Politico: Will Obama’s personal appeal trump voters’ distaste for his policies?

With 9.1 percent unemployment and zero jobs created during the month of August, Americans will vote their wallets in 2012.

To use the 74 percent personal likability number is meaningless at this stage of the game. The Obama campaign has said that they will “destroy” the Republican field, Vice President Biden called the opposition “barbarians,” and Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa, in introducing President Obama, said, “Let’s take these son of bitches out.” In taking the campaign into the gutter by slashing and burning their opponents, the Obama campaign and its allies will sully President Obama’s image. Running $1 billion in negative ads will also cause the 74 percent number to plummet very quickly.

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