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Latest Election Poll Finds Nation Divided, Everyone Disgusted
That "rising toxicity" means the next president will face a particularly conflicted nation, the New York Times writes
Nov 04, 2016
American voters may be divided and uninspired by their presidential candidates, but they have one thing in common--they're sick of the 2016 election.
A new New York Times/CBS News poll released Friday found that a majority of voters don't think either Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton or Republican nominee Donald Trump will be able to unite Americans after the election. When asked if they feel excited, disgusted, or neither by 2016 campaign, 82 percent of respondents said they were disgusted.
That "rising toxicity" means the next president will face a particularly conflicted nation, the Times writes, as voters across the political spectrum think both Clinton and Trump are dishonest and view them "unfavorably."
If Clinton wins, she faces not only a mobilized progressive flank that plans to hold her feet to the fire over issues like climate, civil rights, and war, but also a growing right-wing sect that believes the election is being "rigged" in her favor.
In fact, the survey found that 38 percent of Trump's supporters have either "not much" or "no" confidence that the votes will be counted properly, and only 36 percent believe it is "important" for the losing candidate to acknowledge the winner.
Yet even Republicans are conflicted about where to direct their anger. The Times writes:
About as many Republican voters say Mr. Trump's candidacy has been bad for the party as believe his campaign has been positive for Republicans, an extraordinary divide over their own standard-bearer on the eve of the election.
"I think Donald Trump has definitely divided the party," Sheila Wagner, a Republican from Redmond, Washington, responded. "When he first declared he was going to run, I thought it was a joke. I just couldn't believe anyone would favor him."
But Nora Reinhardt of Holt, Missouri, disagreed, stating that the GOP establishment was at fault for backing away from the party's candidate. "The old school, quote unquote, the Bushes, the people who have been around a long time, aren't supporting Trump, and that's creating division," she said. "Some Republicans, because of comments Trump has made, which I grant are uncouth and certainly not politically correct, have found they can't support him, although I think some of those people are coming around at this point."
Trump's numbers dropped after recordings of him bragging about sexually assaulting women--in addition to scores of allegations against him--surfaced last month. However, the Times/CBS poll found that, a few weeks later, "enthusiasm among [his] supporters has rebounded," with 52 percent now saying they are enthusiastic about voting.
Although Clinton remains ahead of Trump in national polls, her lead narrowed swiftly after the FBI announced last week it would continue its investigation into her use of a private email server, having apparently found material "pertinent" to the probe. The Times/CBS survey showed her at 45 percent to Trump's 42 percent among likely voters.
A Washington Post-ABC News tracking poll conducted around that time found Clinton's unfavorability rating at a record high of 60 percent.
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Nadia Prupis
Nadia Prupis is a former Common Dreams staff writer. She wrote on media policy for Truthout.org and has been published in New America Media and AlterNet. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a BA in English in 2008.
American voters may be divided and uninspired by their presidential candidates, but they have one thing in common--they're sick of the 2016 election.
A new New York Times/CBS News poll released Friday found that a majority of voters don't think either Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton or Republican nominee Donald Trump will be able to unite Americans after the election. When asked if they feel excited, disgusted, or neither by 2016 campaign, 82 percent of respondents said they were disgusted.
That "rising toxicity" means the next president will face a particularly conflicted nation, the Times writes, as voters across the political spectrum think both Clinton and Trump are dishonest and view them "unfavorably."
If Clinton wins, she faces not only a mobilized progressive flank that plans to hold her feet to the fire over issues like climate, civil rights, and war, but also a growing right-wing sect that believes the election is being "rigged" in her favor.
In fact, the survey found that 38 percent of Trump's supporters have either "not much" or "no" confidence that the votes will be counted properly, and only 36 percent believe it is "important" for the losing candidate to acknowledge the winner.
Yet even Republicans are conflicted about where to direct their anger. The Times writes:
About as many Republican voters say Mr. Trump's candidacy has been bad for the party as believe his campaign has been positive for Republicans, an extraordinary divide over their own standard-bearer on the eve of the election.
