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: 45% approval
The impeachment trial finally began in the Senate this week. The first few days of the trial already has the feeling of a few weeks. Regardless of one’s opinion of President Trump and the impeachment proceedings, the trial has been monotonous, and I have little doubt that most Americans will be clamoring for this to be over quickly. And while the impeachment trial has been playing out this week, President Trump has remained highly active and effective. After the success of the Phase 1 China trade deal and USMCA last week, he headlined the World Economic Forum in Davos for two days before visiting South Florida to meet with Republican party leaders for the 2020 election cycle and today to headline the March for Life Conference in Washington D.C. Its clear impeachment isn’t slowing President Trump down in the least. How’s all this playing politically?
President Trump’s average approval rating is up a point this week to 45%. As per usual his performance remains best among likely voters. More on that point in moment. For comparison purposes, President Trump’s average approval rating trails President Obama’s by one point on this same date. Among likely voters however, President Trump has a three-point advantage over Obama at this stage in the cycle. Don’t expect to hear that talking point in your typical news reporting today or this weekend. 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: 38%
- Schumer: 30%
It’s telling that both remain far less approved of than the impeached president. There’s a story to be told here.
Looking at the direction of the country this week...
Where we stood on Inauguration Day:
- Right Direction: 30%
Today:
- Right Direction: 39%
Overall, we’re 9% more optimistic than in the aggregate of the Obama years.