How hard would it be for the President of the United States to enjoy extreme popularity right now?

I've seen other Presidents in times of crisis and they pretty much seemed to know the right thing to do... or at least the right way to act. Some were perhaps not among the brightest ever to occupy the Oval Office, but they had people around them who helped them figure it out and they listened to those people. And their approval ratings invariably went way up.

It's a no-brainer. There must be former Presidential speech writers who are champing at the bit to write this one:

+ Schedule a MAJOR address to the nation with 36 hrs advance notice. Make sure everybody knows about it and it's seen everywhere.

+ Begin with the magic words, "My fellow Americans... "

+ Admit that ALMOST ALL OF US got caught flat-footed on this one (except maybe Cal88)

+ Outline the problem we face and briefly tell its backstory in simple language that everyone can understand.

+ Show empathy for those suffering... both here and around the world.

+ Explain that we're all in this together and this virus doesn't know nationality or political party.

+ Remind the American people that we've faced crises before, throughout our history, and we've always come out on top. This time will be no different.

+ Issue a call to action on the hygiene and social distance issues, explaining that it is not just for you, but for your parents and grandparents, your community, your state and your country

+ Explain what the government is going to do to help. Tell the truth, give facts (true ones!) and don't exaggerate.

+ Bring in Nancy Pelosi to briefly confirm that Congress is 100% on board and also to reiterate that we're all in this together.

+ Conclude with brief video clips from every living former President (Carter, Clinton, Bush and Obama) each telling us that we're all together on this and that we will persevere. (Optional: This one is my flair for the theatrical.)

+ Spend the next six months being the Healer-in-Chief, including using his power to PRINT MONEY and hand it to people.

People would be eating this s*** up like it was Fenton's ice cream on a Saturday night. The President's popularity would go through the roof. It'd be like when the villain in pro wrestling suddenly turns into the good guy. Even some people who didn't like him before would give him their grudging admiration.

It's been about ten days since the President realized he massively screwed the pooch on this. And what has he come up with? "That was a nasty question..." and "You're a bad reporter... " It boggles the mind, it really does, but I guess I'm glad he hasn't even been able to hit this hanging curve ball out of the park, because God forbid he's reelected.

The problem is that once a turd, always a turd!

Professor David Romer said:

---

Ask Herbert Hoover and Jimmy Carter how easy it was

---

Okay, two other exceptions. Noted.

Hoover was wrong in his approach, in addition to being a Stanfurdite. Carter was notablly not charismatic and his crises (hostage situation and "malaise"... his own invented crisis) did not affect the American people severely enough.

Trump is clearly out of his element when communicating. It's obviously uncomfortable for him. He's just not a polished politician, and by the way, that's exactly why he was elected. I saw Newsom's speech the other day, and he spoke in a rather halting manner; throwing a bone to the Teamsters was just so predictable, and really ruined his moment, but he just couldn't resist. So, although they are so different, both Trump and Newson don't calm many people.

Obama was a fantastic communicator, yet when he came to the WH the market kept going down all the way to March of 2009. So yes, it's comforting knowing you've got a calm, cool person at the helm, but the markets and other realities have a way of seeing through to the core issue, no matter how moving the speech.

Big C said:

---

Professor David Romer said:

---

Ask Herbert Hoover and Jimmy Carter how easy it was

---

Okay, two other exceptions. Noted.

Hoover was wrong in his approach, in addition to being a Stanfurdite. Carter was notablly not charismatic and his crises (hostage situation and "malaise"... his own invented crisis) did not affect the American people severely enough.

---

Not familiar with the inflation issues of the late 1970's?

LMK5 said:

---

Trump is clearly out of his element when communicating. It's obviously uncomfortable for him. He's just not a polished politician, and by the way, that's exactly why he was elected. I saw Newsom's speech the other day, and he spoke in a rather halting manner; throwing a bone to the Teamsters was just so predictable, and really ruined his moment, but he just couldn't resist. So, although they are so different, both Trump and Newson don't calm many people.

Obama was a fantastic communicator, yet when he came to the WH the market kept going down all the way to March of 2009. So yes, it's comforting knowing you've got a calm, cool person at the helm, but the markets and other realities have a way of seeing through to the core issue, no matter how moving the speech.

