DCExaminer Morrning Email Blast

DCExaminer Email Blast this morning has news of interest to Virginians:

Chris Stirewalt - Webb could put the hickory to Obama's Afghan plan
Webb's opposition would rally the Left, which believes Obama is now in the thrall of the military-industrial complex, and give courage to a number of conservatives who think Obama's strategy is doomed but are afraid to give the impression that they're not supporting the troops.

Byron York - Obama's Brilliant First Year' -- Nationalize health care, expand government, undermine Reagan
The Democratic National Committee is sending around links to a new article, "Obama's Brilliant First Year," by Jacob Weisberg, of Slate and Newsweek. Weisberg argues that if Barack Obama manages to pass a national health care bill by January 20, 2010, the first anniversary of his inauguration, he will have "accomplished more than any other postwar American president at a comparable point in his presidency."

Michael Barone - Palin running even with Obama?
It's not too early, apparently, to test opinion on the 2012 presidential race. Pollster Scott Rasmussen has asked likely voters to decide between Barack Obama and three reasonably well-known Republicans, Mitt Romney, Mike Huckabee and Sarah Palin. He also asked about their preferences in three-way pairings between those candidates and recently-resigned CNN commentator Lou Dobbs. There are three interesting findings.

Number one. Obama is essentially tied with all three Republicans, leading Huckabee 45%-41% and Palin 46%-43% and even with Romney at 44%-44%. In other words, Obama is running at his job approval ratinRg level, which Rasmussen has at 46%-54%. This is reminiscent of the 2004 general election, in which George W. Bush's 51% of the vote mirrored his job approval numbers.