Sam Stein Talks Obama, State Of The Union On 'Morning Joe' (VIDEO)

Sam Stein appeared on MSNBC's "Morning Joe" on Tuesday and discussed Obama's soaring approval ratings as well as what's in store for the leaders giving the responses to tonight's State of the Union address.

A new CNN poll that finds 55% of Americans approve of how Obama is doing his job, a number up seven points from polls in November and December. Stein says that the surge is due to the president's productivity: "I think getting things done, whether it was the very productive lame duck session most likely, whether it was the tax deal. Those tend to endear you to the public. They like to see action. They like to see movement forward."

In a different segment Stein discussed how GOP Rep. Paul Ryan (Wis.), the new leader of the House Budget Committee who has been chosen to give the Republican response to Obama's speech, will benefit from the fact that Tea Party leader Michele Bachmann is also providing a response: "After tonight when Michele Bachmann is his other contrast and Barack Obama is his first contrast, he's going to come off looking sort of like a sane, centrist politician, and I don't think that is the worst deal in the world for him in that format."