Two polls out yesterday seems to suggest that any negative blowback against President Obama on account of the U.S. military intervention in Libya may have to do with perceptions of strength or weakness as he led the nation into involvement in the military campaign against Qaddafi's air defenses, not so much direct opposition to the intervention as carried out, and that, whatever its causes, it is independents being more alienated.

A Quinnipiac University poll released yesterday showed that voters disapproved 48 - 42 percent of the job President Obama is doing and said, 50 - 41 percent, that he does not deserve to be re-elected in 2012, both all-time lows in the university's tracking of the president. The survey "concluded Monday evening as President Obama was addressing the nation about Libya."

Drill down though and you'll find "Democrats approve 80 - 13 percent of the job Obama is doing, but disapproval is 81 - 9 percent among Republicans and 50 - 39 percent among independent voters." That actually represents a minor improvement for Obama among Republicans, who disapproved of his job performance 84 - 8 in Quinnipiac's March 3 poll. But it represents a loss of support among independents, who had disapproved of his performance 48 - 43 percent in the earlier poll. (Shift in sentiment among Democrats was negligible, with support running 81 - 12 in early March.)