Can This President Be Reelected In An Economy This Bad?

As April began and Americans were being told to fear COVID-19 and stay home, President Trump said there would not need to be a “massive recession.” As recently as Monday, he said the economy would have “a tremendous third quarter.” By Wednesday, he was looking forward to “a fourth quarter […] Read more »

Getting Cartered

Key Points • President Trump’s approval numbers have remained steady or have even improved in the midst of the coronavirus crisis. • That said, the potential threat that the combined health and economic crisis poses to his reelection odds is obvious. • Trump may find himself in the position of […] Read more »

Trump’s Approval Hits New High, But A Rally-Around-The-Flag Effect Is Small

Asked if he has any regrets about the way he’s handled the coronavirus crisis so far, President Trump said no — and he cited polling to back him up. “No, I think that we’ve handled it really well,” Trump said on Monday. “The American public thinks that we’ve handled it […] Read more »

The two words that could tip the debate on Iran — and help decide the next election

The fierce political debate over President Donald Trump’s decision to order the killing of a top Iranian military leader ultimately may turn on just two words. Republicans cheering Trump’s decision to target Iranian Maj. Gen. Qasem Soleimani have invariably described it as decisive. Democrats criticizing his choice have denounced it […] Read more »

Cruel primary history lessons Joe Biden won’t want to hear

Joe Biden is the national front-runner in the Democratic presidential race. He is holding a steady lead in national polling, and his campaign boasts of the firewall he’s established among African American voters, who may be the key to victory in the Feb. 28 South Carolina primary and who have […] Read more »

How much sway do past Democratic nominees have? Unless you’re Barack Obama, not much.

Once they won the Democratic presidential nomination. But do their endorsements matter now? Unless your name is Barack Obama, not really. A national USA TODAY/Suffolk Poll asked likely Democratic voters whom among the party’s past presidential nominees would have the most influence on their vote today. Two-thirds named former president […] Read more »