---

I don't particularly care what the market is doing. The other realities, however, are rather important. And in that regard, I will say to you again that you should do exactly everything Trump tells you to do.

Big C said:

---

How hard would it be for the President of the United States to enjoy extreme popularity right now?

---

You don't win popularity votes when people get sick, laid off, or die. Every leader up and down the chain around the world is getting criticized. No one knows where this thing will go or when it will end.

sycasey said:

---

LMK5 said:

---

Trump is clearly out of his element when communicating. It's obviously uncomfortable for him. He's just not a polished politician, and by the way, that's exactly why he was elected. I saw Newsom's speech the other day, and he spoke in a rather halting manner; throwing a bone to the Teamsters was just so predictable, and really ruined his moment, but he just couldn't resist. So, although they are so different, both Trump and Newson don't calm many people.

---

Newsom is doing a great job IMO because he is not bulls****ing us. He's been about as out in front of the Coronavirus problem as any governor has. He's not perfect, but as a communicator he's been at least 10x more effective than Trump, again for the central reason that he's not delivering falsehoods about the disease or his plan for it.

---

I am no fan of Newsome and his politics. And I really dislike his wife. But his leadership score on this is a 1,000X that of Trump.

1. Why not a fan of Newsom?
2. What California politician are you a fan of?
3. Why do you dislike the Governor's wife?

bearister said:

---

1. Why not a fan of Newsom?
2. What California politician are you a fan of?
3. Why do you dislike the Governor's wife?

---

1. https://www.sacbee.com/news/politics-government/capitol-alert/article209176644.html
2. Jared Huffman and Ro Khanna
3. https://sfist.com/2010/06/30/newsoms_invested_in_bp_oil/

LMK5 said:

---

Trump is clearly out of his element when communicating. It's obviously uncomfortable for him. He's just not a polished politician, and by the way, that's exactly why he was elected. I saw Newsom's speech the other day, and he spoke in a rather halting manner; throwing a bone to the Teamsters was just so predictable, and really ruined his moment, but he just couldn't resist. So, although they are so different, both Trump and Newson don't calm many people.

Obama was a fantastic communicator, yet when he came to the WH the market kept going down all the way to March of 2009. So yes, it's comforting knowing you've got a calm, cool person at the helm, but the markets and other realities have a way of seeing through to the core issue, no matter how moving the speech.

---

Do the markets have a way of seeing through to the core issue? I remember March 2009. I was sitting with my meager 401k in cash looking for a sign we were at the bottom.

Jim Cramer of Mad Money was parading around his set with a picture of Lenin and saying Obama had destroyed more capital than anybody since Lenin. I took that as my sign and I bought. Missed the bottom by 2 days.

The market can be completely irrational in the short run.

bearlyamazing said:

---

If anyone thinks for a second that Trump's approval rating will go up among democrats in any large measure for any reason whatsoever, I've got a bridge to sell you. Nevertheless:

Trump approval rating at all-time high: Gallup Poll

President Trump's approval rating has hit an all-time high after it went up 5 percentage points within a month after a majority of the public said it approved of how he has handled the coronavirus outbreak.

The poll released Tuesday by Gallup shows Trump has a 49% approval rating, which ties his highest approval rating from January of this year.

The president received high approval numbers for his handling of the coronavirus pandemic. The poll found 60% of voters approved of Trump's response to the pandemic. 94% of Republicans approved, along with 60% of independents and 27% of Democrats.

So what is it? Is it another liberal pipe dream of hoping the pandemic would tank Trump's reelection bid (MSNBC talking head: "This could be Trump's Hurricane Katrina. Let's lean into that.")? Or is it a time of crisis popularity bump?

Also, while many here and in the twittersphere are clamoring for the msm to quit covering Trump's press briefings:

A recent poll from Monmouth University showed that more of the public approves of Trump's behavior during the public health crisis than they do of the media's behavior.

---

Be wary of short-term bumps in polls. "Rally around the flag" effects are common in the early days of crises (before most people are seeing the negative impacts), and if this is one of those it's not particularly big.

Sure, it COULD be that Trump is going to finally climb above 50% approval and stay there, but the history of his presidency doesn't suggest it.

People rallied much more around the moron W after 9/11. He acted like a leader and took action- most of it with ultimately disastrous consequences.

