While Obama was taking a bow on his Asian Apology Tour, Quinnipiac released a new poll in which the President’s ratings also took a bow, h/t Ed Morrisey at Hot Air.

Obama’s job approval rating fell to 48 percent in the Nov. 9-16 survey of registered voters nationwide by the Hamden, Connecticut-based university, with 42 percent polled saying they disapproved of the job he is doing.

The Quinnipiac Poll also showed a drop in approval of the Presidents handling of the war in Afghanistan. Voters now “disapprove 49 - 38 percent of the President’s handling of the war there”. In October that number read 42 - 40 percent approval.

Now, don’t misread this as support for the war effort losing steam.

voters say 65 - 29 percent, including 68 - 25 percent among military households, that eliminating the threat of terrorists operating from Afghanistan “is a worthwhile goal for American troops to fight and possibly die for,” compared to 65 - 28 percent last month.

So the polls seem to say that the people are tired of the current strategy, or lack thereof. At the same time a large majority still believe that Afghanistan is not only a worthwhile goal for American troops, but also that it is worth possibly dying for. That statement carries some amazing weight to it.

We know that the majority of the people want to win the war, we also know they have the will to win. Additionally, we know that the current strategy, or lack thereof, is a failure. The question then becomes, what do we do?

On that, once again, the people are clear.

Voters say 47 - 42 percent that President Obama should send 40,000 more combat troops to Afghanistan as the military commanders on the ground have requested. Only 27 percent of Democrats want more troops, compared to 68 percent of Republicans. Similarly, 68 percent of Republicans, but only 31 percent of Democrats, think the United States is doing the right thing fighting in Afghanistan.

Let me break that down real quick. 47%, a majority, agree with 68% of Republicans. Does that point of agreement possibly show a sign of growing trust in the GOP?

For the answer to that question I will jump over to Rasmussen, h/t John at PowerLine.

Republican candidates maintain a six-point advantage over Democrats in the latest edition of the Generic Congressional Ballot.

This lead has held for four months now, on top of which you also see independents swinging to Republicans 41% to 24%. All of this adds up to the One’s plunge in the Presidential Approval Index.

26% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty percent (40%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -14. That matches the lowest Approval Index rating yet recorded for this President

I know that losing Republican support causes Obama no heartburn. I also suspect he isn’t concerned with the independents, not because they don’t matter, rather because he still thinks he can control them. What may, in fact, be keeping the One awake at night is this.

Just 47% of Democrats now Strongly Approve of the President’s performance. Sixty-eight percent (68%) of Republicans Strongly Disapprove, as do 43% of those not affiliated with either major political party.

Less than half of the Democrats think the Democratic President and the Democratic Congress are doing anything worthy of their approval. That is awesome, but we’re not done yet.

Rasmussen also asked about the KSM trial being held in NYC with the result of 51% opposing the decision. This on it’s face is a clear majority opinion, but it’s even better than it looks.

just 29% of voters favor the president’s decision not to try the suspects by military tribunal at the Guantanamo Naval Base in Cuba

[snip]

Only 30% of Americans said suspected terrorists should have access to U.S. courts, while 54% favored military tribunals in July 2008, as the first such tribunal got under way at Guantanamo.

The policies of this Administration are now in a clear minority. The people disapprove of the direction these policies are starting to take us. This has been bubbling up for a while and eventually it is bound to overcome Obama’s personal likability with the voters.

When that happens the Republican party needs to be ready to embrace the more conservative shift that we are about to go through. Right now 74% of Republicans feel as though their representatives in Congress are out of touch. Contrast that with this.

Fifty-nine percent (59%) of Republican voters say that Sarah Palin shares their values. Just 18% see her as a divisive force within the GOP.

A clear majority of Republicans are disappointed with the GOP at the same time as they are identifying closely with the values they share with Sarah Palin. And that may worry the President more than any of the other polls I just mentioned.

Aaron B. Gardner