In a rare example of the liberal media actually bothering to talk to supporters of President Trump, on Tuesday, NBC’s Today show devoted a full report to examining the strength of Trump’s base one year out from the 2020 election. The segment specifically found the impeachment push by Democrats only made the President’s voters “support him now more than ever.”
“But first, Trump voters in 2016 tell us why their faith in the President is stronger than ever, as we explore where his base stands one year from Election Day,” co-host Savannah Guthrie teased early in the 7:30 a.m. ET half hour. Minutes later, correspondent Morgan Radford explained: “Mr. Trump’s base says the impeachment inquiry is making them even stronger as a voting bloc and they support him now more than ever.”
While touting that “New polls show 49% of the Americans say the President should be impeached and removed from office,” Radford pointed out how “that same poll shows that nine in ten Republicans oppose his removal.”
Talking to some of Trump’s staunchest supporters in Florida, the reporter asked: “Would you say your support for the President now is or more than less when it was when you first voted for him?” After the group of eight voters all confirmed that their support had grown, Radford followed up: “And has the impeachment inquiry changed anything?”
They all replied that it had no impact, with one woman remarking that it only “strengthened” her backing of Trump and a man commenting: “It’s galvanized our support.” Radford seemed surprised: “So you’re supportive more now?” The man doubled down: “We’re stronger than ever.”
The correspondent cited data backing up the anecdotal evidence:
Gallup polls show an average of 86% of Republicans have supported the President throughout his time in office, a number that never dropped below 79%. And even since House Democrats launched an impeachment investigation, the President’s favorability has barely wavered.
“When it comes to the impeachment inquiry, does that affect your perception of the President?,” Radford asked one young woman. The Florida voter dispelled the notion: “No, it doesn't, and I think that the Democrats were going to find anything possible to impeach the President.”
Speaking of Democrats, another woman observed: “They always accuse us of racism, being homophobic, and it’s the furthest thing from the truth.” A skeptical Radford pressed: “Do you think the President has done anything that would warrant that label?” The woman replied: “I don’t see it.”
Earlier on the morning show, Guthrie and political analyst Claire McCaskill warned “overconfident” Democrats “distracted” by impeachment against underestimating Trump’s chances in 2020. Guthrie also pointed to poll findings that “Trump voters who voted Democrat in the [2018] midterm, now tell these pollsters, ‘We’re sticking with Trump for 2020.’”
Political correspondent Steve Kornacki explained:
Right, two-thirds of them say they are ready to vote for Donald Trump again, even after going for Democrats in the congressional elections. This is one of the great mysteries of modern American politics. We saw it with Barack Obama, terrible midterm, his voters came back in 2012. We saw it with Bill Clinton, terrible midterm, voters came back. There is a warning sign here for Democrats that the same thing could be preparing to happen with Donald Trump.
With a year to go until the presidential election, NBC is worried that voters aren’t abandoning Trump.
Help fight against the liberal media’s impeachment crusade
Here is a transcript of Radford’s November 5 report:
7:34 AM ET
SAVANNAH GUTHRIE: But first, Trump voters in 2016 tell us why their faith in the President is stronger than ever, as we explore where his base stands one year from Election Day.
(...)
7:39 AM ET
MORGAN RADFORD: When it comes to impeachment, a lot of Democrats are citing polls that show that support for the President’s removal has grown. But if you ask the people who voted for the President, especially in states that are key to winning in 2020, a very different picture emerges. Mr. Trump’s base says the impeachment inquiry is making them even stronger as a voting bloc and they support him now more than ever.
(...)
RADFORD: New polls show 49% of the Americans say the President should be impeached and removed from office, up six percent in the last month. But that same poll shows that nine in ten Republicans oppose his removal.
Here in the battleground state of Florida, it’s these voters the President will need to keep him in the White House.
Show of hands, how many of you voted for the President back in 2016? [All raise their hands] And how many of you plan to vote for him again in 2020? All of you, you’re raising both hands.
These are members of Club 45, the largest grassroots club of Trump supporters in the country. Would you say your support for the President now is or more than less when it was when you first voted for him?
TRUMP SUPPORTERS: More.
RADFORD: And has the impeachment inquiry changed anything?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN A: No.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN A: Strengthened.
UNIDENTIFIED MAN B: What inquiry?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN C: It’s galvanized our support.
RADFORD: So you’re supportive more now?
MAN: We’re stronger than ever.
RADFORD: Gallup polls show an average of 86% of Republicans have supported the President throughout his time in office, a number that never dropped below 79%. And even since House Democrats launched an impeachment investigation, the President’s favorability has barely wavered.
Have you all ever felt this level of passion for another president?
UNIDENTIFIED MAN D: Oh, no.
WOMAN A: No.
(...)
RADFORD: When it comes to the impeachment inquiry, does that affect your perception of the President?
WOMAN B: No, it doesn't, and I think that the Democrats were going to find anything possible to impeach the President.
RADFORD: Here in the President’s backyard of Palm Beach, where he just declared his Florida residency, some voters say an attack on the President is an attack on them.
UNIDENTIFIED WOMAN C: He believes in the family unit, which I think the Democrat Party wants to destroy. They always accuse us of racism, being homophobic, and it’s the furthest thing from the truth.
RADFORD: Do you think the President has done anything that would warrant that label?
WOMAN C: I don’t see it.
(...)
GUTHRIE: So there sticking with the President. What are the issues that they’re concerned about?
RADFORD: Several of the people we spoke to said they feel like President Trump has made the court system friendlier to evangelical Christians. Others, as you saw, cited support for Israel. But every single person we spoke to said they liked the man, they appreciated that he was not a traditional politician and that he spoke to them directly.
(...)
