(Image source: The White House)

BY CHRISTINA HARTMAN

It’s not the bin Laden bump — but President Obama’s not complaining about a new boost in his approval rating. KIRO has the number.

“...his approval rating in the new CBS News/New York Times poll hits 50%. That is his highest point since the death of Osama bin Laden.”

Wednesday the president hit the road to talk about his plans to invest in American manufacturing. And most analysts — like CNBC’s John Harwood — credit improved economic numbers for the approval rating bump.

“He’s riding a wave of increased optimism about the economy. … The president is rising as that economic optimism rises.”

But before the president’s re-election team throws a party, The New York Times cautions,

“Polls can capture only a specific moment in time. To the extent that Mr. Obama’s improved standing is tied to the economy, it is tenuous.”

But CNN’s Gloria Borger says, it’s not JUST the economy, stupid. The GOP nomination fight is dominating headlines — and she says — maybe out of sight, out of mind works for the president.

BORGER: “The voters have seen nothing else other than the Republicans argue with each other ever since New Year’s.”

The president’s fending off four serious Republican challengers in the race to keep his job. TalkingPointsMemo says, the numbers spell good news for him there, too.

“...Obama's improved rating translates into wider margins in matchups... Obama has a five point lead on [Romney] ... seven point leads on [Santorum] and [Paul] and a 13 point advantage on [Gingrich].”

Then again, a poll is just a poll until voters — actually go TO the polls. Former Alaska Governor Sarah Palin put it this way on Fox News:

“I don't put a lot of stock in polls. I've said before, you know, polls are good for cross country skiers and for strippers. There’s a lot of volatility in them. And I don’t put stock in there.”

That’s one way of looking at it.