NBC’s Chuck Todd nailed Republicans with a dose of reality by telling them that their president is toxic and a big blue wave is coming in 2018.
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Todd said, “Everyone with an R. Next to their name has reason to worry. Voters in ruby red Alabama handed Doug Jones the upset win over Roy Moore, who the president endorsed. Republican say they lost because Moore was a terrible candidate, and he was. Folks, they’re missing the bigger picture. Moore probably could have won if not for the president’s rating. Under 50% in Alabama. Let me repeat — in Alabama. According to the NBC news exit polling a state he won by 28 points last year. He’s at 48%. Is that Roy Moore’s fought? No. And strongly approved of the president, 41% strongly disapprove. Intensity advantage to the negative side of things.”
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It took the Alabama win for the DC journalists to catch on to what many, especially on the left, have known since Trump took office. There is an energy and a passion building against this president that hasn’t been seen in this country in decades. While the mainstream press focused on Democratic failures to win special House elections in heavily Republican districts, what they missed was the fact that there was an energy to the Democratic side that made them competitive in elections that no one thought that they would compete in.
As Harry Enten of 538 broke down, “Democrats are doing better in all types of districts with all types of candidates. You don’t see this type of consistent outperformance unless there’s an overriding pro-Democratic national factor.”
Democrats have overperformed previous results by 12 points since Trump took office. As Chuck Todd said, the problem wasn’t just Roy Moore. The problem is Donald Trump, who possesses that rare brand of toxicity that can both demoralize members of his own party and fire up the opposition.
The national press is finally catching on that a blue wave is coming, and it is heading straight for Trump.
Jason is the managing editor. He is also a White House Press Pool and a Congressional correspondent for PoliticusUSA. Jason has a Bachelor’s Degree in Political Science. His graduate work focused on public policy, with a specialization in social reform movements.
Awards and Professional Memberships
Member of the Society of Professional Journalists and The American Political Science Association
