According to a recent poll, Republicans are now overwhelmingly convinced that special counsel Robert Mueller’s investigation is a “witch hunt.” As far as I can tell, Democrats have no effective messaging to counter this.
The Economist/YouGov poll was conducted May 6-8, 2018 and surveyed 1500 U.S. adults. The findings could not have made Sean Hannity happier:
Question 39: How concerned are you about improper relations between the Trump campaign and Russia?
Republicans: 20% concerned or very concerned
Democrats: 82% concerned or very concerned
Independents: 40% concerned or very concerned
Question 42: Do you think the FBI investigation of President Trump is a witch hunt or a legitimate investigation?
Republicans: Legitimate -13%, witch hunt – 75%, not sure -12%
Democrats: Legitimate – 76%; witch hunt 10%; not sure - 13%
Independents: Legitimate – 37%, witch hunt - 33%, not sure - 29%
Question 43: Do you believe Donald Trump is being framed by the FBI and the Department of Justice?
Republicans: Yes - 61%, No - 17%, Not sure - 21%
Democrats: Yes – 7%, No – 78%, Not sure -15%
Independents: Yes – 25%, No - 39%, Not sure – 36%
Question 44: Do you approve or disapprove of the way Robert Mueller is handling his job as special counsel?
Republicans: Approve strongly or somewhat - 14%, disapprove strongly or somewhat – 60%, not sure – 25%
Democrats: Approve strongly or somewhat 63%; disapprove strongly or somewhat - 9%, not sure 28%
Independents: Approve strongly or somewhat – 30%, disapprove strongly or somewhat – 27%, not sure – 43%.
The Republican responses match the kind of rhetoric heard on the Hannity show, the top show on cable news in April, night after night. It is also echoed elsewhere throughout Fox News.
The significance of these results goes way beyond partisanship or Republican tribalism. It shows that Trump and his Fox TV enablers are successfully undermining our U.S. justice system in the minds of a large section of Americans, taking facts and truth down the dark hole with them, and making this country more vulnerable to Russian meddling. Yet Michael Avenatti seems to be the only person effectively pushing back against the Trump propaganda. If I’ve missed something, let me know in the comments section, below.
There were no questions in the poll about Avenatti, client Stormy Daniels or the legal issues that have now ensnared Trump attorney Michael Cohen.
(Hannity image via screen grab)
Trump fears prosecution so he’s setting up a purely political argument to sway public opinion should the hammer be brought down on him by Mueller. That way he can easily convince his buddies in the House to sit on their hands and give The Donald a pass. We can already see by the synchophatic reaction of the Republicans in the House Trump was successful in this regard.
When I observe that the more Trump’s corruption and that of his close associates is exposed the deeper his synchophatic supporters’ attacks toward Mueller grow, it makes me sick to my stomach.
The worst artifact of this being recent attempts by House Republicans to force an impeachment or outright firing of Justice Department officials by issuing ultimatums for the release of documents they know the agency can’t ethically provide or by threatening audits which they claim will result in the same release of information.
This is draining the swamp? I don’t think so. Trump has raised corruption in American government to historic levels.
