OPINION: Majority of Americans Think Trump Committed Crimes - That's a Problem

Red State ^ | 08/28/2023 | Matt Dempsey

[SeekAndFind]

A new poll released on Saturday shows that 62 percent of Americans think former President Trump "committed a crime." Trump made history this past Thursday by becoming the first former President of the United States to have his mugshot taken, not to mention also being the subject of four separate indictments with a total of 91 separate charges. The poll is what many people consider a damning case against Trump. 

More than three in five Americans believe that Donald Trump has committed a crime (net +32; 62 percent committed a crime – 30 percent did not commit a crime), including independents by 49 points (67 percent committed a crime – 18 percent did not), nine in ten Democrats (net +87; 92 percent committed a crime – 5 percent did not), and nearly three in ten Republicans (net -33; 28 percent committed a crime – 18 percent did not). While nearly two in three white Americans believe Trump has committed a crime (57 percent), overwhelming shares of Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders (83 percent), Black Americans (81 percent), and Hispanic Americans (72 percent) believe he has. Other demographic subgroups most likely to believe Trump has committed a crime include college-educated women (76 percent), Americans under the age of 35 (71 percent), and independent women (69 percent).  

No matter how you slice it, that isn't something to be proud of, regardless of why and how they were brought forward. This Presidential election cycle is being dominated by Trump and his legal woes. Everybody is talking about it, and it's burning up precious time and energy that could be spent on ripping apart President Biden's administration and failures. The first debate of the cycle was dominated by a person who wasn't even there, with Trump ditching the debate to do an interview with former FOX News host Tucker Carlson on X (formerly known as Twitter). However, polling suggests that not showing up to the debate might have actually hurt Trump, rather than help. 

Ep. 19 Debate Night with Donald J Trump pic.twitter.com/ayPfII48CO— Tucker Carlson (@TuckerCarlson) August 24, 2023

Trump is seemingly always at center stage — at least figuratively — during this election season, and people are losing focus on the future and all the possibilities it brings. With 91 separate criminal charges, he is looking at over 650 years in prison if convicted on all charges, even though we would all agree that some of them are blatantly unconstitutional. Now, I will readily admit that he won't even get close to that, let alone be convicted on all counts. But therein lies the problem. Like it or not, the chances of Trump getting convicted on at least one or more charges are very high. In my experience in law enforcement and statistically speaking, the more charges one is hit with, the higher the chance that that person will get convicted. 

The conviction rate is 82% at one charge; for defendants tried for five counts or more, the conviction rate is 91%, almost 10 percentage points higher.

Again, in my professional experience, like it or not, Trump will most likely be convicted on at least one count on any of the indictments, and he will most likely go to, or at least be sentenced to prison. Now, some will say that my sharing this observation puts me on the side of the "deep state," or something along those lines, but I'm not. I think it is clear by now that my views do not correlate with supporting a big government that is corrupted by power and money. I do believe that there are some serious concerns and even evidence of President Biden using the DOJ or "legitimate efforts of our Constitution [to ensure Trump] doesn't become the next President again," as President Biden notoriously said.

Let's explore the possible/probable event that Trump gets convicted on one or more charges for any of his indictments before the general election next November. Politically, what would happen in the election cycle? First off, because Trump has so many devoted followers, he stands poised to nab the GOP nomination unless the GOP successfully sabotages that. At that point, with Trump as the nominee, he'd also be a convicted felon looking at a prison sentence. And the Republican Party will have lost credibility in its claim to be the "law and order" party by supporting a candidate who will be a convicted felon at that point. 

We'd be going after the presumed Democratic nominee of President Biden with a tainted candidate who could well be in prison either just before taking office if he wins or shortly thereafter. If you think America is a laughing stock to the world now, just wait until that happens. Our international allies and partners would immediately start looking elsewhere for friends, while adversaries like Russia and China would take full advantage of the power vacuum left by an incredibly unstable America. What is more likely, however, is that Trump would lose the general election, and we'd be stuck with Biden and his ilk for the next four years. 

Fair or no, Trump is political kryptonite now. In addition to hurting the reputation of the Republican Party, he's lashing out at anyone who offers so much as the lightest of criticism. He cannot stand being criticized or even disagreed with. His most effective Press Secretary while he was in office, Kayleigh McEnany, committed the egregious crime of allegedly using the wrong polling numbers when reporting on Trump's lead over Governor Ron DeSantis. So what did Trump do? He cut her out like a mold patch on his Double Quarter Pounder with cheese.

“Kayleigh ‘Milktoast’ McEnany just gave out the wrong poll numbers on FoxNews. I am 34 points up on DeSanctimonious, not 25 up,”   

One of the candidates who could beat Biden in November is Governor Ron DeSantis. He is the most successful Republican Governor in the country. DeSantis has done more to further the conservative agenda in his state of Florida than any Republican governor today. He signed "constitutional carry" legislation, parent's rights bills, fought the radical trans agenda, and more. Trump did help DeSantis get elected to his first term, and that was a close one. But DeSantis's victory this past year was a figurative beat down of his politically confused opponent, Charlie Crist, by over 19 points. 

