Voters' foul mood runs deep and wide

There's one exception: Barack Obama, according to a new poll by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California.

In the statewide survey released today, 61% of likely voters hold a favorable opinion of the front-runner for the Democratic presidential nomination. Only 34% have an unfavorable view. In sharp contrast, just 45% have a favorable opinion of Hillary Rodham Clinton, who won the California primary early last month. More -- 52% -- have an unfavorable view of her.

The voters' opinion of presumptive Republican nominee John McCain is barely positive: 49% favorable to 45% unfavorable.

The poll was conducted March 11-18 while controversy boiled over the incendiary sermons of Obama's pastor, the Rev. Jeremiah Wright. But the survey had all but ended before the Illinois senator gave a major speech on race in America, which seemed to halt his slide in national popularity.

Grumpy Californians are demanding change, the policy institute's poll confirms, and Obama apparently represents that in the view of voters -- most notably swing-voting independents.

In a hypothetical November match-up, Obama runs significantly better than Clinton against McCain: Obama 49%, McCain 40%; Clinton 46%, McCain 43%.

Many events, some unforeseen, will unfold before the November election. So while interesting, these particular poll numbers are of questionable importance.

The most important finding of the survey was the voters' nasty mood.

Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's popularity has noticeably declined: 49% of likely voters currently approve of his job performance, a 14-point drop since December. During that span, he has failed to deliver healthcare reform and proposed 10% across-the-board spending cuts in state services, including education.

But even Democratic U.S. Sens. Dianne Feinstein and Barbara Boxer have suffered popularity losses, with fewer than half the voters now approving of how they handle their jobs. (Feinstein 49%, Boxer 44%.)

Only 27% approve of President Bush. But the Legislature is more unpopular. A mere 25% approve of its performance. That's a 10-point slip since December. Similarly, just 30% approve of Congress' job-handling.