CAL THOMAS COMMENTARY AUGUST 16, 2019
A NEW FOX NEWS POLL MIGHT SPELL EARLY TROUBLE FOR PRESIDENT TRUMP. HIS DISAPPROVAL RATING HAS JUMPED TO 56 PERCENT, ONLY ONE POINT SHY OF THE RECORD HIGH IN FOX POLLING. THAT’S A FIVE-POINT INCREASE FROM LAST MONTH. THOSE MASS SHOOTINGS AND HIS RESPONSE TO THEM ARE BELIEVED TO BE A MAJOR REASON.
43 PERCENT SAY THEY APPROVE OF THE PRESIDENT’S JOB PERFORMANCE. THAT’S DOWN FROM 46 PERCENT LAST MONTH. HIS RECORD LOW APPROVAL WAS 38 PERCENT IN 2017.
59 PERCENT SAY THEY ARE UNHAPPY WITH THE DIRECTION OF THE COUNTRY. THAT IS NEVER A GOOD SIGN.
PART OF THIS – PERHAPS A MAJOR PART – IS THE PRESIDENT’S PERSONALITY, HIS SOMETIMES CRUDE AND EVEN BLASPHEMOUS LANGUAGE AND HIS ATTACKS ON OPPONENTS. FIGHTING BACK CAN BE GOOD FOR A WHILE, BUT SOON IT BECOMES ANNOYING. AMERICANS WANT MORE POSITIVE THAN NEGATIVE; MORE HEALING THAN TEARING APART; MORE KINDNESS THAN ANGER.
THE DEMOCRATS ARE ANGRY, TOO, BUT THE PRESIDENT’S ROLE IS A UNIQUE ONE. HE HAD BETTER PAY ATTENTION TO THIS POLL AND DO SOMETHING TO TURN THOSE NUMBERS IN A POSITIVE DIRECTION. I’M CAL THOMAS.
