Perhaps we interpret the data differently.
From when the hearings started (June) to when they ended, the column of Americans who characterized that man’s culpability as “a lot” went +4%.
The column “none” went -4%. So the hearings seem to have had some effect, possibly a lot when seen through the lens of maga voters’ ideology.
Two caveats:
1) the percentages are not far from the noise floor
2) the August search for classified documents occurred and was much in the news during the interval. I saw no analysis to compensate for that.
So I conclude (if that’s the word for something inconclusive) that the hearings having “no effect” is arguable.
A clear majority of Americans think Trump is unfit and guilty, but there is a large minority disconnected from reality. If anything, that is why you need trials and accountability, lot's of them! I think Trump's TV trial in Georgia will have the biggest impact on public opinion, federal trials are not televised. Trump and maga support is eroding away, but caution is required and sticking to the middle of the road is probably the best choice for some policy issues. That is Joe's plan, appeal to the middle, the left knows liberal democracy is their only path forward for social progress and it must be secured first.
Joe is like Gandhi, or more correctly Lincoln, his priority was to save the union, Joe's is to save the constitution and the way to do that is to keep the republicans out of power until generational and demographic changes take hold. Along with new laws to ensure voting rights, deal with domestic terrorism and level the electoral playing field.
www.monmouth.edu
