Months before election, Trump finds himself at odds with most Americans' views

[webfact]

Months before election, Trump finds himself at odds with most Americans' views

By James Oliphant, Chris Kahn and Jeff Mason

 

U.S. President Donald Trump listens during a meeting with conservative black supporters in the Cabinet Room at the White House in Washington, U.S., June 10, 2020. REUTERS/Kevin Lamarque

 

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The temporary fences that separated protesters from the White House have come down. But its occupant, President Donald Trump, appears to be more isolated than ever.

 

Recent opinion surveys, including a poll from Reuters/Ipsos this week, continue to show Trump trailing Democratic challenger Joe Biden significantly with just over four months until the Nov. 3 election.

 

But more revealingly, they show a president increasingly disconnected from the American electorate whose views have changed rapidly following the May 25 death of George Floyd, an unarmed black man, while in Minneapolis police custody.

 

The lightning-quick shift in public opinion has caused the National Football League and NASCAR to embrace athletes protesting racial injustice, and some companies to rename brands criticized for racial stereotypes, such as PepsiCo Inc's Aunt Jemima pancake mix and syrup.

 

Trump takes the less-popular side of issues that Americans right now say matter, such as the coronavirus pandemic and police reform, according to an analysis of Reuters/Ipsos polling data since March.

 

It also shows him steadily bleeding support among a broad swath of voters, even ones that have been most loyal to him such as rural Americans and white evangelicals.

 

[NFA] Democratic presidential candidate Joe Biden has opened up a 13-point lead over President Donald Trump - the widest margin this year - according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll as Americans grow more critical of Trump over his handling of the coronavirus pandemic and protests against police brutality. Colette Luke has more.

 

Biden now has a 13-point lead over Trump, the biggest recorded by the Reuters/Ipsos poll since Democrats began their state nominating contests earlier this year, powered by substantial gains among suburban residents, independents and high-income earners.

 

Even traditionally Republican-leaning groups - men, white suburban women and those older than 55 - have recently flipped for Biden, the polling analysis shows. Trump led elderly voters until May.

 

Several former White House officials said the president needed to demonstrate more that he understood black people’s challenges in the United States.

 

"He does need to be more open to (the) legitimate concerns that a lot of minorities and African Americans are facing," one official said, asking not to be named to speak freely.

 

Trump's supporters said there was plenty of time to turn things around, and a likely economic rebound would bolster his re-election bid just in time for November.

 

Record upside surprises in U.S. economic data in recent weeks have raised expectations for a “V” shaped recovery from the COVID-19 recession that sent unemployment soaring.

 

But Trump's apparent reluctance to try to unite a country convulsed by multiple crises, instead endearing himself further to his base of hardcore supporters, would leave him with the economy as his last saving grace, experts say.

 

In one silver lining for the president, 43% of registered voters in the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll said they thought Trump would be a better steward of the economy than Biden, while 38% said Biden would be better. 

 

“His continued focus on his base is costing him among a handful of moderate Republicans and independents,” said John Geer, a political science professor at Vanderbilt University who reviewed the polling data. “If this trend continues, this election could end up being very lopsided against the incumbent.”

 

The Trump campaign did not respond to the poll findings. But Trump has insisted on Twitter he is aligned with the nation's values, saying his supporters are part of a "silent majority" - a phrase used by Republican President Richard Nixon 50 years ago during a similar period of social unrest.

 

AGAINST THE GRAIN

The numbers tell a different story.

 

While polls show nearly two thirds of respondents sympathize with the protesters over police brutality, Trump has openly flirted with deploying the military to "dominate" them. Earlier this month, police in Washington forcibly removed peaceful protesters so that Trump could pose for photographs in front of a church near the White House.

 

Trump has also rejected growing calls for sweeping police reform proposals in the aftermath of Floyd's killing. Reuters/Ipsos polling shows 82% of Americans want to ban police from using chokeholds, 83% want to ban racial profiling, 92% want federal police to be required to wear body cameras and 91% support allowing independent investigations of police departments that show patterns of misconduct.

