A new Pew poll serves up a mixed bag of results, but more of them are good news for President Obama than for congressional Republicans. To be taken with a dose of salt as always, a few key findings:
Approval ratings
Obama: 51 percent, up a tick from the previous month.
Dem leaders of Congress: 32 percent, stinks, and down five points from previous poll, but still better than...
Repub leaders of Congress: 22 percent, stinks even more, down three points from previous poll, and, even among Repub respondents, disapprovers outnumber approvers by 51-42.
Which party could do a better job of...
Dealing with the economy: Repubs, 42; Dems, 38, both/neither, 20.
Reflecting your views on gun control: Repubs, 42; Dems, 39; both/neither 19.
Dealing with immigration: Repubs, 38; Dems, 38; both/neither 24.
None of those gaps are significant, but considering the general damage to the Repub brand, this is the best news for them in the poll.
Whom to blame for gridlock
By 80 to 15 percent, poll respondents said Obama and the Repub leaders are not working together. This number has risen steadily from 45 percent in early 2009, just after Obama took office, and 80 is the highest measure ever. When asked which side they blame for the failure to work together:
GOP leaders: 42; Obama: 22.
There's plenty more in Pew's full summary of the poll.