And that’s before the dud Barack Obama dropped last night in the Oval Office.  Rasmussen’s latest daily poll shows Obama hit his lowest level of support from Rasmussen’s daily tracking poll, and coming close to a new low in the “passion index”:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Wednesday shows that 24% of the nation’s voters Strongly Approve of the way that Barack Obama is performing his role as president. Forty-four percent (44%) Strongly Disapprove, giving Obama a Presidential Approval Index rating of -20 (see trends).

Forty-eight percent (48%) of Democrats Strongly Approve while 75% of Republicans Strongly Disapprove. Among those not affiliated with either major party, 12% Strongly Approve and 52% Strongly Disapprove. …

Overall, 42% of voters say they at least somewhat approve of the president’s performance. That’s the lowest level of approval yet recorded for this president. Fifty-seven percent (57%) now disapprove. Those are the lowest ratings yet recorded for this president. The president’s approval rating has held steady in the 46% – 47% range for six months and it remains to be seen whether this new low is merely statistical noise or the start of a lasting change.

A relatively new feature at Rasmussen shows that Obama can’t count on the media to pull him out of his tailspin:

The Rasmussen Reports Media Meter shows that media coverage of President Obama has been 41% positive over the past week. Since the passage of the health care law, coverage has ranged from a high of 60% positive to a low of 39% positive.

While the President remains directionless in the Gulf disaster, that media coverage won’t improve.  We’ve seen hints of that already in the broad consensus of reaction to Obama’s speech last night.  Without any specifics to report to the American public, many are asking the question of why Obama bothered to give an Oval Office speech at all.  Expect the media to be asking that question a lot this week.

However, I’d be surprised if Obama didn’t get at least a slight bump in tomorrow’s poll.  Usually when a Chief Executive speaks from the bulliest of bully pulpits, the spectacle alone tends to impress people.  It would probably take another couple of days of polling to test the longer-term impact and assessment of Obama’s speech.  I’d look for a two- to three-point tick upwards tomorrow, which by Saturday or Sunday should be gone entirely.