One thing Trump is not is strategic- his instincts may luck out but he's too lazy, dim and quixotic to go all FDR or even W.

Big C said:

---

Anarchistbear said:

---

People rallied much more around the moron W after 9/11. He acted like a leader and took action- most of it with ultimately disastrous consequences.

One thing Trump is not is strategic- his instincts may luck out but he's too lazy, dim and quixotic to go all FDR or even W.

---

Fifteen years ago, in the middle of W, who could've imagined we'd ever have a President who would be even lazier and dimmer?

---

Lazy and stupid? The left would like to think so, but no.

From whitehouse.gov:

• Almost 4 million jobs created since election.
• More Americans are now employed than ever recorded before in our history.
• We have created more than 400,000 manufacturing jobs since my election.
• Manufacturing jobs growing at the fastest rate in more than THREE DECADES.
• Economic growth last quarter hit 4.2 percent.
• New unemployment claims recently hit a 49-year low.
• Median household income has hit highest level ever recorded.
• African-American unemployment has recently achieved the lowest rate ever recorded.
• Hispanic-American unemployment is at the lowest rate ever recorded.
• Asian-American unemployment recently achieved the lowest rate ever recorded.
• Women's unemployment recently reached the lowest rate in 65 years.
• Youth unemployment has recently hit the lowest rate in nearly half a century.
• Lowest unemployment rate ever recorded for Americans without a high school diploma.
• Under my Administration, veterans' unemployment recently reached its lowest rate in nearly 20 years.
• Almost 3.9 million Americans have been lifted off food stamps since the election.
• The Pledge to America's Workers has resulted in employers committing to train more than 4 million Americans. We are committed to VOCATIONAL education.
• 95 percent of U.S. manufacturers are optimistic about the futurethe highest ever.
• Retail sales surged last month, up another 6 percent over last year.
• Signed the biggest package of tax cuts and reforms in history. After tax cuts, over $300 billion poured back in to the U.S. in the first quarter alone.
• As a result of our tax bill, small businesses will have the lowest top marginal tax rate in more than 80 years.
• Helped win U.S. bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
• Helped win U.S.-Mexico-Canada's united bid for 2026 World Cup.
• Opened ANWR and approved Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines.
• Record number of regulations eliminated.
• Enacted regulatory relief for community banks and credit unions.
• Obamacare individual mandate penalty GONE.
• My Administration is providing more affordable healthcare options for Americans through association health plans and short-term duration plans.
• Last month, the FDA approved more affordable generic drugs than ever before in history. And thanks to our efforts, many drug companies are freezing or reversing planned price increases.
• We reformed the Medicare program to stop hospitals from overcharging low-income seniors on their drugssaving seniors hundreds of millions of dollars this year alone.
• Signed Right-To-Try legislation.
• Secured $6 billion in NEW funding to fight the opioid epidemic.
• We have reduced high-dose opioid prescriptions by 16 percent during my first year in office.
• Signed VA Choice Act and VA Accountability Act, expanded VA telehealth services, walk-in-clinics, and same-day urgent primary and mental health care.
• Increased our coal exports by 60 percent; U.S. oil production recently reached all-time high.
• United States is a net natural gas exporter for the first time since 1957.
• Withdrew the United States from the job-killing Paris Climate Accord.
• Cancelled the illegal, anti-coal, so-called Clean Power Plan.
• Secured record $700 billion in military funding; $716 billion next year.
• NATO allies are spending $69 billion more on defense since 2016.
• Process has begun to make the Space Force the 6th branch of the Armed Forces.
• Confirmed more circuit court judges than any other new administration.
• Confirmed Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
• Withdrew from the horrible, one-sided Iran Deal.
• Moved U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem.
• Protecting Americans from terrorists with the Travel Ban, upheld by Supreme Court.
• Issued Executive Order to keep open Guantanamo Bay.
• Concluded a historic U.S.-Mexico Trade Deal to replace NAFTA. And negotiations with Canada are underway as we speak.
• Reached a breakthrough agreement with the E.U. to increase U.S. exports.
• Imposed tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum to protect our national security.
• Imposed tariffs on China in response to China's forced technology transfer, intellectual property theft, and their chronically abusive trade practices.
• Net exports are on track to increase by $59 billion this year.
• Improved vetting and screening for refugees, and switched focus to overseas resettlement.
• We have begun BUILDING THE WALL. Republicans want STRONG BORDERS and NO CRIME. Democrats want OPEN BORDERS which equals MASSIVE CRIME.

