“While Trump has denounced the attacks, many believe that he hasn’t taken as firm of a position as he should.”
President Trump stirred a storm of controversy during a Press Conference earlier this week after stating that there were “fine people on both sides” at the incendiary rallies in Charlottesville this past weekend. Many Republicans in Congress and elsewhere have slammed Trump for what they argue is a refusal to more strongly condemn and denounce white supremacist groups.
Last weekend in Charlottesville, a Virginia college town home to the University of Virginia, was beset by White Nationalists protesters, many of them carrying tiki torches, protesting the planned removal of a statue honoring Gen. Robert E. Lee. The protests quickly spun out of control as white supremacists and various counter-protest groups clashed.
Trump has blasted both sides in recent days, and has called attention to what he has labelled the “alt-left.” It’s possible that some left-wing protesters did resort to violence and commit crimes. However, it was a “white supremacist”, Alex Fields Jr, who allegedly used his car to drive into a crowd of protesters, killing one and injuring several others. Other media captured a group of apparent white supremacists attacking a young black man, who was on the ground and appeared to be defenseless.
These violent acts have been condemned by many Republicans and Democrats alike, as well as many people not affiliated with either political party. While Trump has denounced the attacks, many believe that he hasn’t taken as firm of a position as he should.
Numerous members of Congress have become increasingly restive, and even combative with the President. House Leader Paul Ryan has made numerous statements slamming bigotry, and appears to have repudiated Trump’s “both sides” remarks, noting that there is no “morally ambiguity.” Marco Rubio took to Twitter to push back against the President:
Mr. President,you can’t allow #WhiteSupremacists to share only part of blame.They support idea which cost nation & world so much pain 5/6
— Marco Rubio (@marcorubio) August 15, 2017
Mitch McConnell and other Congressional leaders, many of whom have been relatively mum regarding the President, have also become increasingly vocal. McConnell is reportedly upset with the President and his refusal to more strongly distance himself from white supremacist groups. McConnell has also said that “there are no good nazis”, a seemingly direct counter to Trump’s remarks. Republican Senator Lindsey Graham claims that the President’s words are “dividing Americans, not healing them.”
Besides Republicans, many business CEO’s have also abandoned the President’s advisory boards, citing Trump’s remarks (or lack of). The President has now disbanded the advisory boards, marking a sharp turn for his “pro business” administration. Both of the Bush Presidents have also come on record denouncing bigotry. Several top military officials, who often stay away from these sorts of frays, have also sounded off and condemned racism.
Is Trump’s Voter Base Slowly Turning Away?
In Alabama, they just might be, but not necessarily over the events of this past weekend. Instead, voters in Alabama have thus far rejected President Trump and his strong support for Luther Strange, who is currently trying to lock up the Senate seat vacated by Attorney General Jeff Sessions. Strange is running against Roy Moore, an incendiary former State Supreme Court Judge. Moore was removed from his seat for refusing to remove a statue with the Ten Commandants inscribed on it from the Alabama Judicial Building
Even with President Trump throwing strong support behind Strange, 39% Alabama voters went for Roy Moore, to Strange’s 31%. Another round of voting will be held in September, with the Republican Primary winner almost certain to take Alabama’s Senate seat in the final election in December. Alabama was one of the initial strongholds for the President. Trump’s first huge rally was in Alabama, and Trump locked up 43.4% of the vote, twice his closest competitor, Ted Cruz, who secured 21.1% of the vote.
Problem is, Moore is running on an anti-Washington D.C. platform somewhat similar to the platform Trump used to secure the highest office. Meanwhile, Moore already has a strong local following owing to his refusal to remove the Ten Commandants from court grounds. Strange, meanwhile, reeks of the establishment. While many Republican establishment leaders have been quiet on the campaign trail, McConnell has been funneling vast amounts of money into his campaign.
If voters reject the President’s chosen candidate, it could signal a turning of the tide: Trump’s base may continue to support the President, but they won’t be following blindly. Meanwhile, with poll numbers continuing to slide, Trump needs as much support from his base as he can muster.
Daily Gallup job approval ratings dipped to 34% this past weekend before rising to 36% as of August 15th. Disapproval reached 59% before coming back down to 56%. Trump came into office with only a 45% approval rating, so he hasn’t lost too much ground among his base, but disapproval ratings have been climbing.
