Frank J. Pallone is going out on a limb by continuing to support the massive healthcare-reform bill when no one else will, other than President Obama and Democratic Congressional leaders. And if recent poll numbers are any indicator, the people of the 6th district might saw off that limb.

Yesterday Scott Rasumssen's polling company reported that 61 percent of likely voters surveyed want to see the healthcare reform bill repealed, as against thirty-three percent who want to retain it and six percent who are undecided. This is the strongest opposition to the bill registered since last May.

Yet incredibly, Pallone, who famously said,

This is my bill...this is my bill!

is still unapologetically avowing his support for the bill, and even (according to Art Gallagher of MoreMonmouthMusings.net) calling it one of the two legislative accomplishments of this term of Congress. The video (see left sidebar) does not show Pallone identifying the other accomplishment.

Anna C. Little, his opponent, has from the beginning campaigned against Pallone by identifying him as the co-author, if not the actual author, of the bill. By publicly claiming credit for it and continuing to tout it, Pallone has effectively obliged Little by helping make this election a referendum on the bill and on President Obama. (And perhaps also on Pallone himself, who has also famously said that he "doesn't care" what some of his Town Hall attendees think.)

If this election does become a referendum on Obama, then Pallone is taking a big gamble that he may lose. The Rasmussen Daily Presidential Tracking Poll today gave Obama a "Strong Feeling Index" of -19, and also stated that overall "disapprovers" of Obama lead overall "approvers" by 55 to 44 percent.

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