Since his second term began, President Obama has had a solid answer to Republicans’ “Where are the jobs?” complaint. The jobless rate has fallen two full percentage points.
Yet Mr. Obama’s own ratings have fallen, too. So has public confidence that the economy is getting better, even as the economy gets better. …
Fundamental conditions drive election outcomes. But in this odd campaign, the fundamentals conflict. Once-familiar political signals are muffled. That makes predictions hazy — still. CONT.
John Harwood, New York Times