The Gallup Poll on the first 100 days, posted here by Prosense,
http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=132&topic_id=8379336&mesg_id=8379336documents the most startling trend of them all: The GOP is losing the 'High End': High income earners, the highly educated and arguably the intellectual argument.
When Sarah Palin was nominated the GOP, a number of prominent conservatives jumped ship, lead by William Buckley Jr. As per Gallup, more conservatives approve Obama's performance (43%) than Republicans (28%).
By education, the division was more stark: 71% with Post-grad Education approved, the highest of any strata.
Perhaps more significantly, there was more support amongst those earning more than $90,000 (61%) than those earning $60,000-89,900 (57%). Polls have shown Obama even stronger in $200,000+ group, supposedly the 'losers' of his tax policy.
The 'High End' was GOP bedrock, an electorate the GOP owned throughout the turns and troubles of the years since the 1920's. Now the marble base is collapsing.
Second, Palin/Bachmann's real-America/anti-American rhetoric seems to have really hit a cord. A staggering 85% of Hispanics approve Obama's performance; 8% disprove. Losing the Hispanic vote is a coffin nail.
In summary, if Palin/Bachmann/Beck et al. are indicative of the face the New Real Republicans, owned by base they have cultivated, the GOP might as well adopt the Mammoth as their mascot for 2012.