Day: 2/27/2017

WHIPLASH: Trump Flips On Poll Because It Said Something Nice About Him

Posted by on February 27, 2017 at 7:12 pm. 2 Comments :

Trying to keep up with Donald Trump’s lies, insults, and hypocrisies is a full time job. His talent for deception and self-flagellation often exceeds the ability of honest observers to stay current. He’s off onto new falsehoods while analysts are still assembling the proof debunking his last three.

Donald Trump

Monday evening Trump fired off another tweet that makes one’s head spin. He sought to celebrate the allegedly positive position of the Republican Party:

First of all, this is the same Donald Trump who doesn’t believe in polls. Especially those conducted by the “fake news” media. He generally dismisses them as “rigged.” Unless, of course, they say something nice about him. That’s the case with this new poll by NBC and the Wall Street Journal. But before we we get into the substance of the poll, here is what Trump had to say about these specific pollsters in the past:

Nevertheless, the President now thinks these pollsters are the epitome of virtue and respectability. Consequently, he can cite them with pride. However, he may have wanted to look past the single data point that some aide probably passed to him in a crayon scribbled note.

The questions in the poll that likely grabbed The Donald’s attention were related to the respondents views about the Republican and Democratic parties. While there was a slight advantage for the GOP, it was hardly anything to brag about:

  • On approval or disapproval of the Republicans in congress, the survey says: Approve 32 percent, disapprove 60 percent.
  • On approval or disapproval of the Democrats in congress, the survey says: Approve 31 percent, disapprove 58 percent.

So the GOP is approved by one percent more than the Democrats. But they are also disapproved by two percent more. And everyone is underwater. Then there’s this:

  • On having a positive or negative opinion of Republicans, the survey says: Positive 35 percent, negative 43 percent.
  • On having a positive or negative opinion of Democrats, the survey says: Positive 30 percent, negative 46 percent.

The GOP has a bit more of an edge in this contest, but still nothing to write home about and still more negative than positive. Still, this is what Trump thought was significant enough that his Twitter followers needed an alert. He is apparently jazzed that he holds a tiny lead that is within the margin of error. And, in any case, it still reveals that he’s hated pretty much across the board.

Finally, some of the other questions in the poll were not even mentioned by Trump. That’s probably because they show him profoundly behind on every one:

  • On Trump’s job approval rating, the survey says: approve 44 percent, disapprove 48 percent.
  • On Trump’s personal rating, the survey says: positive 41 percent, negative 47 percent.
  • On who should take the lead in setting policy, the survey says: Democrats 37 percent, Trump 33 percent, Republicans 19 percent.
  • On whether Congress should investigate Trump’s connections to Russia, the survey says: Yes 53 percent, No 25 percent.
  • On whether Congress should investigate Russia’s interference with the election, the survey says: Yes 54 percent, No 29 percent.

So perhaps we should thank Trump for bringing this poll to our attention. It reveals the depths to which he has sunk in the few long weeks he’s been in office. No doubt his glassy-eyed disciples won’t bother to click on the poll or review its findings in detail. But the results will be obvious to the rest of the nation and, hopefully, the media, or as Trump calls them, the “enemy of the American people”

How Fox News Deceives and Controls Their Flock:
Fox Nation vs. Reality: The Fox News Cult of Ignorance.
Available now at Amazon.