With an improving economy and employment going up, President Trump has hit the same approval rating he had when he was first elected in 2016, buoying his supporters eager for a second term.
In this week’s White House Report Card, pollster John Zogby notes that Trump’s approval is at 46%, “the same percentage that got him elected.” Our Democratic report card grader, Zogby gave credit to the improving economy, while conservative Jed Babbin said placing new tariffs on Chinese goods was the right move to push Beijing into action on a trade deal.
John Zogby
Grade C-
It was another week showing President Trump’s successes and failures.
On the positive side, applications for unemployment have hit another record low and Trump’s approval ratings for just the week hit 46% — the same percentage that got him elected in 2016. In key states like Arizona, new polling showed him beating every Democrat in the field except Joe Biden, who the president dubbed “Creep, Sleepy Joe.” But the well-known Biden still did not hit 50% in the matchup.
On the negative side, there still is no trade deal with China and the stock markets plummeted as a result. The president’s little buddy Kim Jong Un tested two short-range missiles and the U.S. seized a North Korean merchant ship for allegedly violating sanctions. The U.S. and Iran are saber-rattling and that does not make this humble pollster sleep well at night. Israel and Gaza are trading missiles and killing each other. And an attempted coup in Caracas has clearly failed.
Looks to me like it’s going to be SleepyCreepy Joe over Crazy Bernie. Everyone else is fading fast!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 10, 2019
On balance, I am not happy but I have to give him a fair grade. The economy and his poll numbers are good, right?
Jed Babbin
Grade B+
It was a very busy week for President Trump in which threats from Iran caused a military deployment, trade negotiations with China stalled, and the House Judiciary Committee voted to hold Attorney General William Barr in contempt of Congress. Trump won the week handily, despite all that and the subpoena wars between the White House and the Democratic controlled House.
Specific information reportedly indicated that Iran was planning some sort of attack on U.S. forces in Syria. Iran was also reportedly moving ballistic missiles by boat, although the missiles weren’t apparently able to be launched from the boats. And, Iranian-backed Hamas terrorists in the Gaza Strip had launched hundreds of missiles in attacks on Israeli civilians. Instead of asking for another “emergency” meeting of the U.N. Security Council, Trump ordered the USS Abraham Lincoln carrier and its battle group to the Middle East as well as an unknown number of Air Force heavy bombers and fighter escorts.
Iran threatened the European Union that it would quit parts of the nuclear weapons deal that former president Obama had negotiated with Iran and the P5+1 (U.S., U.K., France, Britain, and Russia plus Germany) had all signed if it weren’t renegotiated. The EU folks (surprisingly) said no.
Such an easy way to avoid Tariffs? Make or produce your goods and products in the good old USA. It’s very simple!
— Donald J. Trump (@realDonaldTrump) May 11, 2019
Trump’s negotiators thought they had a deal with China but the Chinese pulled back on key parts of it that would have mandated that China honor U.S. patents and trademarks. Trump made good on his threat to hike tariffs on about $200 billion in Chinese goods from 10% to 25%. China said it will retaliate, but Trump’s move was exactly the right one.
The House Democrats seem to be in a state of meltdown. Trump seems to be daring them to impeach him, which could be a decisive advantage to Trump in next year’s election. Their substitute for impeachment — or choice of moves to lead to impeachment — are the multitude of investigations they’re pushing ahead. Attoney General Barr tried to let House Judiciary Committee Chairman Rep. Jerry Nadler and a bunch of other members see a version of the Mueller report that had everything but the grand jury material that the Justice Department is legally barred from producing. Nadler turned it down, preferring to try to hold Barr in contempt.
Barr will beat the contempt rap. Though much more complicated, the executive privilege claim will likely be struck down by the courts because the materials sought to be protected appear to be outside the scope of the privilege. But all this is going to take a lot of time — probably into next year — before it’s going to be resolved. Meanwhile, Trump is thwarting most of the attacks. Senate Intelligence Committee Chairman Richard Burr inexplicably sent a subpoena to Donald Trump Jr. in the Senate’s investigation of the Russia matter. Why he’s siding with the Democrats — without the support of the Republican members of his committee — is very odd politically.
Trump granted a pardon to Lt. Michael Behenna who had been convicted of killing an Iraqi prisoner. Given the circumstances of the case, especially Behenna’s claim of self-defense, the pardon was the right thing to do.
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 an Examiner contributor and former deputy undersecretary of defense in the administration of former President George H.W. Bush. Follow him on Twitter @jedbabbin
