"There's good news tonight, folks."

The number of people seeking unemployment benefits fell to the lowest point in almost four years last week, the latest signal that the job market is steadily improving.

This weekly reporting comes on top of the monthly report at the end of January, which was the fifth straight month of declining unemployment, to 8.3% nationally.

If this trend continues, it can only be good news for Obama's re-election chances.  Add to that the chaos and badly scarred candidates in the GOP primaries -- and he should have an easy time.

Another indicator reported two days ago:   Obama is leading in a one to one match-up with each of the Republican candidates in ALL of the ten swing states (Colorado, Florida, Iowa, Nevada, New Mexico, North Carolina, Pennsylvania, Ohio, Virginia and Wisconsin).   This was reported by FoxNews from its own polling data.

In aggregate of these states, Obama leads Romney by 47% to 30%;  Gingrich by 52% to 32%;  Santorum by 48% to 39%;  and Paul by 48% to 36%.

Interesting, Santorum is closest (-9%) followed by Paul (-12%), then Romney (-17%) and Gingrich brings up the rear (-20%).

Obama's approval rating has now returned to a net positive (48.7% approve; 46.2% disapprove) for the first time since last summer.

So . . . "There is good news tonight, folks !"    That was the longed-for, familiar phrase that we waited to hear, huddled in front of the radio during World War II, as Gabriel Heater reported the nightly news from the war fronts. 

Ralph