You may not agree with these items but it's frankly stunning how much he's come to accomplish when being opposed at unprecedented levels while being accused of bogus crime after bogus crime, acquitted every time.

sycasey said:

---

bearlyamazing said:

---

Big C said:

---

Anarchistbear said:

---

People rallied much more around the moron W after 9/11. He acted like a leader and took action- most of it with ultimately disastrous consequences.

One thing Trump is not is strategic- his instincts may luck out but he's too lazy, dim and quixotic to go all FDR or even W.

---

Fifteen years ago, in the middle of W, who could've imagined we'd ever have a President who would be even lazier and dimmer?

---

Lazy and stupid? The left would like to think so, but no.

From whitehouse.gov:

---

I don't know why you think the White House's list of its own accomplishments would be considered convincing evidence here. Is that supposed to be an unbiased source?

---

Of course they're biased and putting things in the best possible light but I don't remember any republican or democratic administration that accomplished so much so fast, especially in the face of so much resistance to try and not give him a win for anything and throwing everything but the kitchen sink at him to try an get him out of office. It's truly remarkable, even if you don't like his agenda.

sycasey said:

---

bearlyamazing said:

---

Of course they're biased and putting things in the best possible light but I don't remember any republican or democratic administration that accomplished so much so fast, especially in the face of so much resistance to try and not give him a win for anything and throwing everything but the kitchen sink at him to try an get him out of office. It's truly remarkable, even if you don't like his agenda.

---

This is hilarious, given that we've had Presidents who entered office in the middle of wars or depressions. We've had Presidents who were literally shot by political opponents. Let's dispense with the victimhood narrative, shall we? Trump has not gotten an especially raw deal by presidential standards.

---

Name me one single president that was opposed at every single turn, had every trick in the book thrown at him to try and get him out of office and illegally surveiled to boot, both before his presidency and during. It's not even remotely close. I'm not talking about presidents who governed during difficult eras in our country's history. I'm talking purely about what he's accomplished in just 3 years with massive, constant opposition.

AunBear89 said:

---

You should probably wipe the orange bronzer from your chin if you expect anyone to take you seriously.

Do you keep verbally fellating Trump in the hope that he will notice and make you a member of his cabinet?

---

Why are you such a hate-filled loser? You can't deny anything I say with any cogent logic so you say pathetic crap like that. You're intellectually and mentally bankrupt.

bearlyamazing said:

---

sycasey said:

---

bearlyamazing said:

---

Big C said:

---

Anarchistbear said:

---

People rallied much more around the moron W after 9/11. He acted like a leader and took action- most of it with ultimately disastrous consequences.

One thing Trump is not is strategic- his instincts may luck out but he's too lazy, dim and quixotic to go all FDR or even W.

---

Fifteen years ago, in the middle of W, who could've imagined we'd ever have a President who would be even lazier and dimmer?

---

Lazy and stupid? The left would like to think so, but no.

From whitehouse.gov:

---

I don't know why you think the White House's list of its own accomplishments would be considered convincing evidence here. Is that supposed to be an unbiased source?

---

Of course they're biased and putting things in the best possible light but I don't remember any republican or democratic administration that accomplished so much so fast, especially in the face of so much resistance to try and not give him a win for anything and throwing everything but the kitchen sink at him to try an get him out of office. It's truly remarkable, even if you don't like his agenda.

---

What is your response to this:

Seth Abramson (@) on Twitter: "(THREAD) Trump's Fox News town hall today was wall-to-wall lies*information warfare* waged against America, even as America is the epicenter of the worst global public health crisis in over a century. I break down some of the most vile lies in this thread. I hope you'll RETWEET. https://t.co/fD0ujkozUx" / Twitter

There's a little truth, a lot of exaggeration and a lot of bs in his LIES!!! tweet.

Lots of people saw Biden call Trump xenophobic for the China travel ban. Lots of people saw him imply Trump was stupid for the Europe travel ban and that it was unnecessary. The WHO recommended airport testing but not travel bans, even after the China travel restrictions went in place.