 

None of those measures were included in a police reform measure Trump signed this week.

 

Trump dismissed the threat of the coronavirus early on, and sparred with state governors as they tried to slow its spread. He will resume his signature rallies on Saturday in Tulsa, Oklahoma, as new COVID-19 cases are spiking in the state and 76% of Americans remain concerned about the spread of the novel coronavirus, according to the latest Reuters/Ipsos poll.

 

A fresh reminder of Trump’s disconnect came on Monday, when his handpicked choice for the Supreme Court, Justice Neil Gorsuch, penned a landmark decision that granted protection against workplace discrimination to gay and transgender workers. Just last week, Trump's administration moved to strip healthcare protections from transgender patients.

 

LOSING RELEVANCE?

Trump has always walked the razor’s edge as a candidate. "His presidency has never been in tune with majority opinion in this country,” Geer said.

 

But Trump was able to position himself in 2016 as an anti-establishment insurgent, stoking the fears of white working-class voters about jobs leaving the country and an influx of immigrants. That helped him win the state-based Electoral College count, which determines the presidency, even though he lost the popular vote.

 

Trump's long-standing pledge to crack down on immigration has been pushed off center stage, however, as the coronavirus and the economy became chief concerns. Even among Republicans, only 8% say immigration is their top concern in the latest poll, a big drop from January 2019, when 34% of Republicans listed it as the most important problem facing the country.

 

Analysts also say that kind of grievance-centered politics geared toward white Americans may have lost relevance amid a reckoning over the injustices faced by African Americans - and that as president, Trump has struggled to find others to blame for the state of the nation.

 

Between April and June, Trump's approval rating among white evangelicals dropped 11 percentage points. Approval among rural voters tumbled 14 points over the past month, with more than half saying they are sympathetic to the Black Lives Matter protesters.

 

Alex Conant, a Republican strategist, said that the party was bracing for a "very bad" year in 2020, with Trump's poll numbers affecting other key races in the Senate and down the ballot. But he added that November was not a foregone conclusion.

 

"Five months is a long time in politics," he said.

 

(Reporting by James Oliphant, Chris Kahn and Jeff Mason; Editing by Soyoung Kim and Peter Cooney)

 

-- © Copyright Reuters 2020-06-19

 

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[BobBKK]

Then you'll beat him easily!

[ChakaKhan]

All Hail King Baby Coward!    Now sign the disclaimer and Adore ME!!!!   Making America Hate Again!    ugh.

[BritManToo]

I will laugh so hard when Trump gets re-elected.

[johnpetersen]

Latest Fox News Poll:

Fox News Poll: Biden widens lead over Trump; Republicans enthusiastic, but fear motivates Dems

https://www.foxnews.com/politics/fox-news-poll-biden-widens-lead-over-trump-republicans-enthusiastic-but-fear-motivates-dems

[Walker88]

Well, color me surprised!

 

It's reassuring to know that most Americans take the opposite side of:

 

-Asking the leader of a hostile Communist nation to help 45 get re-elected

-Setting up Concentration Camps

-Executing journalists

-POTUSs who put self-interest and personal grifting first and foremost

-Having absolutely no concern for the lives of Americans who volunteer to serve

-Think it would be pretty cool to invade Venezuela

 

All of the above appear in Bolton's book. Bolton is and always was a copious note taker. Certainly his veracity is infinitely higher than someone who now has topped over 20,000 outright lies just since taking office.

 

It's become pretty simple: America or 45, Patriotism or treason against American ideals.  There is NO middle ground.

[nausea]

Bit strange, not the message I'm getting. Somebody's got it wrong. One thing's for sure, wishing it were so and making it so are not the same. Speaking as an impartial observer. I'm not black and not a US citizen. No doubt your upcoming presidential election will sort it out. What I do notice is a certain media bias. Which can be counter productive in this era when we're all rather media savvy, a proper discussion rather than a one sided tirade is much more likely to persuade swing voters. The converted are gonna vote as they always do, pumping out stuff to make them feel good is pretty useless. This kind of triumphal prose is the worst way to go, it's gonna be a hard fought battle, better to admit that, and address it.

[Chomper Higgot]

3 hours ago, BritManToo said:

I will laugh so hard when Trump gets re-elected.

Pinned.

[Chomper Higgot]

Will Trump even make it to the election?

 

He’s not just facing defeat, he’s very likely to take the GOP with him.

 

The clock is ticking, somebody needs to decide on plan B, perhaps start bringing Trump’s visibly failing health into public discussion and open the door for him to withdraw on health grounds.

 

 

[TGIR]

This post is inaccurate.  Whoever wrote this has little idea of what is really going on in America.  It's easy to read information from one side or the other and get an opinion with no basis in fact.  These kinds of posts are not helpful to anyone and I don't understand why they get cleared.  

[Rimmer]

Post discussing moderation has been removed also a reply

[spidermike007]

It also shows him steadily bleeding support among a broad swath of voters, even ones that have been most loyal to him such as rural Americans and white evangelicals.

 

This is absolutely the truth, and multiple bipartisan polls are showing a massive drop in approval over the last 6 weeks. If the polls are correct, and his approval has dropped 9-11%, that means 20% of his extremely loyal base has finally decided they cannot abide by him and his policies, and his erratic behavior, and his inane tweets any longer. Five months before an election that is huuuuuge. And not good news for Trump.

 

The recent events have shown him to be a relic of the past, out of tune, out of touch, tone deaf, hateful, and unwilling to make any meaningful effort to address the issues that have caused the largest protests in the US, since 1968. This stuff is not happening in a vacuum. There are real issues. Issuing a token statement of support, and meeting with the families of the dead men, who have been slaughtered by some very bad cops (and continually supported by some very toxic police unions), is not a solution. Leadership is a solution, and the GOP is starting to understand that the extreme lack of leadership is going to cost them in November. Big time. I predict he will be defeated by 8-10 million votes, in a historic landslide election. And he will be ushered out of DC in utter humiliation and shame, to a life of obscurity, something he will not be able to handle. No more management deals, no more billions. Just a crumbling business, that was once an empire, and possibly even legal charges against him, for the multiple counts of felony fraud he has committed with his bank loans. 

[J Town]

2 minutes ago, Chomper Higgot said:

He’s not just facing defeat, he’s very likely to take the GOP with him.

The GOP is starting to distance themselves from his toxic radiation. His middle finger to wearing a mask, his conspiracy theory in accusing Joe Scarborough of murdering someone years ago, the paradox of needing to prove the traitor Bolton's accusations as true if he's to get any traction in court - the poop is piling up and it's looking like the senate may go blue thanks to Trump. They're slowly backing away from the fan.

https://www.axios.com/trump-gop-strain-f6f2ebf0-086c-4315-ad57-b0f427474e4a.html

[Andrew65]

Unlike 4 years ago Donald doesn't have his biggest asset this time.

Hillary's unpopularity.

[J Town]

1 minute ago, Andrew65 said:

Unlike 4 years ago Donald doesn't have his biggest asset this time.

Hillary's unpopularity.

Joe's not hated. He's like that creepy uncle that no one wants to sit next to at Thanksgiving dinner. Trump's toxicity is starting to override that creepiness.

[Chomper Higgot]

As a matter of accuracy, has always been at odds with the views of most Americans.

[Andrew65]

1 minute ago, Chomper Higgot said:

As a matter of accuracy, has always been at odds with the views of most Americans.

Trump's like a caricature "The Ugly American".

Having had quite a few American friends, I know many or most aren't like that.

[nausea]

2 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

They seem to insure that killers are left on the streets, to terrorize the public. 

Now I see why the second amendment is so important to a lot of US guys. In the UK, which is a very violent country actually, the worst you are facing is probably a punch in the face. Yeah, I get my nose reset at the local NHS hospital, not a life changing event. The influx of foreigners brings knives. Luckily, guns are still pretty rare. Anyway, like I say, violence was pretty common among working class guys, playground fights and what have you, almost a rite of passage. The difference, once you bring weapons into the equation, is that these are no longer rites of passage but life changing events.

