The national media use polls the way they deploy all kinds of facts. They very carefully organize things to make it look like their worldview is winning. Throughout these first months of the second term, they’ve presented Trump’s actions as chaotic and (they hope) politically damaging to Republicans.
So they may not notice polls that offer some good news. Let’s take the Real Clear Politics average of polls on whether the country’s going in the right or wrong direction. The numbers are more positive than anyone watching the networks would expect. It could be defined as voters stiff-arming the relentless media negativity.
It isn’t just our numbers. @RCPolitics Right Direction number is 1 point away from being better than at any point in their last 16 years. pic.twitter.com/HFiDSivt6x
— Mark Mitchell, Rasmussen Reports (@honestpollster) May 23, 2025
So…