The bad news for Trump, amid his coronavirus poll bump

[RandySF]

On its surface, a new Washington Post-ABC News poll is the latest to offer good news for President Trump. His approval rating has reached a new high — as it has in other polls this week — and the overall view of his handling of the coronavirus outbreak is yet again positive.

But this poll, perhaps more than others, suggests just how temporary that bump might be.
In the poll, 48 percent approve of Trump’s overall job performance — the first time his approval has been higher than his disapproval (46 percent) in any Post-ABC poll. His approval on his handling of the coronavirus is 51 percent, vs. 45 percent negative. All of that is in line with other polls.

But the Post-ABC poll asked one very specific question on the coronavirus that doesn’t reflect so favorably on Trump. It asked people whether they thought Trump was too slow to respond to the crisis or whether he reacted with the right speed. Fully 58 percent of people said he was too slow, while just 38 percent said he reacted as quickly as he should have.

So 58 percent say he was too slow, but just 45 percent disapprove of his handling of it. In other words, about 1 in 8 Americans believe Trump failed to recognize and act upon the severity of the situation in the early days of the crisis but still give him a positive grade.




https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2020/03/27/bad-news-trump-amid-his-coronavirus-poll-bump/

[helpisontheway]

1. If they think he was too slow then why do the approve of his handling

of the crisis. It can’t be his daily briefings. He shows how ignorant he is every single day.

[Maru Kitteh]

2. Because cult members are terrified of criticism of their object of worship

That's why.


They have an ENORMOUS emotional investment in their racist messiah.

[lagomorph777]

3. Their approval is likely to change as soon as somebody they know dies of COVID-19.

[Takket]

9. "You did a bad job but you did a good job"

That is literally what those people are saying.

[LizBeth]

4. 51% is not good for a crisis. It is not good at all.

[Wellstone ruled]

5. Has anyone seen the polling

matrix? What was their interview criteria? What demographic group did they select? How were Hang-ups handled? Was it closed end Questions(Y&N)? Was ti multiple guess? And what was their deviation from zero(+ or -)error factor?

[2naSalit]

8. +1

[panader0]

6. I have never understood the vacillations of people's opinions.

You believe one thing one day and another the next?

[underpants]

7. I read this as: He dropped the ball but he's the only thing we got so I have to hope for the best

My 2 cents

[Gothmog]

10. No, Trump is not going to suddenly become FDR

Why I am not concerned about trump's meager polling bounce

Link to tweet

First, let’s note that this increase in Trump’s approval is relatively small, given that we’re in the midst of one of the most monumental crises in American history.

In such extraordinary circumstances, the president’s approval would normally be shooting up. At times like these, Americans are looking for comfort. They want to believe that the president and the government are in control.

When Lyndon B. Johnson took over after John F. Kennedy’s assassination, his approval rating was 78 percent, even though he hadn’t done anything yet. Likewise, Gerald Ford had a 71 percent approval upon taking office during Watergate; it didn’t fall until he pardoned Richard M. Nixon. (We’re using Gallup’s historical data.)….

And after 9/11, George W. Bush’s approval soared to 90 percent. This is the historical pattern: In times of crisis, the president’s approval will go up almost regardless of whether he’s doing a good job or not.

So if in the midst of a public health nightmare and a horrific looming recession, Trump’s approval goes up by a few points, it’s not exactly a ringing endorsement of his presidency.

Improvements in Trump’s approval will likely remain relatively constrained compared to those historical standards, because as everyone knows, we’re in a period of intense polarization. There are fewer so-called “real” independents (who don’t actually lean to one party), and nearly all those who do associate with a party will never give thumbs up to a presidential candidate from the other party.....

What’s more, built-in perceptions of Trump will remain. As Aaron Blake notes, the new Post/ABC poll showing Trump’s approval rising also finds a large majority — 58 percent — think Trump reacted too slowly to the crisis. If things go seriously south, then that built-in sense that Trump botched the early response could compound public blame going forward, particularly since he’ll likely keep up with the depraved public spectacles.