Americans loathe Congress, but they still like President Barack Obama according to a recent Associated Press poll.  A mere 22 percent support Congress while public approval for Obama’s job performance checks in at 53 percent even though Karl Rove casts the president as “undisciplined.”

The poll also reveals that party affiliation doesn’t inspire confidence — 50 percent of those surveyed would give a pink slip to their congressperson. As the midterm elections approach, public perception obviously matters and pols, but not polls (there’ll be plenty more), will struggle to prove their worth.

And it raises the question, what do you think of your own representative? Will you vote for them, choose someone else, or does it matter what you think, change is going to come?

*photo by Cheryl Gerber

All in on President Obama’s public option? Sold that Tyren Scott is a pinko-planted secret agent from some commie-training scout troupe? Today at 4:30 p.m., bring the appropriate outraged sign to Lee Circle, where the Louisiana division of Organizing For America (OFA), an offshoot of the Democratic National Committee, is holding its local “Time to Deliver” health insurance reform rally. Since the beginning of June, the centralized lobby has staged nearly 20,000 such events in all 50 states. Its argument for the proposed health care legislation is based on three stated principles: “It will provide stability and security to those who have insurance, more quality, affordable choices to those who don’t, and reign (sp) in the skyrocketing cost of health care for families, businesses and government.” (First draft, revised begrudgingly: “Why do people hate universal health care and they’re supposed to love universal health care and universal health care is love?”)

(Filed by David Winkler-Schmit)

When he woke up today, 9-year-old Tyren Scott of Paulina, La., knew he was going to President Barack Obama’s town hall meeting in New Orleans. He didn’t know he would be meeting the president, nor that he would be going home a celebrity of sorts.

Tyren, a fourth-grader at Paulina Elementary School, came to the town hall with his mother Lisa, who had requested tickets from Rep. Charlie Melancon’s office; Melancon had passed the request on to the White House, which granted the Scotts two tickets.

When Obama called on Tyren to ask the last question of the day, the boy’s question temporarily silenced the crowd:

“Why do people hate you and they’re supposed to love you and God is love?”

Obama handled the question deftly. “Well, first of all, I did get elected President, and not everybody hates me,” he told Tyren. “If you’re watching TV lately, everyone seems mad all the time. Some of it’s just what’s called politics. One party wins, the other party feels it needs to poke you to keep you on your toes. You shouldn’t take it too seriously. People are worried about their own lives, losing jobs, health care, homes, and feeling frustrated. When you’re President of the United States you’ve got to deal with all of that.”

Gambit asked Tyren what he thought of Obama’s answer. “It made me feel good about what he said,” Tyren told us. “And he gave me the right answer.”

The crowd at UNO chanting “Yes, we can.”

David Winkler-Schmit is at the UNO town hall awaiting President Barack Obama’s arrival, where he met New Orleanian Karen Mason and her daughter Christina, who is a student at Tulane.

Karen applied online for the tickets and was excited when she got the email telling her she was successful. “I think this president is the best thing in this country in decades and I’m hoping he will change some of the problems in this country,” she said, citing health care as one of her top priorities.

Christina was similarly ebullient. “Growing up during the Bush administration, Obama is the first real change we’ve seen,” she said. “He’s more representative of our [generation's] sentiment and he’s the first person I ever voted for.”

David Winkler-Schmit is at UNO for the president’s town hall, where he met Aretha Etienne, who has come with a message for President Barack Obama.

Etienne, 40, who is from Plaquemines Parish, lost her home in Hurricane Katrina. Unable to get an LRA loan, she took out a bank loan of $70,000 and an SBA individual loan for $262,000. Today, she lives in Marrero and works as a 911 supervisor and assistant administrator for the Plaquemines Parish Sheriff’s Office. She has two children, both in college; Maria, 18, is a student at UNO.

“I am here to ask forgiveness of individual SBA loans,” Etienne says. Right now, 75% of her income goes to paying off her existing loans, “and we have to live off the rest.” She has sent letters to state representatives and Sen. David Vitter, but they haven’t been encouraging.

“Everything I hear is [Obama] isn’t going to do it,” Etienne says. “So I’m here to ask him myself.”

From 9 a.m. to 10 a.m. this morning, rally organizer Ray Broussard planned for a 1,200-person event uniting New Orleanians to have their voices heard concerning coastal restoration and reliable levee construction. It was a clear morning. Not too hot with a cool breeze. Perfect opportunity for a rally in the heart of the French Quarter just across from Jackson Square on the steps of Washington Artillery Park.

But Broussard (left) was joined only by K.C. King (right) and Levees.org founder Sandy Rosenthal.

“This rally was supposed to be an opportunity for all New Orleanians to show whatever their concerns,” Broussard says. “I’m frustrated. I know a lot of others out there who are frustrated. This was an opportunity for New Orleanians to be heard, potentially by the national audience — maybe even the federal government.”

Broussard and King donned life vests and flood-ready gear with a bright green sign simply reading “Safety First!” To passing tourists, school groups and sidewalk passers-by, the duo shouted messages calling for category five flood protection and Army Corps of Engineers liabilty for the levee failures following Hurricane Katrina.

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While you’re waiting for President Barack Obama to arrive (Air Force One touches down at MSY at 11:20, unless he pulls a switcheroo and comes in on JetBlue), here’s some background reading…

• The New York Times and The Washington Post both report on the duration of the visit and the contretemps over whether it’s long enough….

• Rep. Anh “Joseph” Cao is still disappointed in Gov. Bobby Jindal for not getting in on the funding for the proposed high-speed rail line between here and Baton Rouge….

• On the HuffPo, Harry Shearer examines Obama’s to-do list, and weighs in on what’s been checked off and what’s overdue….

• Michael Bauer of the San Francisco Chronicle interviews Leah Chase, who will be packing up a takeout lunch for the president today. (Hail to the chef!) Then the topic of another president arose:

In another photo, President George W. Bush was seated at a table with other dignitaries, and he was grasping her hand as she posed behind him.

At the end of the meal I asked about Obama and her eyes took on a joyous sheen as she practically sang his praises in her deep, rich voice.

I couldn’t resist: “So you seem to be an equal opportunity cook,” I said, as I drew attention to the other President. Her twinkle shifted a bit.

“He’s a lovely man,” she said. “He’s invited me to the White House twice and he’s such a gentleman.” After a short pause she said: “However some men just find themselves in the wrong job.”

That ought to keep you occupied. Meanwhile, Clancy DuBos will be on CNN at some point this morning, and we have reporters at both the UNO town hall and the Crescent City Recovery protest on the river. We’ll also be Twittering Obama’s speech, as well as all the bloviating from the punditocracy. Later.

Guess those reports earlier this week were wrong. Robin Winchell, press secretary to Rep. Charlie Melancon, says the congressman will indeed be in New Orleans tomorrow for President Barack Obama’s visit. Winchell says Melancon will be along to meet with Obama, but says the scheduling hasn’t been worked out yet.

“We do not know at this point,” Winchell said when asked whether Melancon would be at the UNO town hall meeting, “but he definitely is going to bring up some of the most important issues — coastal restoration and hurricane recovery efforts for the entire Gulf Coast.”

While most of our readers have been Twittering their frustration at not getting an r.s.v.p. for tomorrow’s University of New Orleans town hall meeting with President Barack Obama, Gambit reader Westley was luckier … and he sends this photo along to taunt us prove it. Congrats, Westley!