THE POLLING PATTERN – AT 10:18 A.M. ET:  Once again this morning we see the polling pattern regarding the president that I discussed here over the weekend.  In the Rasmussen tracker, the president will have a certain number, usually a good one, on Friday.  By Monday he will usually lose two or three points.  Then, during the week, he will make them up.

The reason?  I can't say definitely, but the Monday number, as I pointed out, reflects weekend polling, and the sample might be slightly different, or people may be concentrating on other things.  Many potential respondents might be traveling or out having a good time.

Same thing this week.  The president was at 50% toward the end of last week.  Now for today, from Rasmussen:

The Rasmussen Reports daily Presidential Tracking Poll for Monday shows that 47% of Likely U.S. Voters approve of President Trump’s job performance. Fifty-one percent (51%) disapprove.

The latest figures include 33% who Strongly Approve of the way Trump is performing and 44% who Strongly Disapprove. This gives him a Presidential Approval Index rating of -11.

Same pattern that we usually see.  We'll watch the numbers for the remainder of the week.

And something else:  Everyone knows that this president has received an unprecedented bashing from the press, but his numbers, in general, either stay the same or rise.  Please note this, from Rasmussen again:

Eighteen months after Election Day, many Democrats and their allies in Hollywood and the media continue to attack President Trump in an unprecedented fashion. But few voters think it will pay off for Trump’s opponents in the next election.

The latest Rasmussen Reports national telephone and online survey finds that 43% of Likely U.S. Voters think there is too much Trump-bashing going on in the popular culture today. Thirty percent (30%) say there isn’t enough, while 21% feel the level of Trump-bashing is about right.

But only 23% say they are less likely to vote for a candidate who supports the president because of the current level of Trump-bashing. Thirty-six percent (36%) are more likely to vote for a pro-Trump candidate. Slightly more (38%) say the ongoing attacks on the president will have no impact on their vote.

Even among Democrats, just 36% say the current Trump-bashing makes them less likely to vote for a candidate who supports the president. Fifty-eight percent (58%) of Republicans are more likely to vote for such a candidate. Among voters not affiliated with either major party, a plurality (48%) says the Trump-bashing will have no impact on their vote, but 25% are more likely to vote for a pro-Trump candidate.

COMMENT:  Note the term "likely U.S. voters."  These are the people who actually vote, and the only poll that counts is the one on election day. 

The voters are a lot smarter than the politicians and "analysts" think they are.

May 21,  2018