Watch: CNN's Chief Data Analyst Gives Multi-Pronged 'Reality Check' to Network's Leftist Pundits
CNN data analyst Harry Enten gave his network’s leftist commentators a “reality check” if they think that President Donald Trump’s popularity is waning based on the latest polling numbers.
Pointing to an NBC News poll released last week, Enten said, “All we talk about is about how unpopular Donald Trump is, but in reality he’s basically more popular than he was at any point in term number one.”
“When you compare Trump against himself, he’s actually closer to the apex than he is to the bottom of the trough,” he continued. “And, of course, that’s so important because Donald Trump, historically speaking, has had his numbers underestimated. So I think it’s very important to compare him to himself.”
According to the NBC survey, 47 percent approve of Trump’s job performance and 51 percent disapprove, so he’s technically underwater, but that actually matches the highest he has ever polled with the outlet.
Enten noted that Trump was down 7 points in net approval in November when he was elected in a seven swing state sweep, and down 10 points in March of 2017, shortly after he took office for his first term.
“He’s actually more popular now than he was when he won or certainly where he was at this point back in his first term. The bottom line is Trump is more towards the ceiling than he is towards the floor,” Enten said.
Oh? I was reliably told that everyone who voted for Trump was regretting it 🙄 https://t.co/4EtcgBCi5t
— Scott Jennings (@ScottJenningsKY) March 25, 2025
If the approval number argument wasn’t convincing enough for the CNN audience, Enten argued that the country’s right track and wrong track number under Trump’s leadership provides another data point.
In November, at the end of the Biden-Harris administration, only 27 percent of Americans believed the U.S. was on the right track, he said.
Presently, according to NBC, 44 percent believe the country is on the right track, which is the highest that outlet has recorded since 2004, Enten said.
Similarly, a Marist poll released earlier this month found 45 percent of respondents think the U.S. is on the right track, the second-highest that firm has measured since 2009.
“The bottom line is the percentage of Americans who say we’re on the right track is through the roof,” Enten stated.
Further, he highlighted that the number is higher than the 42 percent average seen historically at the same point when the incumbent party is re-elected.
If the first two measures above were not enough proof that Trump and his policies are popular, Enten provided one more measure: The congressional generic ballot is also looking good for Republicans.
In November 2020, when Democrats took back the Senate and held the House, they had a lead of 5 points on the generic ballot over Republicans.
In November 2022, when the GOP took back the House, the generic ballot was tied.
This past November, when Republicans held the House and took the Senate, it was Democrats up by 1 point, and that’s where it is now.
At this point in Enten’s argument, CNN’s Sara Sidner decided she had to shoe-horn in the text-leaking controversy, saying maybe it will bring down Trump’s numbers.
Lots of luck with that. It’s a two or three day story driven by the liberal media in all likelihood.
Enten responded: “At this point, Republicans are still in the catbird seat.”
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