Conor Clarke says polls distort the political process and are too often wrong and counter-productive (via Good).
Gallup pegs Obama's approval at 61% for June.
Quinnipiac shows a big drop in Obama approval in Ohio; Marc Ambinder, Mike Barone, Justin Miller, and Nate Silver assess.
Ezra Klein reminds us of the Johnston/Thorson charts of Annenberg data showing Sarah Palin's drag on the 2008 GOP ticket (via Sullivan).
Tom Schaller points to a different survey showing that Palin undermined McCain's image as a non-polarizing politician.
Jennifer Agiesta compares present ratings of Republicans and Democrats to those in 2005.
David Hill says a national referendum would doom Cap and Trade.
Ed Kilgore critiques the Gallup "ideology poll."
Bill McInturff and Alex Bratty see a "NIMBY Effect" on health care reform.
Noam Scheiber notes growing public concern about the deficit.
Doug Schoen finds public skepticism of further stimulus (see slide 57).
John Sides digs up miscellaneous historical polling data about Robert McNamara.
Amanda Cox of the The New York Times posts a fascinating, must-click interactive chart showing the relationship between industrial production and the business cycle -- and suggesting that the recovery may be around the corner (via Indiviglio via Sullivan; more from Flowing Data).
And XKCD extrapolates: