More Americans Ready To Say ‘Lock Him Up!’

Folks, we hate to say it, and we hope you’re sitting down for this news, but it’s just possible that Donald Trump is wrong about a thing. Yes, we know; it’s shocking to just focus on one. But you see, after his third criminal indictment, when the Justice Department slapped him with four felony charges in the January 6 case — in case you needed the refresher, they so far go New York porn peener payoff, hot documents, January 6 coup, and Stealing Georgia — the Great Man said all these indictments are fantastic news for him, because they serve only to motivate his voters all the more: “Any time they file an indictment, we go way up in the polls,” he claimed.

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Apart from not making a damned bit of sense — what, he should actually shoot someone on 5th Avenue to sew up the 2024 general election? — a new poll from Politico Magazine and Ipsos finds that most Americans want to see Trump tried in his various cases before the 2024 elections, and that half the country believes he’s guilty, even before the trials. And despite his boasts, nobody’s expecting Trump to deliberately seek more indictments to pad his lead.

With Trump and his lawyers scheduled to go before federal Judge Tanya Chutkan Monday for a hearing on when his January 6 election undermining trial should start, the poll found Americans overall want Trump to be tried quickly, with Republicans making up the only segment who would prefer delays until at least Trump is declared Emperor For Life. Here, pretty Politico graphix!

Democrats (89 percent) and independents (63 percent) are overwhelmingly for a speedy trial, while Republicans are slightly split, with 33 percent wanting a trial before the election, and 45 percent saying no, which could just as well mean no trial ever as it means not so soon.

Politico says the 61 percent result among independents is potentially “ominous” for Trump, since in its earlier poll on the Mar-a-Lago documents case, only 48 percent of the independents said they wanted a trial in that case before the general election.

Also too, the poll found that most Americans think Trump is guilty in all four cases, with, again, the expected partisan split in the responses.

Only 14 percent of Republicans think Trump is guilty in trying to steal the election, offsetting the 88 percent of Democrats who can see plain truth. A bit over half of independents, 53 percent, think he’s guilty, for an overall score of 51 percent who think Trump’s guilty. It’ll be interesting to track those numbers, especially the “not sure” percentages, as the trials go forward.

As for the fantasy that Trump might win the election from prison, that’s not terribly likely, Politico ‘splains:

A plurality of respondents (44 percent) said that a conviction in the case would have no impact on their likelihood of supporting Trump, but the numbers tipped decisively against Trump among those who said that the result would inform their vote. Nearly one-third of respondents (32 percent) said that a conviction in the case would make them less likely to support Trump, including about one-third of independents (34 percent).

Only 13 percent of respondents said that a conviction would make them more likely to support Trump, and that figure was comprised mostly of Republicans.

Sorry, Donald, you’re no Eugene V. Debs. Or maybe you are, since his campaign from prison was unsuccessful too.

And finally, since relatively large numbers of respondents said they’re not entirely sure they understand all the charges, it’s unlikely that support for Trump will increase as people learn more about all that criming, even if Trump isn’t convicted. As Politico patiently explains,

“Criminal defendants generally do not come out looking better at the end of highly publicized trials, even if they get off at the end of the day.”

And however much Trump and Republicans whine about the Justice Department going after him because of political bias, that claim simply isn’t getting any traction outside the Trumpy bubble (the saddest bubble bath ever).

Nearly two-third of respondents (59 percent) agreed that the Justice Department based its election subversion case fairly on the evidence and the law, with the only substantial disagreement coming from the 74 percent of Republicans who will hear no claims against their hero, as well as 32 percent of independents. Democrats just love them some DOJ, with 89 percent saying the prosecutions are fair and only nine percent disagreeing.

Also worth noting: Of the various figures involved in the national drama, Donald Trump is the most disliked, with 58 percent saying they have an unfavorable opinion of him, and only 27 percent having a favorable view.

Biden fared much better than Trump but still came out with a net favorability rating of -9 percent (36 percent favorable vs. 45 percent unfavorable).

By contrast, the Justice Department appears to have come out slightly ahead in the scheme of things, though just barely. Respondents reported a net positive favorability rating for the Justice Department of 7 percent (40 percent favorable vs. 33 percent unfavorable).

Gosh, isn’t that sad for Trump? Maybe when the trials get rolling — especially the Georgia proceedings, which will be televised — everyone will suddenly feel sorry for him, as well as for all the poor pigs that find themselves suddenly airborne.

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[Politico / Full Poll results (PDF)]

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