Don't speak against Dear Leader

Don't speak against Dear Leader

by digby

Bannon arrogantly strutting around in that stupid camo jacket down in Alabama was proof positive that he'd lost the thread. He thought that all that Trump love was for him.

The President clearly has “won” among Republicans – beating back the criticisms of his former chief strategist Steve Bannon. Bannon, who was fired last August, was quoted in Michael Wolff’s book Fire and Fury as attacking the President’s ability to serve, as well as several members of the President’s family. Even after Bannon was fired, Republicans were divided when they judged Bannon. Now, they have definitely turned negative.

The public as a whole never liked Bannon. Throughout 2017, about twice as many held an unfavorable view of Bannon as had a positive one.

By more than five to one, Republicans now approve of Bannon’s firing. As for his remarks to Michael Wolff, Republicans clearly don’t find Bannon credible. Just 8% of Republicans think Bannon is honest and trustworthy (as do 8% of Democrats). And Republicans overwhelmingly say it is Trump who is the more honest and trustworthy person.
Most Democrats and independents don’t choose either the President or his former strategist when asked this question, perhaps not all that surprising. Only 5% of Democrats and 27% of independents regard President Trump as honest, compared to two-thirds of Republicans who say this.

Two in three Republicans have consistently said in Economist/YouGov Polls they want the President to run for re-election in 2020. This week 66% of Republicans say that. And most Republicans also don’t want to see him challenged in the GOP primaries either. One in four would like some other Republicans to challenge the President, and that group of Republicans is much more likely to worry that a 2020 nominee Trump would lose the general election.

Overall, nearly as many Republicans think the President is likely to lose in 2020 as he is to win. A majority of the public overall believe he will lose.