Waist Deep in the Big Muddy

"Forty-seven percent of Republicans oppose the protesters who are criticizing social distancing, compared with 36 percent who support them, according to a Yahoo/YouGov survey conducted Friday through Sunday." https://t.co/Fgbuehu3zc

— Maggie Haberman (@maggieNYT) April 23, 2020

According to this CBS/YouGov survey, only 13% of Republicans think Trump should be encouraging protestors to "LIBERATE" anything at all.  36% think he should discourage protests, 51% think he should keep his mouth shut on the subject.

And yet how many GOP politicians ran to microphones (or Twitter) to agree that "liberation" should be immediately at hand?

Trump is in control of the GOP; at least the elected part.  Whether they are leading the party, is another question.

And Stephen Moore's argument that some mysterious cabal of health care officials that insist on testing for the virus are just trying to close the economy for reasons unspecified, is actually supported by 38% of Republicans responding to this survey.  But 68% think those in charge are doing what they think is best for the community.

55% of Republicans think Trump is doing a good job handling the crisis, but only 37% trust Trump to decide to reopen the economy in their area.  47% would prefer their governor make that decision.

Five Thirty-Eight reviews a number of recent polls (not this one, it's too recent) and supports the conclusion that this poll is in line with those.  They point out the usual practice is for GOP voters to get in line with GOP elites, but so far that isn't happening.  538 doesn't think that means they won't; but I find it interesting they still don't want to.

A patch of ice doth not a winter make, nor a single poll an election; but I think Trump is driving the GOP straight off a cliff, and taking a fair number of elected GOP officials with him.