Pollster John Zogby, taking the reins of our Weekly Presidential Report Card, says that he has found a good cop, bad cop “pattern” in the Trump administration.
John Zogby
Believe it or not I am beginning to see a pattern in this young Trump presidency. President Trump gets to be Dennis Rodman (“Bad As I Want to Be”) and relies on his supporting cast to put out the fires, explain what ‘the president really meant to say,’ and adjust policy.
Sometimes it might even work, but not yet this week. Despite the best efforts and travel south of the border of Secretary of State Tillerson and Secretary of Homeland Security John Kelly, Mexicans are really angry. Jews may be assuaged by some comforting words from Vice President Mike Pence, but the president is still a wild card. Mr. Trump has issued a new immigration ban and continues to be outrageous and a new wave of town meetings are making even the most loyal GOP supporters of the president scratch their heads. There is no sign of a replacement strategy for Obamacare, a key arrow in the GOP arsenal, and former Speaker John Boehner says the law will not be repealed.
On his behalf, Mr. Trump’s polling numbers aren’t very good for a honeymoon period but they are picking up a bit.
Grade C-
 
John Zogby is the founder of the Zogby Poll and senior partner at John Zogby Strategies. His latest book is and author of “We are Many, We are One: Neo-Tribes and Tribal Analytics in 21st Century America.” Follow him at @TheJohnZogby
Paul Bedard, the Washington Examiner’s “Washington Secrets” columnist, can be contacted at [email protected]