The way the left and people here are obsessed with calling liar on most everything they politically disagree with is pathological and ridiculous, usually without doing any or even cursory research on the matter.

bearlyamazing said:

---

AunBear89 said:

---

You should probably wipe the orange bronzer from your chin if you expect anyone to take you seriously.

Do you keep verbally fellating Trump in the hope that he will notice and make you a member of his cabinet?

---

Why are you such a hate-filled loser? You can't deny anything I say with any cogent logic so you say pathetic crap like that. You're intellectually and mentally bankrupt.

---

Keep at it, junior! He'll notice you one of these days! Then all your wet dreams will come true!

"Projection". Look it up.

bearlyamazing said:

---

Big C said:

---

Anarchistbear said:

---

People rallied much more around the moron W after 9/11. He acted like a leader and took action- most of it with ultimately disastrous consequences.

One thing Trump is not is strategic- his instincts may luck out but he's too lazy, dim and quixotic to go all FDR or even W.

---

Fifteen years ago, in the middle of W, who could've imagined we'd ever have a President who would be even lazier and dimmer?

---

Lazy and stupid? The left would like to think so, but no.

From whitehouse.gov:

• Almost 4 million jobs created since election.
• More Americans are now employed than ever recorded before in our history.
• We have created more than 400,000 manufacturing jobs since my election.
• Manufacturing jobs growing at the fastest rate in more than THREE DECADES.
• Economic growth last quarter hit 4.2 percent.
• New unemployment claims recently hit a 49-year low.
• Median household income has hit highest level ever recorded.
• African-American unemployment has recently achieved the lowest rate ever recorded.
• Hispanic-American unemployment is at the lowest rate ever recorded.
• Asian-American unemployment recently achieved the lowest rate ever recorded.
• Women's unemployment recently reached the lowest rate in 65 years.
• Youth unemployment has recently hit the lowest rate in nearly half a century.
• Lowest unemployment rate ever recorded for Americans without a high school diploma.
• Under my Administration, veterans' unemployment recently reached its lowest rate in nearly 20 years.
• Almost 3.9 million Americans have been lifted off food stamps since the election.
• The Pledge to America's Workers has resulted in employers committing to train more than 4 million Americans. We are committed to VOCATIONAL education.
• 95 percent of U.S. manufacturers are optimistic about the futurethe highest ever.
• Retail sales surged last month, up another 6 percent over last year.
• Signed the biggest package of tax cuts and reforms in history. After tax cuts, over $300 billion poured back in to the U.S. in the first quarter alone.
• As a result of our tax bill, small businesses will have the lowest top marginal tax rate in more than 80 years.
• Helped win U.S. bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
• Helped win U.S.-Mexico-Canada's united bid for 2026 World Cup.
• Opened ANWR and approved Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines.
• Record number of regulations eliminated.
• Enacted regulatory relief for community banks and credit unions.
• Obamacare individual mandate penalty GONE.
• My Administration is providing more affordable healthcare options for Americans through association health plans and short-term duration plans.
• Last month, the FDA approved more affordable generic drugs than ever before in history. And thanks to our efforts, many drug companies are freezing or reversing planned price increases.
• We reformed the Medicare program to stop hospitals from overcharging low-income seniors on their drugssaving seniors hundreds of millions of dollars this year alone.
• Signed Right-To-Try legislation.
• Secured $6 billion in NEW funding to fight the opioid epidemic.
• We have reduced high-dose opioid prescriptions by 16 percent during my first year in office.
• Signed VA Choice Act and VA Accountability Act, expanded VA telehealth services, walk-in-clinics, and same-day urgent primary and mental health care.
• Increased our coal exports by 60 percent; U.S. oil production recently reached all-time high.
• United States is a net natural gas exporter for the first time since 1957.
• Withdrew the United States from the job-killing Paris Climate Accord.
• Cancelled the illegal, anti-coal, so-called Clean Power Plan.
• Secured record $700 billion in military funding; $716 billion next year.
• NATO allies are spending $69 billion more on defense since 2016.
• Process has begun to make the Space Force the 6th branch of the Armed Forces.
• Confirmed more circuit court judges than any other new administration.
• Confirmed Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
• Withdrew from the horrible, one-sided Iran Deal.
• Moved U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem.
• Protecting Americans from terrorists with the Travel Ban, upheld by Supreme Court.
• Issued Executive Order to keep open Guantanamo Bay.
• Concluded a historic U.S.-Mexico Trade Deal to replace NAFTA. And negotiations with Canada are underway as we speak.
• Reached a breakthrough agreement with the E.U. to increase U.S. exports.
• Imposed tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum to protect our national security.
• Imposed tariffs on China in response to China's forced technology transfer, intellectual property theft, and their chronically abusive trade practices.
• Net exports are on track to increase by $59 billion this year.
• Improved vetting and screening for refugees, and switched focus to overseas resettlement.
• We have begun BUILDING THE WALL. Republicans want STRONG BORDERS and NO CRIME. Democrats want OPEN BORDERS which equals MASSIVE CRIME.

