Democrats: Uh-Oh

A Washington Post-ABC News poll out today strongly suggests that President Bush is rebounding politically:

Bush's overall approval rating rose to 47 percent, from 39 percent in early November, with 52 percent saying they disapprove of how he is handling his job. His approval rating on Iraq jumped 10 percentage points since early November, to 46 percent, while his rating on the economy rose 11 points, to 47 percent. A clear majority, 56 percent, said they approve of the way Bush is handling the fight against terrorism -- a traditional strong point in his reputation that nonetheless had flagged to 48 percent in the November poll.

Read the wholse story; it's full of nuggets like this:

Bush's pre-Christmas rebound was fueled largely by a sharp increase in support among his core supporters. In the past month, the proportion of Republicans approving of the president's performance rose nine percentage points, to 87 percent. And among conservatives, three in four said Bush was doing a good job, up 12 points from November. Among Democrats, independents and moderates Bush's support remained unchanged or increased only modestly.

Could it be that the president is turning things around just as the 2006 election cycle begins? Among other things, the Democrats were surely hoping for a weak and battered White House just as the Samuel Alito confirmation hearings begin. It's not looking like a merry Christmas for them.