If Trump doesn't win the nomination for any reason, I suspect he will take his campaign forward, but as an independent. If he goes that route, he'll pull a spoiler campaign for the record books, making what Ross Perot did to Former President George H. W. Bush in the 1992 election pale in comparison. Perot managed to gather just over a whopping 19,000,000 votes. Imagine what Trump could do as a third-party candidate or independent. He wouldn't win, but he'd essentially give the race to any Democrat candidate, which, in turn, would likely guarantee a Democrat victory across the board, ceding both chambers of Congress to the Dems as faith in the GOP plummets. 

If he were to back out now, Trump could put his money on any candidate he thinks could crush Biden, of which there are a few who could easily trounce Biden. He could also campaign for Republicans in a way that isn't toxic or childish and helps us win big. If he uses his power and clout to further the conservative brand, Republicans could get that boost they really need

[OftheOhio]

Sounds like we have a government operative at play here, doesn’t it. In love with lord Vivek, but needs to post this trash.

The Gentleperson’s Guide to Forum Spies. How much of this seems familiar to you?
https://patriots.win/p/16b5uwDXBB/the-gentlepersons-guide-to-forum/

[dforest]

No poll is needed to know Trump is way ahead. Out in Realville, very few talk about the other dwarfs.

[jmaroneps37]

Go away.

[HandBasketHell]

I researched the poll:

The survey was conducted online, recruiting respondents from an opt-in online panel vendor."

Absolute rubbish poll.

[Macoozie]

“It is woefully unfortunate that President Trump ever made a crack about being able to shoot someone on Fifth Avenue and still be supported politically.”

Unfortunate? for whom? but, it’s true.

I’d still vote for him.

And so would millions and millions of others.

Roll MAGA, roll!

[jacknhoo]

Such a BS article, have some more fried chicken Dempsey.

[jacknhoo]

I don’t think anyone should drop out. We should have more candidates. The more the better, as a matter of fact.

[elenvee]

The number of independents who think Trump committed a crime is disturbing. Even adjusting for a leftward bias, it is still the majority. That’s what the drumbeat of MSM news does. And it is independents who decide elections.

[euram]

This is from the About Us page of “Navigator”:

Navigator is a trusted resource for developing and distributing winning progressive messages and polling on the most pressing issues of the moment.

Our rapid response surveys and vast data ecosystem allow us to share real-time perspectives on rapidly evolving topics, while also maintaining long-term tracking on the nation’s top issues.

So, it has come to this, Red State is now actually pushing the results of a “poll” from a leftist group who doesn’t actually try to hide their agenda.

[euram]

From Navigator About Us Page:

Navigator is a trusted resource for developing and distributing winning progressive messages and polling on the most pressing issues of the moment.

Our rapid response surveys and vast data ecosystem allow us to share real-time perspectives on rapidly evolving topics, while also maintaining long-term tracking on the nation’s top issues.

[cymbeline]

People will vote for the candidate and their agenda that they hate the least.

[Labyrinthos]

He probably did commit a crime, if only because there are so many laws on the books that very few people can go through life (or even a day) without committing a crime.

And yes, Trump will be convicted because the trials will take place in DC, Fulton County, and NYC. And while the conviction will eventually be overturned on appeal, the damage will be done and irreparable. That’s the sad reality.

[odawg]

Consider the source.

from Wikiedia:

In August 2015, Republican presidential candidate Donald Trump was disinvited from the annual RedState gathering following controversial statements he made about American journalist Megyn Kelly; Kelly was invited to the gathering instead.[1] RedState was then one of the main centers of conservative opposition to Trump’s campaign for the Presidency, with most of its writers and editors vocally opposing Trump.[20][21]

[mbrfl]

Thanks for filling in the details. I had forgotten some of them myself.

[fuzzylogic]

When you see comment sections of something posted by a leftist, you see that the comments share a common thread. The belief that “everyone feels the same as they do”. They’re immersed in the sources of the lie and see it everywhere. It is their reality and can’t understand how PDJT isn’t already in prison.

[sauropod]

bkmk

[1Old Pro]

The media has been lying 24/7 and yes the media influences public opinion that gets reflected in polls.

[Wallace T.]

If there has been a shift in the black vote, it is due to black men shifting Allegiance. Black men are more sensible than black women and are less brainwashed by mainstream media propaganda. Women are more likely to accept the narrative foisted by the Deep State irrespective of their race.

[wardaddy]

Red State was virulently anti Trump till they had no choice not to be

[Georgia Girl 2]

No most people think the election was stolen.