A new CBS poll shows a partisan divide in opinions about President Trump’s response to Charlottesville: 22 percent of Republicans disapprove, compared with 82 percent of Democrats, 53 percent of independents, and 55 percent of Americans overall. Most Americans—again 55 percent—also disagree with his blaming of “many sides” for the weekend’s violence. By party affiliation, opinion breaks down into 83 percent of Democrats and 53 percent of independents who disagree but only 21 percent of Republicans who do (while 68 percent of Republicans agree with Trump on the cause of the violence). From CBS:
Interviewing for this poll began the night before Tuesday’s press conference and continued for two nights after it. Disapproval of the president’s handling of events rose following the press conference. Both partisan groups showed at least slight ticks up in disapproval, with Republicans becoming a bit more disapproving and Democrats even more so.
Majorities of all groups agree that the attack on protesters was an act of domestic terrorism: 51 percent of Republicans, 73 percent of Democrats, 63 percent of independents, and 63 percent of Americans overall.
