It appears that anytime the ‘I’ word comes out, the American public perks up, shakes its head sadly, and discounts the Trump Administration, as we can see in the Gallup Presidential Approval poll. With a 33% approval rating, President Trump has achieved a new low, while the 62% disapproval rating ties a high.
If we just look at these numbers, it appears Trump is in trouble – but how long will these numbers persist or even worsen? The Manafort indictment resulted in a similar reaction, only to recover shortly thereafter.
So I’m hesitant to actually read much into these numbers. Now, if Trump’s approval rating were to reach 30%, then I’d grant a permanent effect, but at the moment, it’s more like a shock to the system, causing one’s hair to stand on end before the cardiac arrest returns.
And in the end, how much does this affect Speaker Ryan? In his hands are the ability to start the impeachment process, and so far he hasn’t shown any willingness to use it. Honestly, it’s hard to say if his loyalty to the Party leader is greater than his loyalty to the country, or if in his opinion there’s not enough evidence to justify impeachment – despite Trump’s increasingly dangerous and incomprehensible ways.
Stay tuned, I’ll be interested in tomorrow’s numbers – although I expect a recovery for President Trump.
