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: 46% approval (9/19/19)
- Trump's current rating: 42% approval
Another week of the unconstitutional impeachment inquiry process playing out. Another week of mainstream news media reporting what’s leaked to them.Another week of President Trump maintaining a 42% average approval rating. Despite the average being the same, there are numerous changes based on the sampling that’s not in President Trump’s favor but first here’s a quick rundown of where we are at this point in the cycle just over a year away from the 2020 election.
President Trump is only 4% off of his record high average approval rating since the whistle-blower who wasn’t a witness to a crime that wasn’t committed and the impeachment palooza that’s ensued, began. Without any additional perspective that’s notable.Consider this. President Obama’s average approval rating was only 2% higher than President Trump’s is on the same date in his Presidency. With everything that’s been levied against President Trump since the day he took office...let that sink in.
Now for the less rosy news for President Trump this week. The sampling. It’s been the case throughout his term thus far, that the more informed and engaged someone is politically, the more likely they are to approve of President Trump. That remains the case once again this week but the dynamic has shifted considerably as his performance with likely voters just reached the lowest level since August of 2017.
- Adult only samples: N/A
- Registered voters: 41%
- Likely voters: 44%
What you never hear reported are the ratings of the Democratic leaders opposing him. Here’s the latest...
- Pelosi: 40%
- Schumer: 28%
Nancy is up another point this week and is now six points higher than where she was prior to announcing the impeachment inquiry. It’s clear that she’s rallying her base to her side with the impeachment push. Still, Nancy and especially Chuck have to Look up to find President Trump.
Looking at the direction of the country this week...
Where we stood on Inauguration Day:
- Right Direction: 30%
Today:
- Right Direction: 36%
Overall, even in the mist of impeachment palooza 2019, we’re 6% collectively more optimistic than we were during the Obama administration.