NBC/WSJ: Obama leads Romney and Perry

[Tender Branson]

In general, do you approve or disapprove of the job Barack Obama is doing as president?

44% Approve
51% Disapprove

...

If President Obama runs for re-election in the year 2012, do you think you will probably vote for President Obama or probably vote for the Republican candidate?

44% Probably vote for Republican candidate
40% Probably vote for President Obama
  3% Vote for other party (VOL)
  9% Depends/Depends on who opponent is (VOL)

And, if the next election for president were held today, and Rick Perry were the Republican candidate and Barack Obama were the Democratic candidate, for whom would you vote?

47% Obama
42% Perry

And, if the next election for president were held today, and Mitt Romney were the Republican candidate and Barack Obama were the Democratic candidate, for whom would you vote?

46% Obama
45% Romney

http://msnbcmedia.msn.com/i/MSNBC/Sections/NEWS/A_Politics/_Today_Stories_Teases/Correct_NBCWSJ_poll.pdf

[pbrower2a]

...and this is before the President starts a serious campaign that the Republicans have begun in earnest.

Paradoxically the challengers get head starts; the President often has to have his focus on diplomacy, military affairs, and natural disasters. But the latter is what we elect a President to do -- right?

[The Vorlon]

Is this the same poll where Peter Hart (perhaps the most respected pollster anywhere, and certainly on the Democratic side) says, and I quote:

"Obama is no longer the favorite to win re-election," Hart said, explaining that a head-to-head score will usually conform to the generic one, especially when so many believe the country is headed in the wrong direction.

And further noted:

the first time in the poll, more say they'd probably vote for a generic Republican candidate (44 percent) than say they'd probably vote for Obama (40 percent).

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/44401295/ns/politics/