Dismal ratings don’t get prez-elect down
As more distraught Democrats planned to blow off his swearing-in, Donald Trump yesterday blasted new polls showing him the most unpopular president-elect in recent memory, even as inauguration festivities are set to begin tomorrow.
“The same people who did the phony election polls, and were so wrong, are now doing approval rating polls,” Trump said on Twitter. “They are rigged just like before.”
Just 40 percent have a favorable view of Trump and 54 percent have an unfavorable view, according to a Washington Post/ABC News poll released yesterday.
That puts him 39 points lower than President Obama’s 79 percent favorable rating upon his 2009 swearing-in.
Last night, a Wall Street Journal/ NBC News poll showed his positive image rating even worse — 38 percent.
Just 44 percent approve of Trump’s handling of the transition so far, compared to 52 percent who disapprove, the poll found.
Trump was able to get in one last jab against Georgia U.S. Rep. John Lewis, a civil rights icon who announced he’d be boycotting the billionaire’s inauguration because he doesn’t view him as a legitimate president.
Lewis had insisted Trump’s would be the first swearing-in he’d be missing in his 30-year career in Washington.
But Trump appeared to debunk that claim, tweeting an excerpt from a 2001 Washington Post story that reported Lewis also boycotted President George W. Bush’s inauguration. Lewis “thought it would be hypocritical to attend Bush’s swearing-in because he doesn’t believe Bush is the true elected president,” the Post story from 2001 reads. “Sound familiar!” Trump tweeted. But nearly 60 hand-wringing House Democrats are now joining Lewis in boycotting Trump’s inauguration. Their objections range from Trump’s politically incorrect rhetoric to, in one case, the frigid Washington weather.
“He hasn’t proved himself to me at all yet, so I respectfully decline to freeze my ass out there in the cold for this particular ceremony,” U.S. Rep. Kurt Schrader of Oregon told a local radio station.
“I cannot play a part in normalizing the countless offensive comments that he has made throughout the past year,” said Rep. Alcee Hastings of Florida. “... Presidentelect Trump has made it clear that when given the choice, he stands with Vladimir Putin. I choose to stand with Rep. John Lewis.”
U.S. Rep. Katherine Clark is the only Bay State lawmaker planning to skip the Trump oath, though New Hampshire U.S. Rep. Carol Shea-Porter said she will attend “religious services” instead.
Still, as many as 900,000 people are expected to crowd Washington to witness Trump taking the oath of office on Friday.
Ceremonies kick off tomorrow with a wreath-laying at Arlington National Cemetery and a welcome concert scheduled to include performances by Toby Keith, Lee Greenwood, 3 Doors Down and military bands.
Despite the lack of A-listers who serenaded Obama, Trump tried to project enthusiasm on Twitter yesterday.
“People are pouring into Washington in record numbers,” Trump tweeted. “Bikers for Trump are on their way. It will be a great Thursday, Friday and Saturday!”