How Trump's trial is playing, politically
How Trump’s trial is playing, politically
A poll shows Americans are skeptical the jury’s verdict will be fair --- but not necessarily for the reasons Trump suggests. And Trump isn’t proving a sympathetic defendant.
Analysis by Aaron Blake
Staff writer
April 26, 2024 at 4:55 p.m. EDT
https://www.washingtonpost.com/politics/2024/04/26/trump-trial-behavior-poll/
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And we’ve now got one of our first good looks at how the trial might be playing politically. A CNN poll suggests that Americans remain skeptical of the process and the trial’s importance. But it also suggests that Trump’s claims of victimization are still far from prevailing — and that perhaps his own conduct is to blame.
The top-line findings from the poll:
* Just 28 percent say a conviction would disqualify Trump from the presidency — double-digits less than those who say that of Trump’s three other indictments. And just 33 percent say he did something illegal. (Another 33 percent say his conduct was unethical but not illegal.)
* Americans say 56 percent to 44 percent that they’re not confident the jury will reach a fair verdict.
* But just 34 percent buy into Trump’s claims that he’s being treated more harshly than most other criminal defendants. Nearly half say he’s either being treated about the same (13 percent) or more leniently (34 percent).
* Trump’s conduct doesn’t appear to be doing him many favors. Americans say by a 17-point margin — 42 percent to 25 percent — that it’s been mostly inappropriate rather than mostly appropriate. (The rest are undecided.)
It’s worth taking these findings piece by piece.
