Barack Obama may have hoped that a resolution to the question on Afghanistan would improve his political standing.  Instead, on Rasmussen’s daily tracking poll “passion index,” he has plunged to new lows on two successive days.  Those who strongly disapprove of Obama’s performance now have 19 points over those who strongly approve, and his overall approval rating has dropped to 46%:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Sunday shows that 23% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as President. Forty-two percent (42%) Strongly Disapprove giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -19.

Today is the second straight day that Obama’s Approval Index rating has fallen to a new low. Prior to the past two days, the Approval Index had never fallen below -15 during Obama’s time in office …

The 23% who Strongly Approve matches the lowest level of enthusiasm yet recorded. Just 41% of Democrats Strongly Approve while 69% of Republicans Strongly Disapprove. Among voters not affiliated with either major party, 21% Strongly Approve and 49% Strongly Disapprove.

The flight of independents continues, in other words.  They’re more disillusioned than the electorate as a whole, with a -28 on the index and more than a 2-1 showing for strongly disapproving to strongly approving.  Among seniors, it’s -29, and even the under-30 crowd has him at a -2.  According to Rasmussen, Obama has also lost the middle class, noting that his weakest income demographics come from earners between $40K – $100K per year.

This sample includes one polling day on a weekend (yesterday), which normally would have given Obama a boost.  It will be interesting to see what happens by Thursday of next week, when they poll likely voters on three weekdays instead.