And nothing will be easy: according to the most recent poll by Quinnipiac University, 50 percent disapproved of the Legislature's performance, while 31 percent approved.
Just 4 percent disapproved of Mrs. Rell's performance.
But with 55 percent saying they disapproved of his performance, the numbers remain far below the comfort zone for a sitting president during a tough midterm election season.
On economic questions, 48 percent disapproved of his performance and 43 percent approved.
But another city resident who was polled disagreed and also disapproved of Mayor Dinkins's performance.
Forty-one percent disapproved of his performance.
A poll showed that a majority of city residents disapproved of his performance.
They also disapprove of the Legislature's performance, by a margin of 51 to 29.
And for the first time in four years Americans disapprove of his performance on both foreign and economic policy.
Nationwide, only 38 percent of Hispanics and 41 percent of non-Hispanics disapproved of the president's performance.