This week’s White House Report Card finds President Trump facing several impeachment assaults but benefiting from one of the lowest unemployment rates on record.
Democratic pollster John Zogby, one of our two graders, said the contrast is stark but still not driving down his approval ratings
The so-called Whistleblower’s account of my perfect phone call is “way off,” not even close. Schiff and Pelosi never thought I would release the transcript of the call. Got them by surprise, they got caught. This is a fraud against the American people!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) October 5, 2019
In fact, Zogby singled out one recent approval poll that found Democrats with an 11-point advantage. “Meaning,” he told us, that “the pollster has never been to Kentucky, Nebraska, or Kansas. I do not hear anyone talking about impeachment, and when I ask, folks tell me they are so tired of it all and can’t watch any of it.”
Conservative grader Jed Babbin, meanwhile, said Trump should be allowed a mulligan for the week.
John Zogby
Grade D+
President Trump moved four or five steps closer to being impeached this week. Three committees are investigating him, and the House Judiciary Committee also wants documents concerning the call with the Ukrainian president from Vice President Mike Pence and Secretary of State Mike Pompeo.
In fit of rage (perhaps a carefully calculated one), the president trashed reporters and publicly called on China to investigate Hunter Biden’s business dealings in that country. The president also announced that anyone entering or desiring to stay in the United States must show that they have health insurance, which seems gratuitously mean.
The President’s continued attacks on the whistleblower are an incitement to violence — and a threat to our democracy.
Let’s be clear: the whistleblower did everything right. They followed all appropriate laws and procedures. And they have every legal right to remain anonymous. pic.twitter.com/zyCOsmWmFI
— Adam Schiff (@RepAdamSchiff) October 3, 2019
But his approval poll numbers remain in the mid-40s. One poll has the president at 41% approval but has a differential of 11 percentage points more Democrats — meaning the pollster has never been to Kentucky, Nebraska, or Kansas. I do not hear anyone talking about impeachment, and when I ask, folks tell me they are so tired of it all and can’t watch any of it.
And, by the way, unemployment is 3.5% with 136,000 new jobs created last month. What is a Report Card grader to do?”
Jed Babbin
Grade D-
If President Trump could have taken a mulligan on this entire week he should have. The House impeachment proceedings — and his tweets about it — are capturing all the media’s attention causing them to virtually overlook his egregious error on China.
Hearings and subpoenas related to the House impeachment proceedings are flying around along with the Democrat’s fear of the results of the Barr/Durham investigation into the CIA’s and FBI’s abuses of power. The Democrats and their media pals are trying to discredit that investigation because it will, inevitably, discredit both agencies’ campaigns against Trump’s 2016 campaign. It’s highly likely that the investigation will reveal the personal involvement of former President Obama and possibly former Vice President Biden in the process.
Trump has been swinging wildly, mostly on Twitter, accusing foes of every crime and fraud imaginable. Many of his accusations are true, as I wrote last week, because their “Seinfeld impeachment” is about nothing. Trump’s base is already fired up and will become more so as the impeachment hearings go on. Trump’s accusation of treason aimed at House Permanent Select Committee on Intelligence Chairman Adam Schiff were over the top, as was his reference to a preacher’s prediction that impeachment would bring about a civil war in America.
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi says she’s not concerned about losing her majority over impeachment, but she obviously is. Her fear is lessened significantly by the long parade of Republican retirements from the House that now includes Rep. Mac Thornberry, the ranking Republican on the House Armed Services Committee. Whether or not Republicans hold his seat in 2020, Thornberry will be missed greatly for his intelligence and political acumen.
Thank you Craig Thomas Discovery and Visitor Center in #Wyoming for hosting me. Talked about important outdoor survival skills w/ thoughtful 2nd & 4th graders & joined @SecBernhardt in a @NatlParkService Arrowhead Ceremony. #BeBest #EveryKidOutdoors pic.twitter.com/YdCVBzbexJ
— Melania Trump (@FLOTUS) October 5, 2019
The Chinese Communist regime celebrated its 70th anniversary with a massive military parade that featured its new hypersonic missiles for which the U.S. apparently has no defense. Amazingly (and unconscionably), Trump congratulated the Chinese on their anniversary. Why would an American president ever congratulate a regime that has murdered millions, oppresses over a billion people, and is one of our most powerful enemies? Ronald Reagan must be turning over in his grave.
The World Trade Organization gave the administration a big win on the longstanding U.S. complaint that Airbus, the European manufacturer of airliners, has been receiving illegal subsidies for many years. That entitled us to impose retaliatory tariffs which Trump is aiming at whiskey, wine and cheese instead of the Airbus aircraft that many U.S. airlines buy. Why not at the aircraft themselves?
John Zogby is the founder of the Zogby Poll and senior partner at John Zogby Strategies. His latest book is We Are Many, We Are One: Neo-Tribes and Tribal Analytics in 21st Century America. Follow him on Twitter @TheJohnZogby
Jed Babbin is a Washington Examiner contributor and former deputy undersecretary of defense in the administration of former President George H.W. Bush. Follow him on Twitter @jedbabbin
