As I write this, I’m listening to MSNBC, on which there is an intelligent and passionate debate about science versus politics. A debate about why only experts, scientists, should be giving us advice and delineating the reality concerning the virus.<\/p>\n
I think I know why Trump is doing TV and giving interviews, for which he is (correctly) being mocked — if you can mock someone while simulataneously expressing horror.<\/p>\n
Ratings.<\/p>\n
And indeed his ratings are going up. Not by much but I’ll bet he sees those little increments and yells, “See? I’m right and everyone’s wrong. My people want to see me and hear me talk because they believe and love me.”<\/p>\n
To give you specifics, I’ve observed that, after a low of 39 point something in his approval rating, his rating has crept up to 41.3. And while Joe Biden leads him nationally by 8 points, Biden’s lead was 9.5 at the beginning of July which is when, if I remember correctly, Trump’s TV appearances were getting such bad reviews, he sulked off our TV screens.<\/p>\n
What this signals to me is that Trump is right. His cult needs to see him on TV, like a wacko evangelist, preaching his whatevers to them. Doesn’t matter what he says. Only matters that he’s there, preaching his stuff, filling their eyes and ears. And when he is on TV, the pollsters call and the cult picks up their phones.<\/p>\n
This is more like a reality TV show with the audience voting on the winner of a contest than it is political reality.<\/p>\n
I’m not panicking. Trump’s numbers may be rising slightly but they remain around the same numbers he’s had throughout his awesomely awful time in the public eye.<\/p>\n
His numbers are not getting higher. He is not acquiring voters. I don’t think he’s winning the talent contest.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
As I write this, I’m listening to MSNBC, on which there is an intelligent and passionate debate about science versus politics. A debate about why only experts, scientists, should be giving us advice and delineating the reality concerning the virus. … Continue reading