CNN data expert Harry Enten delivers poll results on air to his colleagues, whether they want to hear it or not. On the first Friday of President Donald Trump's second term, he brought bad news to CNN morning anchor Kate Bolduan that a new Reuters/Ipsos poll found Trump had a net approval rating of plus-6.
This term is starting much differently than the last one. Enten explained that in January of 2017, Trump became the first president in (polling) history to start his term with a net negative approval rating, a minus-3. From that January to this January was a 9-point swing.
He's not just doing better than he was eight years ago. He's doing better than he ever did in the entire first term. His best net approval rating was a plus-3 in March 2017.
Enten really offended his CNN colleague when he claimed: "This is a very different Donald Trump. He's leading a very different administration -- the way he's attacking things. And the American public is very much more in line with him than they were at any point during his entire first term."
Bolduan felt compelled to dissent: "I would say, correction! He's not a very different Donald Trump. This is a very different Donald Trump -- as being viewed by voters in this moment."
Then Enten elaborated on his "very different" point, that with new chief of staff Susie Wiles, Trump is "going at things in a much less disorganized fashion. Much more organized."
A few seconds later, the video of this became more amusing when he underlined how unique this was: "Has the second term net approval rating in the first month? Have you ever had a higher rating than any net approval rating during the entire first term? Donald Trump is the only -- "
Speaking for her CNN colleagues (and the Trump-hating CNN audience), Bolduan broke in with a high soprano voice: "I have a tough time believing this."
Enten finished his thought: "This is 100% true. I went back. I love spreadsheets ... This is true. I don't make stuff up. The numbers are the numbers!"
Bolduan aerobically rolled her eyes at this part, like she simply cannot believe or tolerate the fact that Trump is at a peak of popularity right now. It might not last. Or it might get even better.
There's been a more dramatic shift on which party is better with immigration. On Jan. 27, Enten found Trump's approval rating on immigration right now is 46% approve to 39% disapprove. But when asked which party is better at handling the issue of immigration, Democrats led eight years ago by 11 points. Right now, the Republicans are up 22 points. The massive surge of illegal migrants under Joe Biden caused Americans to get more "hawkish" on the border.
Enten's not always delivering good news for Trump. On Jan. 28, he noted a Reuters poll found that Trump's jawboning about buying Greenland from Denmark may be the most unpopular position he's taking at the moment. Fully 58% of Americans didn't want to pressure Denmark to sell it (16% in favor). Even 42% of the GOP respondents weren't behind this Greenland gambit.
Journalists may focus too intensely on opinion polls in between elections. When Republicans win, they're very attentive to GOP poll ratings sinking. Their "news" coverage seems designed to make that decline happen. The media are currently struggling with the public mood that Democrats performed badly and deserve some time in the minority. In other words, they have low ratings like CNN and MSNBC.
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