FANTASTIC LINE. GREAT. Reader must LOL!

The Insane Fake Professor must be female to post something so derogatory to men. Or else if male, can laugh at himself.

I see the trolls are out early this new year. Nothing but naysayers and doomsdayers, nothing but negativity. Keep it up fools, I have no problems with republican scum self-destructing.

BTW, 19 more days 'till the end of an error!

The Insane Fake Professor must be female

Female yes. Also a parody of an old antiObama Clinton supporter. I like to think of her as a stollen pleasure from the old Carpetbaggerreport. Fortunately, not a threat to democracy or reason.

I like to think of her as a stollen pleasure...

More of a hamantaschen, surely.

Even though, given their diminished numbers and the number of scared GOPers who won't go along, I don't expect it to pose much of an obstacle to Obama, I fully expect most of the GOP will try to obstruct Obama. Pretty much all the modern GOP does these days is oppose; it's almost encrypted in their genes or something. Of course, with Obama as popular as he is, it won't help their already abysmal public standing.

While I voted for Obama and - particularly with respect to health care - hope that his perceived goals do succeed, there is something wrong when a president is too popular.

This reeks of desperation - of hope that Big Daddy in the White House will magically solve the problems - that the evil monster hiding under the bed will go away.

There was something weird about how Bush became so popular. His bullhorn performance was second rate. His famous speech which "rallied the nation" now is largely forgotten. ( Test: quick, can you recite it? When did you last hear it quoted? )

Hopefully Obama will succeed and let's all give him a chance. But post-9/11 adulation of any president for any reason under any circumstances reflects poorly on the public as a whole.

I like to think of her as a stollen pleasure...

More of a hamantaschen, surely.

I heard she's pretty panreligious in her pastry tastes.

While I voted for Obama and - particularly with respect to health care - hope that his perceived goals do succeed, there is something wrong when a president is too popular.

I think this is at least as much national expression of relief at Bush's pending exit as mindless mass adoration of the new guy. I don't think it's time to worry yet, Scout.

Obama's refusal to react publically to the slaughter being carried out in Gaza is a direct reflection of cowardice. He doesn't have to take sides, except against the insanity of crushing a population to get at its individuals. But perhaps he believes in the same concepts of brute force to solve problems as does his idiot predecessor.

"CNN's Bill Schneider recently noted that these are the kinds of numbers that occur "when the public rallies around a leader after a national disaster.""

Bill seems to overlook the national disaster called the Bush Administration, which will apparently live out its full eight years and realize in full its potential devastation.

Steve Benen wrote: "CNN's Bill Schneider recently noted that these are the kinds of numbers that occur 'when the public rallies around a leader after a national disaster.'"

This is also the kind of public reaction that occurs when legitimately elected, constitutional government is restored following the overthrow of a corrupt, lawless dictatorship that seized power in a coup.

Give him a chance.