In late November, Gallup’s tracking poll revealed a sharp decline in President Donald Trump‘s approval rating, which had dropped to 36 percent overall. Among independents, that number was even lower, at just 25 percent. However, Trump fared slightly better in a YouGov/Economist poll, which showed his approval at 39 percent.
Despite these figures, Trump’s economic rhetoric continues to spark controversy. During a December 11 appearance on Morning Joe, host Joe Scarborough, a former Republican congressman and vocal Never Trumper, issued a warning to conservatives about the impact of Trump’s economic views. Scarborough argued that the more “out of touch” Trump appears on issues like affordability, the more the Republican Party will suffer at the polls.
Scarborough discussed Trump’s recent comments in the Poconos, where he claimed that the rising costs facing many Americans were part of a “con job.” The statement, made during a rally, appeared to dismiss the financial struggles of ordinary voters.
“It’s just a question of do you get it or not. And when he goes to the Poconos and he says affordability is a con job… He still believes it’s a con job,” Scarborough told his co-hosts, Mika Brzezinski, Peter Baker of The New York Times, and journalist Willie Geist.
“We looked at grocery prices going up, heating bills going up, electricity going up, the cost of cars going up, the cost of everything is, again, more of a challenge than ever, ever before. And you were seeing, Peter Baker, people coming out of that event talking to (MS NOW’s) Vaughn Hillyard and others saying, ‘You know, he just doesn’t get it.'”
Scarborough continued, pointing out that Trump’s immense wealth may contribute to his inability to relate to average Americans. “And he’s a billionaire, of course. So maybe he’s not going to get it, but at least he used to pretend to get it.”
Scarborough also highlighted how Trump’s unpopularity on economic issues is affecting GOP candidates in key races. “You see (Gov.-elect) Abigail Spanberger win by double digits in Virginia on affordability. You saw (New Jersey Gov.-elect) Mikey Sherrill win by double digits when many people thought that the race was going to be neck and neck right up until the very end.
And then, of course, Miami elects its first woman mayor…” Scarborough noted, pointing out that these wins reflect how Trump’s economic views are impacting Republican fortunes. “All of this keeps adding up, and Republicans understand that. They understand the president is out of touch on this key issue, and they’re the ones who are suffering.”
READ NEXT
- “My Daughter Got Ate by the Pit”: Oklahoma girl, 2, mauled to death after parents locked her in a room with a pit bull
- Republicans Begin to Distance Themselves from Aspects of Trump’s Agenda
- Morning Joe Criticizes Trump for Disconnecting from His Own Party
- ‘The President of the United States has literally corrupted America’s Democracy’: Retired conservative Judge explains how to push back against Trump’s ‘Corruption’
- Why MAGA’s Politics Are Powered by Anger, Despair, and a Sense of Loss: analysis