For weeks now, my colleagues have been all over the anti-Obama backlash set to take place today as millions of angry average Americans go to the polls and vote for Republicans (or worse) and turn out gay marriage.

Oh the humanity.

Later today, you’ll see a poll that shows Obama’s approval rating above 50 percent, still, although Americans seem to disapprove of the way he’s handling things like the economy, health care reform and Afghanistan. You’ll be told that the reason people still like him even though they aren’t happy with some of what he’s doing is some kind of blissful carryover from the election last year.

Don’t buy it. Don’t buy any of it.

The reason people still like Barack Obama is that they know he’s a far sight better than anything the Republicans have to offer unless they plan on resurrecting Abe Lincoln in the next few months.

And while my colleagues try to imply that Americans aren’t happy with Obama’s job so far on those critical issues because they’d prefer a more conservative, Republican approach, that’s bullshit too.

Obama’s job approval ratings on those issues are in the 40 to 50 percent range because he’s being too conservative, trying to hard to please an opposition party that has taken it’s position as that far too literally and chosen to oppose every goddamn thing he or any other Democrat propose. Even if it’s something they proposed in another life.

See, my poll-taking colleagues don’t ask that question. They don’t ask why respondents have a lower opinion. They’re too damn stuck on this blue-red thing to go that far. It doesn’t cross their clouded minds to think that it might just be Obama’s own supporters who think he’s not doing what he promised, rather than the Rush Limbaugh deluded conservatives who don’t understand that when you lose an election, it’s because the voters didn’t like you and wanted something other than what you’ve done for the last 30 years.

So today, while my colleagues go on and on about what this election means for Obama and the 2010 elections, they’ll be completely missing the point. They won’t tell you, for example, that their own polling from the last couple of weeks shows Republicans with truly abysmal approval ratings on all the issues and that Democrats have much higher ratings, although they too are suffering from the disgust their supporters feel about their continued lack of a spine.

Bob McDonnell, a man who thinks women have no business outside the home, will become Virginia’s governor. It has nothing to do with Obama and everything to do with Virginia’s fickle electorate and a lousy Democratic candidate.

In New York’s 23rd Congressional district, Conservative Party lunatic Doug Hoffman will likely win, after the crazies forced the Republican candidate to withdraw. This, too, has nothing to do with Obama and everything to do with the fact that the 23rd has been in Republican hands for 138 years. It’s a very conservative district. Frankly, if Hoffman doesn’t win by 10-15 points, it’s a win for the Democrats in the long run.

In New Jersey, low-life Republican Chris Christie will likely become governor. Again, nothing to do with Obama and everything to do with Jon Corzine’s inability to salvage the sinking ship of the Garden State.

In Atlanta, a Democrat will win the non-partisan mayoral race. Nothing to do with Obama, everything to do with Atlanta being a pretty damn liberal city.

In Houston, a lesbian may become mayor. I have no idea why, but  Obama’s not part of the equation.

Gay marriage may or may not win in Maine and Washington. Has to do with whether the electorate believes the lies spread by the anti-gay crowd.

Barack Obama came into office 10 months ago with a failing economy, two wars, a badly broken health care system and 30 years of conservative bullshit to clean up. 10 months? This is gonna take 10 years, people.

The Republican plan, of course, is to appeal to the short term memories of the voters and squash any long-term recollection that might attempt to break through their barriers of lies and deceit. This way, they can regain control of Congress in 2010, by which time they’ll have completely abandoned any claims of being “big tent” and have cemented themselves solidly in the insane camp. Wonder how that’s gonna play next year?

Depends, of course, on how well we present the truth, or, more precisely, how well we push the Democratic politicians into acting like they are something more than appeasers.

Up to us, my friends. It’s all up to us.

Because I can tell you, my colleagues don’t have a clue.