A poll saying Biden, Kamala and Newsom are unpopular isn’t worth a pitcher of warm spit
A new Berkeley IGS poll shows Gov. Gavin Newsom’s popularity slipping, which leads me to wonder: What does popularity mean anymore?
The poll showed Newsom at 48 percent approval and 47 percent disapproval, with 54 percent of California residents saying the state is on the “wrong track.”
Intriguingly, Sen. Dianne Feinstein dropped to an all-time low of 30 percent approval and 49 percent disapproval, while Vice President Kamala Harris clocked in at 38 percent approval and 46 percent disapproval. President Joe Biden was at 47 percent approval and 48 percent disapproval, which is either a bad sign for Biden or a troubling reflection of our collective emotional state. Or both.
My guess is Douglas C. Emhoff, the Second Gentleman, probably was at 99 percent. Who doesn’t approve of Doug Emhoff? Giants fans?
Feinstein’s cratering has been going on since the 20th century, give or take. She hugged Lindsey Graham. End of story.
I am always skeptical of polls, though, particularly on the question of “popularity” and politicians.
It’s a testy, disapproving time. We’re beating up flight attendants, yelling at food service workers because the ice doesn’t float (that’s a real one, too), and we’re all sick of wearing masks and having hand sanitizer cocktails.
Who approves of anything now? Cute animal videos and that’s about it. Even those have to be really, really cute or they get nasty remarks in the comments section.
Any elected official can derive any sort of interpretation of “popular” they want, especially with the help of good PR people to spin the narrative.
In high school, “popular” was a term with a short shelf life. Popular high school seniors may find themselves ordinary schmoes in real life.
In Newsom’s case, he’s dropped from 64 percent approval to his current 48 percent as he’s four months away from yet another gubernatorial primary. But I’m not sure Newsom’s popularity has any meaning in a state like California, where a statewide Democratic victory is about certain as loud sighing at a Sacramento Kings game.
For a certain segment of voters, approval or disapproval seems dependent on a number of critical factors, such as what they had for lunch or the barometric pressure. Biden started dropping last summer after notching 58 percent approval. The vagaries of inflation or the oil market are vastly too complicated to understand, so they just blame Joe, or kick the dog.
Newsom either enrages or he doesn’t. I think he’s done a pretty good job with some exceptions (I’m testy, sometimes), but my arguments with him are on the margins. Does he enrage me? No.
Spending $200 million on a recall election featuring alternatives ranging from silly to scary enrages me.
There aren’t a lot of popular governors. They have to do real things, all the time, unlike U.S. senators and representatives, who can hold a quick news conference or do a cable TV hit and call it good.
I’m just not hearing plausible policy ideas from the shattered, smoking hulk of the California GOP. Poll their popularity. Oh, we did, in September. Ask Gov. Larry Elder.
Do I approve of Newsom, Feinstein or Harris? Do I disapprove? Do I think California is on the right track? The wrong one? Depends on the day.
Depends on what I had for lunch. I’ll also consult Doug Emhoff. He’s popular.