See, it's not all doom and gloom

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Sunday shows that 32% of the nation's voters now Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Thirty-four percent (34%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -2. That’s the President’s lowest rating to date and the first time the Presidential Approval Index has fallen below zero for Obama (see trends).

Sixty percent (60%) of Democrats Strongly Approve of the President’s performance but only 8% of Republicans share that view. Sixty-one percent (61%) of Republicans Strongly Disapprove.

Check out our weekly review of key polls to see “What They Told Us.”

The Presidential Approval Index is calculated by subtracting the number who Strongly Disapprove from the number who Strongly Approve. It is updated daily at 9:30 a.m. Eastern (sign up for free daily e-mail update). Updates also available on Twitter.

Overall, 53% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the President's performance so far. Forty-six percent (46%) disapprove. For more Presidential barometers, see Obama By the Numbers and recent demographic highlights.

Obama's approval numbers are vital. If he is above 60% he will pretty much get what he wants from Congress. If his numbers dip below 60% but stay above 50% he will get much of what he wants but Congress, especially the House, will not take the risk of ramming anything too unpopular (like socialized medicine or cap and trade) down the electorate's throat.

A lot of people have been wondering when the "tipping point" would be reached and the public would wake up to the fact that Obama was nothing more than a radical left-wing empty suit with nothing near what it takes to be an even halfway competent president.

I've been afraid that the tipping point would never be reached. I feared that the majority of the nation's population would be so eager to put the country's racial sins behind us that they would just stick their fingers in their ears and say "He's great! He's great!" real loud for the next eight years.

It seems that the genuine and realistic fear of losing their job, savings, home and children's future is enough to shock even socker-moms into some semblance of alertness.