"I think Donald Trump has definitely divided the party," Sheila Wagner, a Republican from Redmond, Washington, responded. "When he first declared he was going to run, I thought it was a joke. I just couldn't believe anyone would favor him."
But Nora Reinhardt of Holt, Missouri, disagreed, stating that the GOP establishment was at fault for backing away from the party's candidate. "The old school, quote unquote, the Bushes, the people who have been around a long time, aren't supporting Trump, and that's creating division," she said. "Some Republicans, because of comments Trump has made, which I grant are uncouth and certainly not politically correct, have found they can't support him, although I think some of those people are coming around at this point."
Trump's numbers dropped after recordings of him bragging about sexually assaulting women--in addition to scores of allegations against him--surfaced last month. However, the Times/CBS poll found that, a few weeks later, "enthusiasm among [his] supporters has rebounded," with 52 percent now saying they are enthusiastic about voting.
Although Clinton remains ahead of Trump in national polls, her lead narrowed swiftly after the FBI announced last week it would continue its investigation into her use of a private email server, having apparently found material "pertinent" to the probe. The Times/CBS survey showed her at 45 percent to Trump's 42 percent among likely voters.
A Washington Post-ABC News tracking poll conducted around that time found Clinton's unfavorability rating at a record high of 60 percent.
Nadia Prupis
Nadia Prupis is a former Common Dreams staff writer. She wrote on media policy for Truthout.org and has been published in New America Media and AlterNet. She graduated from UC Santa Barbara with a BA in English in 2008.
American voters may be divided and uninspired by their presidential candidates, but they have one thing in common--they're sick of the 2016 election.
A new New York Times/CBS News poll released Friday found that a majority of voters don't think either Democratic nominee Hillary Clinton or Republican nominee Donald Trump will be able to unite Americans after the election. When asked if they feel excited, disgusted, or neither by 2016 campaign, 82 percent of respondents said they were disgusted.
That "rising toxicity" means the next president will face a particularly conflicted nation, the Times writes, as voters across the political spectrum think both Clinton and Trump are dishonest and view them "unfavorably."
If Clinton wins, she faces not only a mobilized progressive flank that plans to hold her feet to the fire over issues like climate, civil rights, and war, but also a growing right-wing sect that believes the election is being "rigged" in her favor.
In fact, the survey found that 38 percent of Trump's supporters have either "not much" or "no" confidence that the votes will be counted properly, and only 36 percent believe it is "important" for the losing candidate to acknowledge the winner.
Yet even Republicans are conflicted about where to direct their anger. The Times writes:
About as many Republican voters say Mr. Trump's candidacy has been bad for the party as believe his campaign has been positive for Republicans, an extraordinary divide over their own standard-bearer on the eve of the election.
"I think Donald Trump has definitely divided the party," Sheila Wagner, a Republican from Redmond, Washington, responded. "When he first declared he was going to run, I thought it was a joke. I just couldn't believe anyone would favor him."
But Nora Reinhardt of Holt, Missouri, disagreed, stating that the GOP establishment was at fault for backing away from the party's candidate. "The old school, quote unquote, the Bushes, the people who have been around a long time, aren't supporting Trump, and that's creating division," she said. "Some Republicans, because of comments Trump has made, which I grant are uncouth and certainly not politically correct, have found they can't support him, although I think some of those people are coming around at this point."
Trump's numbers dropped after recordings of him bragging about sexually assaulting women--in addition to scores of allegations against him--surfaced last month. However, the Times/CBS poll found that, a few weeks later, "enthusiasm among [his] supporters has rebounded," with 52 percent now saying they are enthusiastic about voting.
Although Clinton remains ahead of Trump in national polls, her lead narrowed swiftly after the FBI announced last week it would continue its investigation into her use of a private email server, having apparently found material "pertinent" to the probe. The Times/CBS survey showed her at 45 percent to Trump's 42 percent among likely voters.
A Washington Post-ABC News tracking poll conducted around that time found Clinton's unfavorability rating at a record high of 60 percent.
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