You may not agree with these items but it's frankly stunning how much he's come to accomplish when being opposed at unprecedented levels while being accused of bogus crime after bogus crime, acquitted every time.

---

My personal "favorite": "Increased coal exports by 60 percent".

Okay, he got some coal OUT OF THIS COUNTRY, but you do realize that climate change is a WORLD problem? Oh, wait, you don't even realize that it's a problem.

Big C said:

---

bearlyamazing said:

---

Big C said:

---

Anarchistbear said:

---

People rallied much more around the moron W after 9/11. He acted like a leader and took action- most of it with ultimately disastrous consequences.

One thing Trump is not is strategic- his instincts may luck out but he's too lazy, dim and quixotic to go all FDR or even W.

---

Fifteen years ago, in the middle of W, who could've imagined we'd ever have a President who would be even lazier and dimmer?

---

Lazy and stupid? The left would like to think so, but no.

From whitehouse.gov:

• Almost 4 million jobs created since election.
• More Americans are now employed than ever recorded before in our history.
• We have created more than 400,000 manufacturing jobs since my election.
• Manufacturing jobs growing at the fastest rate in more than THREE DECADES.
• Economic growth last quarter hit 4.2 percent.
• New unemployment claims recently hit a 49-year low.
• Median household income has hit highest level ever recorded.
• African-American unemployment has recently achieved the lowest rate ever recorded.
• Hispanic-American unemployment is at the lowest rate ever recorded.
• Asian-American unemployment recently achieved the lowest rate ever recorded.
• Women's unemployment recently reached the lowest rate in 65 years.
• Youth unemployment has recently hit the lowest rate in nearly half a century.
• Lowest unemployment rate ever recorded for Americans without a high school diploma.
• Under my Administration, veterans' unemployment recently reached its lowest rate in nearly 20 years.
• Almost 3.9 million Americans have been lifted off food stamps since the election.
• The Pledge to America's Workers has resulted in employers committing to train more than 4 million Americans. We are committed to VOCATIONAL education.
• 95 percent of U.S. manufacturers are optimistic about the futurethe highest ever.
• Retail sales surged last month, up another 6 percent over last year.
• Signed the biggest package of tax cuts and reforms in history. After tax cuts, over $300 billion poured back in to the U.S. in the first quarter alone.
• As a result of our tax bill, small businesses will have the lowest top marginal tax rate in more than 80 years.
• Helped win U.S. bid for the 2028 Summer Olympics in Los Angeles.
• Helped win U.S.-Mexico-Canada's united bid for 2026 World Cup.
• Opened ANWR and approved Keystone XL and Dakota Access Pipelines.
• Record number of regulations eliminated.
• Enacted regulatory relief for community banks and credit unions.
• Obamacare individual mandate penalty GONE.
• My Administration is providing more affordable healthcare options for Americans through association health plans and short-term duration plans.
• Last month, the FDA approved more affordable generic drugs than ever before in history. And thanks to our efforts, many drug companies are freezing or reversing planned price increases.
• We reformed the Medicare program to stop hospitals from overcharging low-income seniors on their drugssaving seniors hundreds of millions of dollars this year alone.
• Signed Right-To-Try legislation.
• Secured $6 billion in NEW funding to fight the opioid epidemic.
• We have reduced high-dose opioid prescriptions by 16 percent during my first year in office.
• Signed VA Choice Act and VA Accountability Act, expanded VA telehealth services, walk-in-clinics, and same-day urgent primary and mental health care.
• Increased our coal exports by 60 percent; U.S. oil production recently reached all-time high.
• United States is a net natural gas exporter for the first time since 1957.
• Withdrew the United States from the job-killing Paris Climate Accord.
• Cancelled the illegal, anti-coal, so-called Clean Power Plan.
• Secured record $700 billion in military funding; $716 billion next year.
• NATO allies are spending $69 billion more on defense since 2016.
• Process has begun to make the Space Force the 6th branch of the Armed Forces.
• Confirmed more circuit court judges than any other new administration.
• Confirmed Supreme Court Justice Neil Gorsuch and nominated Judge Brett Kavanaugh.
• Withdrew from the horrible, one-sided Iran Deal.
• Moved U.S. Embassy to Jerusalem.
• Protecting Americans from terrorists with the Travel Ban, upheld by Supreme Court.
• Issued Executive Order to keep open Guantanamo Bay.
• Concluded a historic U.S.-Mexico Trade Deal to replace NAFTA. And negotiations with Canada are underway as we speak.
• Reached a breakthrough agreement with the E.U. to increase U.S. exports.
• Imposed tariffs on foreign steel and aluminum to protect our national security.
• Imposed tariffs on China in response to China's forced technology transfer, intellectual property theft, and their chronically abusive trade practices.
• Net exports are on track to increase by $59 billion this year.
• Improved vetting and screening for refugees, and switched focus to overseas resettlement.
• We have begun BUILDING THE WALL. Republicans want STRONG BORDERS and NO CRIME. Democrats want OPEN BORDERS which equals MASSIVE CRIME.