[skorp13]

HAHA fake news by a radical left reporter in what is nothing more than an op-ed. He has far more support than what is reported here. He was underestimated in 2016 and the same is happening now

[Curt1591]

What is the purpose of all these surveys? 

Liberal sources find surveys that support their desire. Conservation sources find surveys that support theirs. I don't believe either side is going to embark on a truly unbiased poll. They all go in search of a favorable result. 
 

2016 not only showed that they are unreliable at the least, it also showed that using them to discourage competition doesn't work. By hyping the the massive leads, in "all the polls", the media wasn't able to make conservatives believe that Trump was a lost cause. 



 

[J Town]

Just now, skorp13 said:

HAHA fake news by a radical left reporter in what is nothing more than an op-ed. He has far more support than what is reported here. He was underestimated in 2016 and the same is happening now

Must be why FOX NEWS just reported Biden far ahead in the polls. Those radical right news sources and their op-eds. My goodness.

[Curt1591]

4 minutes ago, J Town said:

Must be why FOX NEWS just reported Biden far ahead in the polls. Those radical right news sources and their op-eds. My goodness.

But, will they be able to muzzle Biden until November !?!

[Silurian]

Latest from FiveThirtyEight...

 

https://fivethirtyeight.com/

 

[rudi49jr]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

Months before election, Trump finds himself at odds with most Americans' views

It’s not just months before the election; Trump has been at odds with most Americans’ view since the day he took office, only many people didn’t see it back then. Hope those people have woken up by now and will vote him out of office in a landslide come November. 

[condobrit001]

31 minutes ago, skorp13 said:

HAHA fake news by a radical left reporter in what is nothing more than an op-ed. He has far more support than what is reported here. He was underestimated in 2016 and the same is happening now

That maybe so, but after the rally in Tulsa tomorrow which may attract over 80,000 frenzied Trump supporters all without masks and all  not respecting social distancing, his base will be eroded by the demise of these folks and their loved ones once they get back to their home states. Lets have more rallies Trump!

[Matzzon]

5 hours ago, webfact said:

President Donald Trump, appears to be more isolated than ever.

Everything above board then.

[Berkshire]

4 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

And this is the exact group of reasons why the level of utter obscurity he will face, once he is banished in November, will be very painful for him to endure. After a lifetime of coasting on his name, he will have the most radioactive name on the planet, for the rest of his years, and it will the a very painful experience for him, but one he deserves, and a very hard earned fate. 

It will be really interesting to see what Trump does in 2021 when he's no longer President.  I doubt he will quietly disappear into obscurity.  But once Trump is no longer in a position of power and lacking his bully pulpit, he will have difficulty even being relevant.  No one will pay attention to the man except maybe his most hardcore supporters...and even they will abandon him once they realize he's a laughingstock that nobody takes seriously.  Actually, he's lucky if he gets to disappear quietly.  He and his criminal enterprise may have to answer to years of fraud and lawbreaking.      

[J Town]

Remind me, how many people has Biden had to sue/pay off for their silence?

[Phoenix Rising]

47 minutes ago, spidermike007 said:

And this is the exact group of reasons why the level of utter obscurity he will face, once he is banished in November, will be very painful for him to endure. After a lifetime of coasting on his name, he will have the most radioactive name on the planet, for the rest of his years, and it will the a very painful experience for him, but one he deserves, and a very hard earned fate. 

Ideally he would end his days in Leavenworth for his crimes of treachery but I doubt we will see justice. He'll probably croak of natural causes before all avenues of appeals have been exhausted.

[Phoenix Rising]

8 minutes ago, BritManToo said:

Maybe you could refute my post, instead of calling me names.

Which of the 6 listed attributes have you generally not find in women?

Assuming you know women other than your mom.

Why would anyone waste a minute of their lives attempting to refute drivel?