Weekly political update – Where news & perceptions meet reality
Bottom Line: This is your weekly reality check. What's really going on with public opinion of the president and our view of the direction of the country? Here it is...
- Trump's lowest rating: 37% approval (8/4/17)
- Trump highest approval rating: 47% approval (12/6/19)
- Trump's current rating: 44% approval
The articles of impeachment are still in hiding, Democrats are now trying to limit the president’s ability to combat Iranian terror and we’re under a month away from the Iowa Caucus. As all of those events play out another reality exists. One in which the world’s top terrorist responsible for the death of more than 600 Americans is one with the sand and the Iranian response made clear that they don’t want war with Donald Trump as president. An economy with record low unemployment for all minority groups and record opportunity for all Americans. Record high wages, record high retirement accounts balances that go along with record stock market performance. In other words, the disconnect politically has arguably never been greater between perception and reality.
2020’s first full week brings with it an average 44% approval rating which mirrors where President Trump was a month ago. A lot had happened without much movement which shows how decisive most Americans are in their opinions of President Trump at this point. For comparison purposes... President Trump’s average approval rating trails President Obama’s by two points on this same date. Among likely voters however, President Trump has a two-point higher approval rating than Obama at this stage in the cycle. As usual, the more informed and engaged people are, the more likely they are to approve of President Trump.
- Adult only samples: N/A
- Registered voters: 44%
- Likely voters: 48%
What you never hear reported are the ratings of the Democratic leaders opposing him. Here’s the latest...
- Pelosi: 40%
- Schumer: 31%
It’s telling that both remain far less approved of than the impeached president. Though both experienced an increase over the past week.
Looking at the direction of the country this week...
Where we stood on Inauguration Day:
- Right Direction: 30%
Today:
- Right Direction: 39%
Overall, we enter 2020 with a record economy and 9% more optimism than in the aggregate of the Obama years.