Apr 2

Apr 2 President Trump not generating 'wartime' support like other presidents By John Zogby

My day job (and night job as well) is analyzing public opinion. On the surface, Trump is posting the highest approval numbers of his tenure.

Trump’s 47% average is actually a point higher than the percentage of votes he received in 2016. His approval rating on handling the coronavirus is 51%, as high as 60% at one point this week from Gallup.

And while his approval on handling the economy is down to 51%-52% from a high of 56%, it is still a majority.

But there is a nagging question behind all of this. Trump correctly points out that he is a 'wartime president.' So, why aren't his numbers higher?

Abraham Lincoln and Franklin Roosevelt were reelected with landslides during wartime. George H.W. Bush achieved a 91% rating during Operation Desert Storm. His son, abetted by a lie about weapons of mass destruction, also achieved a 91% approval rating.

I realize that the country is polarized, and the president is the object of scorn from his opposition, but why is he not able to reach out and gain support from even his detractors? Govs. Andrew Cuomo of New York and Gavin Newsom of California are making opponents believe.

In short order, despite a burst of support following his attempt to do something about COVID-19, Trump has clearly shown why he is not up to this job. He continues to be petty, to insult, to cheerlead, to ignore facts, and to confuse.

While the American people are once again making sacrifices to stop the spread of this insidious virus, the president is focusing more on putting people back to work. Too confusing. Too unfocused.

John Zogby (@TheJohnZogby) is the founder of the Zogby Poll and Zogby companies, including John Zogby Strategies, and author of We Are Many We Are One: Neo-Tribes and Tribal Analytics in the 21st Century America.