Dear President Obama #263: Why the decline of Congressional Democrats could give the president punch

Reporter's Note: A year ago, the polls were all running in favor of Presidential Candidate Barack Obama and his party. Now, support has softened like ice cream on the counter. Still, my letters to the President continue whether the winds blow hot or cold.

Tom Foreman | BIO
AC360° Correspondent

Dear Mr. President,

I spent part of the afternoon looking over those polls I mentioned in yesterday’s letter, and I must say it truly is getting a bit crunchy for your party. But in keeping with my pledge to be more encouraging, let me say this could be good news for you.

To review the bad news: Gallup says if people had to vote for members of Congress right now, they’d pretty much split evenly between Democrats and Republicans; a huge change from a year ago, when you were soaring, and your party was hanging onto your coattails like it was a carnival ride. Congress’s approval, which rose for a while after you came into office, has once again nose-dived like a college boy on his sixth beer.

So having tossed that big dead flounder into the laundry basket, how can I say this could be good? Because I think it is better to fight from the ropes, than to enjoy a big fat lead. Overwhelming advantages often lead to arrogance, laziness, and unaccountability, no matter where they occur. Look at the Republicans. Contrary to what some of your Dem pals may say, you know that party is filled with smart, politically savvy, disciplined players. But they developed such a crushing command over your party for so long, that they grew complacent and sloppy. They started ignoring their own principles, which turned into ignoring their own supporters, which ended up with you and your team sipping champagne and bouncing balloons on election night.

But now, the numbers have given your party good reason to knock off the intramural squabbling. Your team leaders can crack coconuts, telling fellow Dems to stop bickering about small issues, get serious about the big ones; or to start packing their desks…to make room for the Republicans who’ll take over again next fall.

When you are against the ropes, don’t forget: You have something to push off of and that gives you leverage.

Were you ever into boxing? I did it some as a kid. My father always took it easy on me, but I think the last time my brother and I laced on the gloves he drove me into the ground like a nail. And speaking of punching, how about punching my number into your phone and finally giving me a call? Ha!

Regards,

Tom

Follow Tom on Twitter @tomforemancnn.

Find more of the Foreman Letters here.