You may not agree with these items but it's frankly stunning how much he's come to accomplish when being opposed at unprecedented levels while being accused of bogus crime after bogus crime, acquitted every time.

---

My personal "favorite": "Increased coal exports by 60 percent".

Okay, he got some coal OUT OF THIS COUNTRY, but you do realize that climate change is a WORLD problem? Oh, wait, you don't even realize that it's a problem.

---

I bet a month ago something about the stock market would have been included in this list.

Well, Trump's approval rating is actually UP about five percentage points... and that's with his unbelievably poor handling of the coronavirus situation, day after freaking day. Just goes to show you how, in a crisis like this, the American people are desperately looking for a leader, any leader, to help them get through it.

Big C said:

---

Well, Trump's approval rating is actually UP about five percentage points... and that's with his unbelievably poor handling of the coronavirus situation, day after freaking day. Just goes to show you how, in a crisis like this, the American people are desperately looking for a leader, any leader, to help them get through it.

---

My hope is that, like Hilary, he is peaking too soon. If this was October I'd be worried. However, it is still just (barely) March. Now is not the time to be at the top of the polls.

dimitrig said:

---

Big C said:

---

Well, Trump's approval rating is actually UP about five percentage points... and that's with his unbelievably poor handling of the coronavirus situation, day after freaking day. Just goes to show you how, in a crisis like this, the American people are desperately looking for a leader, any leader, to help them get through it.

---

My hope is that, like Hilary, he is peaking too soon. If this was October I'd be worried. However, it is still just (barely) March. Now is not the time to be at the top of the polls.

---

Remember that political leaders usually get popularity boosts at the beginning of a crisis, particularly one brought by external forces (like a new virus). Pretty much every world leader and every state governor has gotten that bump right now. Trump's is relatively small. I'm not sure this is a bullish sign for him.

sycasey said:

---

dimitrig said:

---

Big C said:

---

Well, Trump's approval rating is actually UP about five percentage points... and that's with his unbelievably poor handling of the coronavirus situation, day after freaking day. Just goes to show you how, in a crisis like this, the American people are desperately looking for a leader, any leader, to help them get through it.

---

My hope is that, like Hilary, he is peaking too soon. If this was October I'd be worried. However, it is still just (barely) March. Now is not the time to be at the top of the polls.

---

Remember that political leaders usually get popularity boosts at the beginning of a crisis, particularly one brought by external forces (like a new virus). Pretty much every world leader and every state governor has gotten that bump right now. Trump's is relatively small. I'm not sure this is a bullish sign for him.

---

A 5-point bump is as pathetic as rally-the-flag effect goes. W Bush got 90% approval rating after 911. I suspect WH hoped for a larger bump, otherwise they wouldn't parade out scores of uniformed generals when Trump described himself as a wartime president.