ETHICS/POLLS/TRUMP AS PRESIDENT: “Twenty-two percent of Republicans think Donald Trump provides somewhat or very weak moral leadership as President, according to a Gallup poll released Tuesday [5-29-19]. Fifty-nine percent of Americans say the same, with 60% of independents and 91% of Democrats agreeing. When asked if they think it is important for the President to provide moral leadership for the country, Democrats were the most likely to say it was important (77%). Only 63% of Republicans and 62% of independents agreed. Those numbers have changed substantially since the Clinton administration. Between 1994-1999, 86% of Republicans thought it was important for the President to provide moral leadership, with a 23-point decrease to 63% in 2018. Democrats have increased by 13 points, with only 64% agreeing with the significance of moral leadership during the Clinton era versus 77% during Trump’s presidency. Both President Clinton and President Trump have faced scandals during their tenure, in office and during campaigns, with the partisan switch reflecting that Republicans now view morality as a less important issue. It was Democrats who were more ambivalent during Clinton’s administration.”
-Grace Sparks, “Fewer Republicans (and more Democrats) think moral leadership is important from the President,” CNN Politics, CNN.com, May 29, 2018 12:45 pm