Yesterday I noted that Democratic attacks on town hall protesters were failing to boost support for health care legislation, but now a new USA Today/Gallup poll shows that self-described independents have been siding with opponents of Obamacare:

In a survey of 1,000 adults taken Tuesday, 34% say demonstrations at the hometown sessions have made them more sympathetic to the protesters’ views; 21% say they are less sympathetic.

Independents by 2-to-1, 35%-16%, say they are more sympathetic to the protesters now.

The findings are unwelcome news for President Obama and Democratic congressional leaders, who have scrambled to respond to the protests and in some cases even to be heard. From Pennsylvania to Texas, those who oppose plans to overhaul the health care system have asked aggressive questions and staged noisy demonstrations.

And don’t forget, the August recess was the time period during which Democrats were supposed win over skeptics, but instead, the early indication is that numbers are moving in the opposite direction, and the attempted demonization of their opponents appears to have completely backfired.