The Watchdog with David Bozell

Happy Friday.

For once, CNN didn’t spike its own poll.

On Thursday, CNN’s numbers guy Harry Enten reported something the network doesn’t usually like to highlight: Republicans support Donald Trump at levels no modern president has enjoyed from his own party at this point in office.

According to CNN’s polling, 86% of Republicans approve of the job Trump is doing. That’s higher than the numbers George W. Bush or Barack Obama had within their own parties at the same stage of their presidencies.

And it’s not just approval — it’s intensity. A majority of Republicans, 53%, say they strongly approve of Trump’s performance. Neither Bush nor Obama crossed that majority threshold with their own party bases.

Enten’s conclusion was straightforward: Trump’s influence inside the Republican Party hasn’t faded. That’s a big reason why candidates he endorses continue to perform well in primaries.

Interestingly, a separate survey from Fox News found almost identical numbers: 87% of Republicans approve of Trump’s job performance.

The Fox poll also revealed something you won’t hear much about on cable panels. While 77% of Republicans approve of their party’s leadership, only 62% of Democrats say the same about theirs.

The partisan divide remains enormous — 95% of Democrats disapprove of Trump — but within the Republican Party, the picture is remarkably unified.

Every now and then, even CNN’s data has a way of cutting through the narrative.
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Have a great weekend and take it easy,

David Bozell
President