the way. we begin with our brand new cnn poll. the numbers are bleak, beyond bleak for the president and for his party as we now count the days to the midterm election year and the midterm fight to control congress. economic pain and anxiety are behind the country a sour move. and that coast-to-coast covid frustration you just heard is the driving force of this stost sobering, very sobering year-end report card. the president s approval rating is the north star of politics. our new poll shows the president at 49% approval, 51% disapproval. our poll has a number slightly better. when you average out the last five or six polls, which is the smart thing to do, never invest in just one poll, you see the president s approval rating at the end of the year averages 45%, 51% disapprove. donald trump was lower than that at this point in his presidency. this is the challenge for democrats. can you change that number over the course of the next few